T21 Tuesday :: Walking
As you may or may not know, walking for a person with Down syndrome doesn't come easily. For LB it's because of her hypotonia. She just isn't strong enough yet. She has the cutest little bambi legs. I say that because that kind of what her legs look like when she is trying to balance on bare feet.
Therefore, she has braces to support her ankles. She rolls her ankles inward and therefore doesn't have a lot of leverage to stand well. She's getting SO much stronger though. Jay and I have both noticed how much more muscular her legs are.
I can honestly say that I don't fear walking as a challenge. I know it will happen. But I do and have hoped that she would be walking before Ash. It's like a right of passage or something. As did their pediatrician. I am not sure that will happen. Ash is ready to go anytime. She is also still at an age where she is FEARLESS! That is the biggest disadvantage people with disabilities have, in my opinion. Their minds are much more mature than their bodies and then they become fearful.
I follow many blogs of other mom's in our wonderful community (other parents of kids with Ds) and have read countless posts about walking. I knew what we were up against. Some kids don't walk until they are 5 or 6. I have read about moms watching their kids and the mom's heart breaking as they see the sad eyes of their child that can't join the others. I weeped for those moms. I felt so sad to see that.
Then it happened to me this weekend while we were at my younger brothers wedding. LB LOVES to dance. So naturally, she wanted on the dancefloor as soon as the music started. So off we went, right off the bat. We were the first ones out there. Very quickly, others joined us. As LB saw so many of the other kids on the dancefloor, I could see in her eyes that she really wanted to dance with them too. She gets this adorable look on her face and her arms fly out with excitment. Its the cutest thing. I wanted SO BADLY for her to be able to join those kids. We took her out there all night and standing upright certainly didn't stop her from getting her groove on because she was in the middle of them on the floor, tearing it up!
Maybe it was me wanting her to be out there with them. I'm not sure. But I struggled to tell the story to her PT this week. I often, like all mothers, wonder if I am doing enough, offering her every opportunity to be all that she can. Does she need bigger braces, does she need new shoes? Am I carrying her too much? What can I do? Keyword, I.
I, can't do anything here. This is her thing and SHE will do it when she is ready. Not for me, not because of me and not because of the other kids. She will walk when she wants to walk. J calls her the Little Boss. Another time at the wedding during rehearsals, she crawled into the middle of the wedding party shouting and pointing her finger as if to be the director of the show. Our Lil Boss.
As for this walking thing... I'll keep ya posted...
Until next time...
Shona
Therefore, she has braces to support her ankles. She rolls her ankles inward and therefore doesn't have a lot of leverage to stand well. She's getting SO much stronger though. Jay and I have both noticed how much more muscular her legs are.
I can honestly say that I don't fear walking as a challenge. I know it will happen. But I do and have hoped that she would be walking before Ash. It's like a right of passage or something. As did their pediatrician. I am not sure that will happen. Ash is ready to go anytime. She is also still at an age where she is FEARLESS! That is the biggest disadvantage people with disabilities have, in my opinion. Their minds are much more mature than their bodies and then they become fearful.
I follow many blogs of other mom's in our wonderful community (other parents of kids with Ds) and have read countless posts about walking. I knew what we were up against. Some kids don't walk until they are 5 or 6. I have read about moms watching their kids and the mom's heart breaking as they see the sad eyes of their child that can't join the others. I weeped for those moms. I felt so sad to see that.
Then it happened to me this weekend while we were at my younger brothers wedding. LB LOVES to dance. So naturally, she wanted on the dancefloor as soon as the music started. So off we went, right off the bat. We were the first ones out there. Very quickly, others joined us. As LB saw so many of the other kids on the dancefloor, I could see in her eyes that she really wanted to dance with them too. She gets this adorable look on her face and her arms fly out with excitment. Its the cutest thing. I wanted SO BADLY for her to be able to join those kids. We took her out there all night and standing upright certainly didn't stop her from getting her groove on because she was in the middle of them on the floor, tearing it up!
Maybe it was me wanting her to be out there with them. I'm not sure. But I struggled to tell the story to her PT this week. I often, like all mothers, wonder if I am doing enough, offering her every opportunity to be all that she can. Does she need bigger braces, does she need new shoes? Am I carrying her too much? What can I do? Keyword, I.
I, can't do anything here. This is her thing and SHE will do it when she is ready. Not for me, not because of me and not because of the other kids. She will walk when she wants to walk. J calls her the Little Boss. Another time at the wedding during rehearsals, she crawled into the middle of the wedding party shouting and pointing her finger as if to be the director of the show. Our Lil Boss.
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| Get it Girl! |
As for this walking thing... I'll keep ya posted...
Until next time...
Shona
Ah, the few months before Russell learned to walk were pretty tough on me. I wanted him to be able to run and play like other kids, and there are no words to describe what those first steps felt like. LB's time is coming, hang in there :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenny. I am patiently waiting. She is SO CLOSE!!
ReplyDelete