SpRiNg!!

Finally, we can go outside!!!   Amen!  Winter has disappeared (one can only hope we get NO more white stuff) and the Thayers are back outside.  We had a great weekend outside.  Playing with the dogs, swinging,  moving in that gait trainer through the grass.  Roa LOVES it outside.  It is hard to get him back in.

This Friday, Roa has his 2nd Botox treatment.  We have gone back and forth as to following through with it.  He is making such nice gains with his therapies and CE that it is hard to think about altering his muscle tone and making him "relearn" how to move.  However, our nights are MISERABLE again for the past two weeks-  Roa's frequent wakeups and crying in the night for up to an hour straight is heartbreaking.  He just can't seem to get comfortable and the only way we saw change in this was through chiropractic care and  botox. 
Another key component to our discussion to go ahead with the treatment is that Roa is scissoring his legs more and is unable to remain in a seated position on the floor for long before he straightens those legs and arches.  It just feels right to get the botox another try for the sake of sleep and comfort.

Roa has had a visit two times now from Lyndsey, Speech therapist.  Lyndsey is going ahead with an order through the school district for a voice output device for Roa. Basically,  for those of you unfamiliar,  a board that holds 4 pictures that Roa can push and a prerecorded voice will talk for him, naming what he wants.  We plan on using this for mealtimes and activity choices.  
NO, it doesn't mean that we think Roa will not speak.  Voice output devices many times prompt children to speak for themselves.  It also can decrease frustration with communication (e.i. Roa screaming when his juicebox is gone) and is one more step towards a little independence.   And one more piece of equipment for our busy boy.