Qualifying for the gifted educational enrichment program disqualifies her from the special education need that PT comes under! Thankfully there's a workaround so she can still get PT. That said, her therapist says she is doing so well at everything there are only two areas she wants to work on further, to see if they are nerve issues or can be developed.
The first is "vestibular" which I believe means inner ear and impacts her balance. Since she needed tubes as a child we know she has some inner ear differences, and this could impact her balance. She is doing well with balance, except when she closes her eyes and tries to balance, suggesting it's systemic and she compensates with her eyes.
The other relates to eye movement. She can catch larger balls, and she can catch close thrown balls. If you vary one of them she struggles. But this may have to do with lateral eye movement, so they may not be able to change it.
That said, it's great to hear that she's improved so much - we struggle to see change since we see her daily. Just as when your kids grow you don't notice until you see a picture or something!
The other part of the meeting focuses on her joining the enrichment program. I met her teacher for the first time and heard about what she will be doing, twice a week for an hour. Sounds right up Emma's alley!
When the teacher was done I asked her if she'd met Emma, which she hadn't. Glad I asked! I explained some of the differences she might find, how to address them with Emma and also some of the positives she will find. I will also send her the letter we gave the parents and other teachers.
By the end of the meeting she was excited to meet Emma as the rest of us commented on her vibrant personality and the comments her teacher provided were glowing.
After school Emma had brought home a book the teacher makes for every child after their week as class star (last week was Emma's.). In it were these pictures from her classmates. They have some common threads....
Draw like an author?! Emma said "I don't think they realize the illustrator draws the pictures!"
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