NOAH AOC

It has been a while since I have written but I come and read the posts quite often.  Dani - my 9 1/2 month old who was diagnosed basically when she was 3 months with OA had her 2nd appointment with the Vision Therapist on Monday. This was also her first assessment with this particular person.  I really like these assessments in that they give me great insight as to what Dani's weaknesses are and how I can best help her.  I really hate these assessments because they also point out how much she is compensating with her other senses and really can not see visually.  Dani is our 3rd and she crawled before the other two, she pulled up before the other two and started cruising around before her sisters.  Well now she has been crusing for about a month and granted she still isnt quite 10 months, her sisters were walking after they had been crusing for a much shorter time.  (they both walked at 11 months)  So her vision therapist explained to me that because Dani has to not only consentrate on mastering her balance but she also has to consentrate really hard to see, so it may take her a lot longer before she walks.  Does this relate to anyone and their kids?  She also wanted my husband and I to think about giving her a walking devise to help elievate some of the double consentration stuff.  I am not sure I want to start giving her this kind of assistance at this early age. What do you all think?

Oh by the way, I posted earlier about taking the girls to the Zoo. I contacted them and we are scheduled for a "behind the scenes" look at some of thier small animals, and they will escort us to the stingray/shark tank to make sure my children are able to touch the animals. ISNT THAT COOL!!!  Thanks alot for everyone who wrote back with suggestions for that.

Also check out our family blogg at http://skaroupkafamily.blogspot.com/

It sounds as though Dani is doing wonderful!  Ryker didn't walk until he was 14 mos.  I would be leary about giving her a walking dievice at such a young age, you wouldn't want her to become dependent on it.  Most normal sighted kids don't walk until they are 12 mos. or older.  She may take a little longer but she will get there.  We didn't notice any balance problems with Ryker when he started walking, just having trouble with depth perception.  She's doing great, I'd just give her a little more time!

Kelli

Zachary walked at 13 months and didn't cruise much at all.  My other son (without albinism) cruised for about 2 months and finally walked at 12 months.  It had nothing to do with pigment or no pigment--they walked when they were ready--a true testament to their personalities today.

As far as EI,  Zachary began EI at 4 months old and we ended it at 1 year.  In my opinion, not everyone child with albinism needs EI.  Every child is different and sometimes the assessments, the visits, the advice becomes too much.  Trust your instinct---you are an experienced mom.

Jo

Both of my kids used a push walker...like from Fisher Price, to learn to walk.  The loved it and still go straight for it when we go visit our friends to have taken it now.  My daughter (with albinism) walked 3 weeks to the day after her 1st birthday.  Son (without albinism) started also 3 weeks to the day after his first birthday...are we consistent or what! 

I don't know exactly what you mean by a walking device but lots of kids with normal vision use these to gain independence...they worked great for us. 

BTW...I HATE assessments (HATE HATE HATE).  My kids usually do fine but I hate the questions.  I feel like I should be taking notes watching my children play so that I can answer some of these wierdo questions.  I feel like a very unattentive parent...especially when they ask can they build a tower or something like that and my response is...i dunno, never tried.   My husband is so much better at answering their questions than I am...he is a cop so maybe better at paying attention and remembering details later...

Kelly

First of all - how COOL about the Zoo - I would love to be able to do that!

If it were my daughter, I would not give her a walking device. Why would she have to concentrate any harder to walk, then she would when she is mastering anything else - and SHE is used to her vision, so I guess I don't understand that concept.  I wouldn't worry about her walking yet anyway - she's got a lot of time.

I wish I could remember exactly how it was told to me, but one of the first pediatric opthamologists we saw when my oldest was a baby told us something about ocular albinism/albinism being a different kind of visual impairment - meaning there generally is no blurriness, just less detail, not being able to see small things from far away etc. but my son shouldn't have any problems developing because of it - crawling, walking etc.

Now if they were trying to walk an obstacle course - different story. LOL

Thank you for all your advice.  We actually have a play shopping cart and I am helping her push behind that.  She is not confident enough to push it on her own, but hey she turned 10 months on Friday I think I will give the kid a break!!!  Have a good Day!!!

Rebekah, Mom of Elainah Kylah and Danikah