Well we had our first meeting with a Floortime psychologist – this Dr comes well renowne
Overall it was below my expectations – particularly since we spend just below 500 dollars and drove a total of 400 miles for a 2 hour consultation
We had to drive 200 miles away and stayed over at a friends place the night – I and DH got chatting with these friends and did not sleep till late – net net even R slept at 12.30 am and woke up at 7 am
Then he was not too hungry so he did not eat properly
Plus the Dr’s office was a new place and so

He stimmed stimmed stimmed- ran around aimlessly – he would engage with us when invited but basically wanted to stim and nurse and was stressed out because I did not

While I explained that he was stressed out and the doctor said she would not evaluate him in that from her recommendation was pretty clear that she did evaluate him and probably thought that we were making up all the stories about how engaged and affectionate he is a lot of the times with us

These are the recommendations that we are going to follow through with him:
1. Heavy on Sensory diet- she strongly stressed that R has a Regulatory disorder and that we need to provide lots of sensory stimulus to him – this is different than just using sensory play to build communication – She said sensory stuff is the end in itself for R not the means to an end – this is her primary recco – she said we should be really serious about this like put him in swings 8-10 times a day
2. Sing+ Swim + Sensory : Sing – instead of use language for even everyday stuff - l ike this is the way we take a nap …. Take a nap… take a nap …
3. She also told me not to feel guilty if I could not do enough for him

These are the reccos we are taking with a pinch of salt
1. She was quite disapproving of “drills” (ABA??? )
2. She thought we should not work on Speech right now – just on sensory stuff
3. Continue to nurse as he uses it to regulate himself ( I agree and she is right but I am SOOOOOO sick of it – I would LOVE to wean )

Overall – I was quite disappointed.
The doctor and her office was really nice- she stressed the importance of stressless parenting and also the uselessness of labels – she did not once use the word ASD
but I had higher expectations – From Greenspan’s book I had thought that a DIR consultation would have a much more detailed evaluation of R’s strengths and weaknesses – instead of a snapshot based on a little time in an office.

I felt that she saw R’s weakness and not his strengths—I felt that she saw his as very primitive for some reason I also felt guilted when she told me that I should live in the moment! She is totally right of course but I felt less inspired and less energized – The trip really drained me

I suppose I had expected to come back energized about DOING more with R but I came back less so. DH and I also decided not to go to the November conference -
We are still VERY positive about Floortime. I just feel a little down inside – R is really progressing sloooooooowly and of course I know the importance of staying positive and enjoying him ( which I really do )