So the appointment went better than you worried, Kat? Good.
Hmmm.... not better. No. We didn't refer her; her doc at TK was worried about her habit of banging her head and other sensory/self stim behaviors. I don't worry about the head-banging as on occasion she will stop and watch to see if you respond. It seems partially self-stim, partially boredom, partially attention seeking behavior. I think her TK doctor was worried about autism spectrum disorders. And I can say with relative certainty that Grace's issues aren't that.
I think a CP diagnosis makes sense and it addresses what we knew to be true (developmental delays as a result of brain damage). It's just that I never considered it for Grace because her issues are NOT as severe as you picture when you think of CP around motor stuff.
I think I'm bemused by the whole thing because in the 3 years when she has seen a billion specialists, maybe this is the first time I've heard CP (though I'm sure that it was mentioned in the brain damage talk we had at the NICU). Maybe it was so clear to everyone else that no one felt compelled to comment, but it took me off guard. And in the clinic, I though he meant CF and was like, "No. She doesn't have that. We've done the sweat test etc." and the doc had to be like, "no, not cystic fibrosis (dummy). cerebral palsy."
Can I also mention that my kid is living up to his Asian-Irishness as his dinner has been corned beef over sticky rice?
Ahahah.
How I wish I could make it out there this month. THREE.
We wish you could make it too!
I think I'm bemused by the whole thing because in the 3 years when she has seen a billion specialists, maybe this is the first time I've heard CP
It took me by surprise when you said it! I think my reaction was, wouldn't they know that already? But maybe, like you said, everyone thought it was assumed.
It's probably a useful thing for the exact reason sara mentioned.
It clearly took me by surprise too. In fact, so much so that after, the doctor came back to the waiting room and took me back to a clinical room to explain why he thought it was CP and how it was necessary to call it CP to get the services Grace will need.
I mean, the definition fits
"Cerebral palsy, also referred to as CP, is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development; before, during, or shortly after birth; or during infancy."
So why wouldn't it fit? But yes surprised.
What's your nail fragility?
One of my big toenails was split in half when I was a little kid and never quite healed properly. (You can see a very faint seem there.) It's really not a huge issue until I get professional pedis. The buffing seems to weaken it further and opens up the seam so that it begins cracking beneath the polish, like a spiderweb china crack. Then when I go to remove the polish, layers of the nail will just flake off, opening the door for potential fungal issues, which thank goodness, I've managed to avoid, but mostly because I think become absolutely militant about keeping my nails utterly bare and allowing them to grow back in.
So I figure if I want pretty toenails I need to a) do them myself so I can keep the enthusiastic buffing to a minimum and b) maybe find a really natural good quality polish and see if that helps any.
That, and they were pretty colors.
It's basically descriptive, but we're (or at least I am) used to hearing medical terms as prognosis related...but this (and many other terms) aren't. They describe a state, not an outcome.
No it is good to remember. The diagnosis though does open doors for the Medical Therapy Program to kick in which is part of the CA Dept. of Healthcare Services.
Sigh. Lots to do now.
