Over the years, Jayden has continued to progress. He is 13 years old, stands about 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds.
He can sit on his own and rock. His Occupational Therapist informed me that this is a vestibular need that he craves. So now every morning he is allowed to rock for about 20 to 30 minutes.
He keeps himself up and balanced, sometimes lifting his hands off of the floor to clap or practice balancing.
Jayden absolutely loves to bounce, so one of his daily activities is to bounce.
When he does this activity, he sits up, his back is straight and his he is up.
He bounces on a peanut, but he started out on a Rody.
He has really been pushing through his feet and actually beginning to almost stand up!
We had so much fun creating Jayen's Active Learning space. We may have gotten carried away.
He loves his Active Learing Room and everyday when we load him up to go over, he gets so very excited.
Jayden has an awesome team of women! Some of them are his care providers, some of them are volunteers. But without their help none of these activities would be possible.
I am a strict believer that a wheelchair is for transporting only. I do not like Jayden left in his wheelchair.
So with the help of his wonderful team he comes out of his wheelchair every morning by 9:30/10 every day and does not go back into it at all Monday through Thursday. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, stays out all day until 6.
They make sure he gets physical activity everyday. He is now 13 years old. Stands 5 feet tall and weighs 100 lbs. Their assistance is an essential part of his daily activities.
I found a track system that I could put up in his Active Learning Room. It is a 4 post system from Easy Track.
I am able to install it without having to drill into the ceiling. And the 4 post system allows movement anywhere within the 4 post.
Yes it was expensive, but as I've said, I sold my house so I had the funds and he is so worth it.
Jayden will bear his own weight and dance!
It's his own form of dancing but he enjoys it and it has led to him standing to get out of the wheelchair and sometimes to get into it. This is extremely helpful.
I give him what I call, "free time" in the HOPSA. My goal is for him to learn how to move himself around in it.
He moves away from the board, but it is up to him to get back to it. But what he learns on his own, he remembers.
Jayden is a happy child, dispite his condition. He finds joy in some of the smallest things like rocking, bouncing, music, laughter, and even wind.
He does everything he can to please me and does it all with a smile. His laugh is completely contagious.
He likes clapping and loud noises and loves to hear other children.
He loves his care providers and his granny.
He loves his visit from Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny.
And he loves me!
I could go on and on. Like how he loves his special friends and water, his baths and having his teeth brushed.
This is why i do everything I can for him. This is why I do Active Learning with him. This is why, when I sold my house I found his Active Learning Space and use those funds to pay rent every month.
He is most certainly worth it!
It is just another way for him to move himself around. He moves himself by rocking in it and since rocking is one of his favorite activities ...well let's just say I it worked to both of our advantages.
In September my husband unexpectantly passed away, leaving me with our house. It was large and empty and had no carpet. We would take him to it to jet mobil around the house. He loved all that room.
