Doctor's visit

Yesterday it was Kendra's second assessment with Dr van der Walt, the paediatric neurologist. She is very happy with K's progress. She says that developmentally she is at about 5/6 months but she is developing in the right pattern ie everything is developing in more or less the right order. She now weighs 7kg and her head has increased by 3cm in size. Dr Grossfeld, the doctor in America who has made a study of JS children, recommended that she go for endocrine testing. I asked Dr vdW about this and she says there is no need to rush into it. Maybe we can rethink it when K is 1 year old, depending on her development. I am inclined to agree with her. Unless really necessary, I don't want to put K through having more tests. If there is anyone reading this with JS children, I would appreciate your views on this. Have your children been tested and if so what was the outcome?

I also mentioned to the Dr that K has been on solids for about a month now but she still hardly takes anything in. It just all gets pushed out again. She suggested we take her to a speech therapist. Apparently they can help with this sort of thing. So tomorrow I am taking her to one as we are going away on holiday in just over a week and I want to get this sorted out soon.

Kendra has also done 2 new things which we were quite excited about. The other day she grabbed her bottle and pulled it towards her. The first time she's actually reached for something where it was not just grabbing whatever her hands came across. Also she copied something Gathry did. He made a type of 'ba' sound with his mouth and she tried to pull her mouth in the same way. More than once! So exciting! The one thing which I don't really like which she does is she rolls her eyes. She sort of rolls them right back so you just see the whites of the eyes. She does this fairly often. Although in the last few days she seems to be doing it a bit less, unless I am imagining it.

The last month or so has been pretty hectic. Kendra has been to see someone different basically every week. It just seems like we are constantly going to some doctor or other. I sometimes wonder if it is all necessary, but I want to do as much for her as early as possible so that she has the best start possible. Dr. vdW has suggested we take her to someone else next year, a centre where they do special exercises for children with special needs. That will be once a month, so hopefully all we'll have to do then is that and physio which is also once a month.