Seeking Advice. - Yigo,GU

First off...amazing job mom! I know it's not easy to watch your child struggle and it sounds as though you take it in stride.

Now with him being preemie..of course he will be a bit behind. You have to remember that he should only be about 4 months old right now. Being born early also has side effects of its own..even though medicine has come a long way, we are still a ways from being able to simulate the womb.

Now..I think the other mom of twins had the best idea...classes for him to help develop motor skills, tummy time. Try not to worry too much. Many preemies have the roughtest time in the beginning and then just shoot out of nowhere to catch up with peers. He seems much younger than other six month olds but once he his grade school it will probably be almost non-existant.
Again though...major respect that you are able to handle all that so well, he is truly lucky to have you as a mom.

My twins were born at 26 weeks so I very much understand what you are going through. It is so hard to have a preemie with so many issues and I'm sure you feel very lost and confused. I would recommend going to early intervention. For preemies it is free (at least where I live) and they will assess him and then tell you where you should go from there (occupational and/or physical therapy).

As for what you can do, my doctor told me to spend a lot of times with my kids doing "tummy time" really helps them build their muscles so he can roll over and such.

Sometimes preemies do just need a little extra time but in case he is behind in some areas, the occupational or physical therapist can really help!

It sounds like you are on the right track. One additional resource that you may want to look into is www.shrinershospitals.org. Because of your son's orthopedic conditions, he would be eligible to be a part of the Shriners Hospital system until he is 21 years old, as long as he continues to need orthopedic follow-up or intervention. All Shriners services are free to their patients and they may even help with transportation to the nearest hospital if needed. The toll free number for referrals is 800-237-5055. Also, you are probably aware that most medical professionals adjust for prematurity, so because your son was born 8 weeks early, you would expect him to behave more like a 4 mo. old than a 6 mo. old. Definitely pursue your local early intervention program because they can continue to guide you as he develops. Best of luck!

Is 6mo his adjusted age or chronological age? If it's chrono... I would expect that he's doing great.

The rule of thumb is subtract every day/week premature. Which would take him down to 4mo adjusted age. Then subtract 2 weeks to 1mo for each major surgery. A 2 or 3 mo old one would not expect the same milestones at all.

Hi M., I'm a blind mother of 3 babies who all have different special needs. I worked for The Blind Children's learning Center in Tustin CA for about 5 years before I had my kids & I have some techniques that will help you & baby.

For motor skills, try putting things for him to grab just at the line between his fingers & his palm, let him grab them once, then again & let him hold the objectt. The action of grabbing will build his responses over time, & holding objects will increase his hand strength as well. You can also ly him on his back and gently move his legs in a bicycle kick motion to the tune of a nursery song; this will help his range of motion in his legs and help build up any lack in muscle tissue.

For his visual impairment, use toys that are noisy such as musical toys, rattles, & toys that vibrate. That way _if he can't see them he can still interact. Put these toys where he can feel them, & eventually reach for them himself. Vibrating toys are also great for stimulating Nerve endings in his hands and feet, but not more than about 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of the vibration.

Talk to him, about everything you are doing throuout his day, "Time for a Diaper Change, bath, feeding," or "Feel these Jammies, These are the ones you'll be wearing today," You get the idea. Take time to let him feel before you do things, for example the Jammies, or bath water.

watch him for signs of overstimulation especially in public places or when there's a lot of people or movement around him. But most of all, focus on his achievements & what he can do, more than what he can't. The other moms have posted great resources for early intervension & medical professionals but these are just a few things you can do on an everyday basis to help your sweet son grow to be a strong & healthy young man.
I hope these techniques help. Pleas contact me if you'd like I have lots of other ideas & other techniques that may be useful, I'm just trying not to write an ebook on your answer page. Best of luck & many blessings to you both. Stay strong & love love love that baby.
A.

Well, you say you are getting his eyes checked... and that may make all the difference in the world. It's not unusual for a preemie 6 mo old to lag a little bit tho.... he's just going to take a little longer, he has a lot going on right now poor little guy.
Prayers to you....

Hi there,
You have to remember that he entered the world very early, so I do believe that everything else will come within time. He WILL be behind in almost everything......at least a few months behind. But, I'm sure he will catch up as he gets older. He may be almost 6 months old, but his body is much younger. If he was born at 40 weeks, he would only be around 4 months old now.......what do they do at 4 months......just about nothing!
I wouldn't worry to much about motor skills, that will happen in time. I hope his vision is not effected. Stay strong for your baby, and take care of yourself.

My son was born at 31 1/2 weeks and was 3 1/2 pounds. You will drive yourself crazy if you expect him to hit all of the same benchmarks as a child born full term. Look at his actual due date, but he may still be delayed even beyond that. My son did not walk or talk until 18 months, but now at 3 he has fully caught up to his peers. A lot of babies are not rolling over at less than 4 months. I would still get a referral for a physical or occupational therapist, though. If he does need therapy, the sooner you start, the better. I would also suggest getting into a support group for moms with preemies. You are dealing with a lot and it is always nice to talk to someone with similar experiences.

My son was born at 31 weeks so I can relate to your concerns. At 6 months he's more like a 4 month old so I really wouldn't worry too much. My son rolled over late, crawled late and walked late. He didn't walk until he was 15 months.

He will catch up it just takes time. And don't worry about what other people say, you know your baby and it's perfectly normal for him to be behind due to prematurity. He's actually not behind if you compare him to when he was supposed to be born (I always liked to look at it that way).

You should talk with your pediatrician and see if he will refer you to a Pediatric Physical Therapist.

you have to take into account that he was 2 months premature. Really he should be 4 months and possibly starting to rool over now. Do not alarm yourself too much with what he should be doing, every baby develops at a different rate and considering he wa premature he will most likely be behind on some of his milestones. Stay strong and I hope everything works out.

You can always have your doctor refer you for services such as occupational therapy and/or physical therapy. If he tests as having delays he can get referals for these early interventions. These services used to be free, but I believe the state has changed this due to budget cuts.

M., make sure to contact your local REgional Center if you're in CA. They can provide much needed therapies and interventions that can make a HUGE difference especially because he is still small. Also, check to see if he would qualify for California Children's Services (CCS) that depends on the type of diagnosis, but he may qualify. Hope that helps.

Contact your local Regional Center and request an evaluation. These centers are state agencies that offer free services to kids birth-3 years old that either have or or at risk for developmental delays. Since your little guy was a premie, that automatically makes him a candidate. If he needs physical therapy, vision therapy, etc., they can provide it at no charge to you - a good use of our tax dollars!

Good luck!