Monkey: Working Hard for Our Baby

Once we found a doctor that was ready to find out what was going on with my Monkey, I felt relieved that a doctor had listened to what I felt.

My Monkey was 18 months at the time we got tested and approved by Sooner Start. They came to the house until he was 3 years old. We met 2 to 3 times a week then once a week towards the end. The representative was so caring and always left us exercises or therapies to practice with my boy for the following week.

During this time, Monkey was delayed in his mobile and speedch milestones. My boy did not roll over by himself. I had to teach him. I would just gently push him and he got it. He did not crawl either. Monkey would pull himself up on four and would rock back and forth. I had to show him how to crawl. I took his right arm and leg to move forward and alternate and he started to do it on his own after many days trying. He did not pull himself up naturally. I taught him that too. I would put him by the coffee table and show him by moving his arms and legs. It was such a joyful moment when he learned something new after working with him. We also perform the therapies the Sooner Start representative left us. It was exhausting. I kept fighting every day for my son. We knew his quality of life depended on us.

Monkey was still not making any speech sounds. He would gesture or make grunts. The speech therapist told us to let him ask for things and not to guess what he wanted right away. He would get so frustrated to the point of crying and it was so hard for me to not get him what he wanted. I'd let him try to make a sound for what he wanted or sign language three times before I would get him what he was asking for. It seemed like forever before I could get what he was asking for. As a mom, you want to give your child what they need. This was so hard, but I knew it was for the best.

It was heart breaking to see what other kids were able to do at the same age as my boy. The reality was heart breaking. I was in my own world, but when I saw the reality it all came crushing down. I realized quickly I could not compare us to other kids. We has our own goals to work towards and I could not let other kids' behavior nor speech defeat me. I had to look up and keep on fighting.
We continued Sooner Start, Occupational and Speech therapy during this time. Monkey turned 3 and the Sooner Start services had ended. What was next for us?

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