Camp is really wearing Adeline out. It is taking a lot of work to get her through the three hour camp schedule. She is easily distracted, in a new environment, with new kids and expected to rise to age levels that are far beyond that of 2.5. Regardless, she is making progress. I have therapist lined up for almost every day so that she has one on one direction and support. This is what she will be up against in the fall so I feel inclined to slowly break her in throughout the summer.
It has been reported that Adeline is squirmy and very clingy by the end of the day. Clingy isn't new for her. She is always asking other people to hold her because I am dominated by Miss Grace. Each day I pick them up during their outdoor time. Each day she is sitting on the teacher's lap. It warms my heart that they hold her but at the same time I wish she was running with the other kids. Just another jolt of the "we aren't typical" reality. And squirmy, well it is pretty clear that Adeline suffers in the attention department.
According to her therapists, Adeline is trying very hard to follow directions. They are often lost once she is two or three steps in. Today, each kids was given different pictures of animals. They were to look around the room for the match that was strewn about. Adeline started looking around but visually scanning something is very hard. She will walk forward while looking to at the wall on the right. Today, she walked right up to where the fish was (on the floor) and forgot to look down. Her OT said, "Adeline, look on the floor" and immediately Adeline bent down and picked up the fish. We were both very pleased that she had held the direction of matching the fish in her head for that long. As I always say, it is all the other issues preventing her from succeeding. This time it was motor planning and visual scanning that caused her to need help, not cognitive deficits.
How does this all add up? I wish she was more independent and engaged like that of her sister. However, she is trying very hard to hang with the others and can do it with help. Eventually, that help will be weaned when things become routine. She will always be a creature of habit and need structured routine but there are worse things to be. One thing I know for sure, she is exhausted when she comes home. She shuts down, doesn't talk and takes long naps. When I woke her this morning at 8:10 she looked up at me and refused to stand up to be lifted out of her crib. I asked her if she wanted to get up and Adeline rolled over and said, "No, I sleeping." Now that sentence is progress.
