Asher update

If you haven't read any of my posts about my journey with my awesome kiddo, Asher, check out these two blog posts:  

 At a Loss   and    Asher...Take 2

Since I wrote those two posts, we've started taking Asher to a speech therapist. Not because he has trouble with language... in fact, she said that WHEN he speaks, he is very articulate and well-spoken. So the therapy goals are to get him the tools he needs to know HOW to communicate. One thing she explained to me that was an "Aha" moment for me...and I shared with Mr C (his teacher) is that communication is not always verbal!! 

Asher CAN communicate with non-verbal cues...it's a baby-step to full fledged verbal communication. She explained that, when playing a board game, if he hands me the dice, he doesn't have to verbally say, "It's your turn" because the NON-verbal communication of handing me the dice is his way of communicating. Shaking his head, or nodding his head, or giving a thumb's up... they are all ways of communicating for a "selective mute" kiddo that aren't as threatening to him as verbal communication can be.

(side note: WOW, I'm saying the word "communicate" A LOT!  LOL)

Anyways, since we began therapy 2 months ago, we've seen a significant improvement. He's not "there" yet, and has a long way to go, but the bit-by-bit progress is SO reassuring! In school, rather than sitting on the floor staring at the wall, he is playing!! He is drawing and participating in activities. A couple weeks ago, they did a "Monkey in the Middle" song. Mr C. took turns having different kids be the monkey. When he called on Asher, he expected him to scowl at him and not get up, but HE DID!! He actually got up in front of the class and pretended to be the monkey for the song!

 #PROUDMOMMA!

Yesterday was another step of progress. Not just for Asher, but for me as well. I realized that I MIGHT have been enabling him a little bit in this journey. This is why I hate "labels" like "Social Anxiety" and "Selective Mute" ... I heard those, and I MIGHT have coddled him too much. Rather than encouraging him to get out there and do things, I told him it was okay to NOT do things... I feared that pushing him, if he wasn't ready, would make matters worse. BUT, yesterday, I began to wonder if his road to therapy would be shorter IF I encouraged him to step out of his comfort zone...

Here's what happened...

At the boys' school, on rainy or below freezing days, all of the kids go to the gym until school begins. (On nice days, they play on the playground). Well, all school-year long, I dropped Xander off at the gym; then I parked in front of Asher's classroom so he could avoid the gym and just go inside when the rest of the class did. So, yesterday, I told him, "We're going to the gym together- I'll walk with you!" So I walked him to the gym to sit with his class!! The teacher assistant- Miss L said, "Wow!" with a look of confusion! LOL... So I explained that this is something new I wanted him to try! Then this morning, I told him and Xander to go together! And HE WENT!! He went all the way from the van to the gym without looking back at me!! I actually sat there and cried. I was so proud. Now, I realize, for most moms, this is not that big of a deal, but for me with Asher, it is a HUGE deal! 

We plan to continue his speech therapy appointments once a week through the summer... hopefully next year in kindergarten he'll adjust better! I am excited to continue to see these changes in him... I love seeing the butterfly break free from the cocoon!  It's a slow process, but when he's finally free, he'll be so much more amazing!!

!