An update on the little fella

Things are going pretty ok. Kian is well and healthy though sometimes I regret admitting to that, as there can be something lurking around the corner.

We are still persisting with the hearing aids. At his last ent appointment the dr said his ears and grommets looked fine. We go back in 2 months for a hearing test and possibly new moulds for the aids. I dont think the hearing aids bother Kian, but he is terrible for pulling them out now, but he does this with a smile and mishief in his eyes.

Physio is going well. We have some ideas of getting up and down stairs which we are working on. We are aiming to bum shuffle down stairs and to crawl up them. When Kian is in the mood it works really well, otherwise that mischief returns to those eyes and it is, lets try another day. We are still using the lycra, and I feel it is hard to tell whether it does make a difference or not, but I am pleased we have it to try it.

Speech is going more slowly than anything. It is hard to know what Kian's hearing is, but he does understand alot of what is being said to him. That is at Kian's stage, not maybe the average 3 1/2 year olds understanding. I am attending a meeting on wednesday which will possibly turn into workshops for parents. They will be based on the hanen way of progression of communication.

Kian had two weeks back at his special nursery after summer holidays and we had a few issues. First week he came home on transport wet through two layers of clothes, top and bottom from playing in the water, then the next day he came home without his coat (not for the first time), then the second week he came home before 12pm (school finishes at 12), his hearing aids were in his bag minus their batteries and his lycra had not been put back on after swimming. There was no communication of any of this in his home school book. I called to find out what time Kian finished and I was told someone would call me back. His teacher called back and told me sometimes they finish at 11.45 because they sometimes start at 8.45. This was strange as our letter of pre school times is 9-12 and Kian doesnt get picked up till 8.45. She went on to tell me that the specialist professions had told her not to put his aids and lycra back on after swimming. The way the conversation had been I felt fobbed off and decided to keep Kian off nursery the rest of the week until we could feel comfortable of what was happening at school. Myself and Craig went into school today to meet with the head. She told us that sometimes Kian could be put on his transport before 12 if it was there,and they had sung there home song and had their coats ready. I asked why we were told that Kian would finish school initially at 12 then if that was the case. She said she would look into it. It may seem finicky but I need a level of consistency as well as Kian. I could have well have been not at home the day Kian returned home before he was even expected to be finished. We spoke of how the professionals had told us that hearing aids and lycra were fine to be put back on after swimming. The head told us that they were obviously being given different information. I am more inclined to think that the teacher made an excuse because I asked the question. I am realistic and human, so if Kian does come home without his lycra on or his hearing aids in, I can fully accept that every day is not going to run smoothly, but I dont expect to be fobbed off.
The end result is that before our meeting, the head has instructed staff to put bags and coats in the classroom before they finish so everything goes home, Kian is to be checked after water play and changed if nesicary. A care plan will be put together so that at home we know what to expect is happening at school. The professionals are to give there instructions so home and school have the same information. I later got a phone call to say that transport could arrive before 12 but the students would not be out of school until 12. We did make a point of saying that whilst Kian is in their care at school we do trust their decision of what is best for school. But we do need to hear the truth.
???? For me I feel that this has been unnessicary stress. All of the above should be happening anyway. All children are their own individual person with different characteristis, but Kian goes to a nursery where the children are as above but they have their difficulties also. Im glad we had the meeting, but it is a shame it had to come to that. The head teacher has acted promtly and hopefully everything has or will be resolved.
In the year Kian has been at nursery school I have tried to help out at the school, whether by selling raffle tickets, sending in bits for raffles, supporting their fayre, but I still need to and will speak up when things arent right for Kian. Is it possible to have the balance?? I would like to think so. I have heard many stories of professionals becoming defensive to parents and sometimes other services. I feel I have had a few encounters like that myself now. Parents do not want to do anything to hinder their childs care but sometimes things have to be said. I do wonder why some people are automatically defensive to parents? Not sure I will ever know the answer!