progress report

Ethan was enjoying the time at home. There was no sign he was sick and then I noticed ooze from his left ear. We weren't even home two weeks. He had a respiratory follow up appointment at Monash so an ENT appointment was made for the same day.

The ENT appointment went well. He needs a grommet in his right due to fluid behind the drum. The left ear hasn't healed. He has been commenced on ear drops to aid the process. Hopefully these do the trick and he can have a grommet inserted into that one too. He also needs an endoscopy. This will provide more information about his swallowing insufficiencies. We are on a waiting list for these procedures. Pre admission forms have been completed. There was only 2 lines for past history...I attached the three page spreadsheet!!

The respiratory appointment went well. We are to press on with everything we are doing. The chest xray was a little better. Hopefully the next one will be even better.

He remains happy and playful but spiking temperatures on and off. He is also pretty snotty. Nothing new really.

A speech pathologist from specialist childrens services has been seeing Ethan. Ethan has built a strong relationship with him. Hopefully now we can start making some progress with communication. We are going to work on more signing and the use of picture cards. He believes he is a long way off making sounds. Not the best news but a positive plan to aid communication and reading skills. Specialist children services went to the creche were Ethan attends and spoke in detail their roles in helping him. He has fitted in at creche really well. He has made friends with a couple of little kids and looks forward to playing with them.

Ethan has been booked in for an early education program at the Dandenong Valley Specialist School next year. He will go two days a week. He will also go into main stream kinder for social skills. We are not sure of days and hours, or whether he can get some assistance in the kinder room. The forms have been completed and now we are waiting. It will be a big load. Hopefully he doesn't keep getting sick next year so he can get the full benefit.

Photos soon!