| This has been an amazing journey, and I thank all who | | | | hands back down. Seconds later those little arms are |
| have joined me in it! The feedback has been great, | | | | stretching up high again. I haven’t yet seen you |
| and I’m so glad to have you share this amazing | | | | put your arms up because we say “So |
| adventure. This past month has proven to be a time of | | | | big,” but that should come soon as well. Another |
| even more milestones in my infant son’s | | | | little game you like to play is “peek-a-boo.” |
| development. How is it that infants can grow so much | | | | We are at a very early stage of it, but you think you |
| in such little time? | | | | are hilarious. When you are under a blanket and I pull it |
| - You continue to grow so quickly. The thing that | | | | off, you look around like “Here I am world” |
| amazes me most about your last month of | | | | with a glowing face, making sure that everybody is |
| development is your ability to notice everything around | | | | watching. |
| you, and then grab for any and everything! What once | | | | - The mornings are much better now. When you |
| used to be an easy trip to a restaurant now proves to | | | | wake up, you lay in bed and practice talking. This |
| be much more of a challenge. Your ability to seek | | | | happens after your naps now, too. It’s so nice |
| something out and then grab it in an instant is amazing! | | | | to be at the stage where you don’t need to eat |
| My beverage, plate of food etc. must be on the other | | | | the second you get up. |
| side of the table, or you are diving forward to grab it. | | | | - You have eaten your first solids. That process is so |
| - You are much more intrigued by things now, and are | | | | amazing to me as well. The first spoonful that went |
| beginning to explore more. For instance, my earrings | | | | into your mouth immediately came out, as you had no |
| and grandma’s glasses are easily captured, and | | | | idea how to use your tongue for swallowing. You |
| must be removed before holding on to you. If you do | | | | pulled the funniest face, and your sisters got a big kick |
| get a hold of them, they go instantly to your mouth. | | | | out of that. Now you are able to get about half the |
| - Rolling over has become much easier, and | | | | food down while the rest goes all over your bib, which |
| you’ve almost reached the goal of rolling from | | | | you like to pick up and smear all over your face. |
| your back to your front. Several times now, I’ve | | | | It’s quite a messy process. You have no idea |
| seen you roll to the side to grab something. If it | | | | how to drink from a sippy cup yet, but we occasionally |
| weren’t for your arm getting in the way, you | | | | put one in front of you just to keep trying. |
| would have found your way over to your stomach by | | | | I continue to look at the gains my little boy is making |
| now. It won’t be long! | | | | each month, and am blown away by how quickly this |
| - I thought that feeding you last month was difficult, but | | | | stuff really develops. As an RDI® consultant, I have |
| has it ever become more of a challenge now. Both | | | | come to understand and cherish each one of these |
| your grandma and aunt made note of that as well | | | | foundational gains in his development. Has your baby |
| when they were taking care of you and trying to give | | | | missed any of these critical steps in development? |
| you a bottle. They both asked me, “How on | | | | Does your child with autism lack any of these abilities? |
| earth do you feed this boy? He is so nosey!” I | | | | RDI® is a development-based program that |
| just simply agree, and say that I do the best I can. | | | | evaluates these early foundations in development, and |
| It’s quite a trick to hold the bottle and move it | | | | fills any missed ones through age appropriate |
| along with your constantly moving head. | | | | approaches. The gains we have seen children make |
| - You are beginning to pick up on social routines now. | | | | have been fascinating. If you see these as gaps in the |
| When you are holding on to something, you like to put | | | | development of your child(ren), I hope you come to join |
| both hands up over your head. When you do that, we | | | | us as we revisit this journey through remedial |
| say “So big!” You then smile, and put your | | | | development with our RDI® families. |