Leah's New "Toy"

Last week we had a meeting to update Leah's services for the next 6 months. At her third birthday, Leah transitions from Early Steps (the early intervention program) to the school system. After that, she will have to go to a school to get her services. But for the next 6 months, Leah will continue to get her speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy the same way she always has. We actually doubled her time in physical therapy and have gotten Leah a stander. A stander does exactly what it sounds like: it makes Leah stand. Leah is still not progressing in her physical development at the rate that we want her to. We don't think that fear is as much of a factor in keeping her from standing and walking anymore. Now, we think it's just a willpower issue. She is not standing (and walking) because she doesn't want to. So, we are going to force her to do it until she gets used to it. We had no idea how long it would take to get Early Steps to approve the purchase of a thousand dollar piece of equipment, but we weren't thinking it would be anytime soon. However, someone had a stander that they donated, specifically to Leah. And we got it today! 

You can see that it is pretty big and bulky, but it works! Using straps it pulls her hips forward. And a bar goes across the front that won't let her bend her knees. We'll see how long it takes her to give up and just start standing!

I don't think I like this!