We don't normally stop and think about how amazing our brains are with their ability to process, make sense of all we see, hear, touch and feel, articulate thoughts and move our bodies. The signals that fly through our bodies at lightning speed are mind boggling and we take it for granted that we can act on our intent within milliseconds of formulating the thought.
Seth's brain simply doesn't work like that. Since he was born the damage to his brain has prevented those signals to move through the normal paths. For example, a large part of the brain that processes the images he sees, simply isn't there. That's why he is visually impaired. It's not that he can't 'see' but that he doesn't understand what he is seeing. It's called cortical visual impairment. But as with all things, practice and excercise can help. So being in a darkened room and encouraging Seth to follow moving lights, helps to stimulate his brain and I suppose works the muscles of his eyes too, keeping them active. Encouraging him to look at things will help him to understand familiar objects. He learnt to recognise his cup and spoon early on!
Seth never used to look at us in the face and would still at a sound, rather than looking towards it. But over the years, especially the recent few years, Seth has been looking towards sounds and towards us until now Seth will actively look me in the eyes and turn his head around to watch us walk into a room, or across it. For the first time at his last appointment at Great Ormond Street Hospital, last month, Seth 'tracked' a toy. Every eye appointment we've ever had, someone will hold a small plastic toy in front of Seth's face and move it to the left and right, and up and down to see if Seth will follow the object with his eyes. He never does. However, this time he did! He showed interest in something that wasn't food (!) and looked at it as it moved. I wanted to leap around the room with excitement.
The brain damage means that Seth struggles to make his body do what he wants. It also means he takes a while to process what is being said to him and then respond. Forming words is so complicated that a noise has to suffice or he can try to sign or gesture. The natural pathways that these signals normally take are damaged in most areas so new pathways have to be forged. So for years nothing seems to change but then suddenly Seth is showing a greater awareness and actively responding. In comparison to others, this is a tiny incremental developmental step but for us it's huge. By continuing to talk everything through with Seth, give him opportunities to make choices, supporting him to move his body and showing him patient, loving encouragement we can see that he is very gradually gaining his voice and actively moving parts of his body with intent - whether that his eyes following a plastic toy or reaching to touch his cup to indicate he wants a drink.
Seth's brain simply doesn't work like that. Since he was born the damage to his brain has prevented those signals to move through the normal paths. For example, a large part of the brain that processes the images he sees, simply isn't there. That's why he is visually impaired. It's not that he can't 'see' but that he doesn't understand what he is seeing. It's called cortical visual impairment. But as with all things, practice and excercise can help. So being in a darkened room and encouraging Seth to follow moving lights, helps to stimulate his brain and I suppose works the muscles of his eyes too, keeping them active. Encouraging him to look at things will help him to understand familiar objects. He learnt to recognise his cup and spoon early on!
Seth never used to look at us in the face and would still at a sound, rather than looking towards it. But over the years, especially the recent few years, Seth has been looking towards sounds and towards us until now Seth will actively look me in the eyes and turn his head around to watch us walk into a room, or across it. For the first time at his last appointment at Great Ormond Street Hospital, last month, Seth 'tracked' a toy. Every eye appointment we've ever had, someone will hold a small plastic toy in front of Seth's face and move it to the left and right, and up and down to see if Seth will follow the object with his eyes. He never does. However, this time he did! He showed interest in something that wasn't food (!) and looked at it as it moved. I wanted to leap around the room with excitement.
The brain damage means that Seth struggles to make his body do what he wants. It also means he takes a while to process what is being said to him and then respond. Forming words is so complicated that a noise has to suffice or he can try to sign or gesture. The natural pathways that these signals normally take are damaged in most areas so new pathways have to be forged. So for years nothing seems to change but then suddenly Seth is showing a greater awareness and actively responding. In comparison to others, this is a tiny incremental developmental step but for us it's huge. By continuing to talk everything through with Seth, give him opportunities to make choices, supporting him to move his body and showing him patient, loving encouragement we can see that he is very gradually gaining his voice and actively moving parts of his body with intent - whether that his eyes following a plastic toy or reaching to touch his cup to indicate he wants a drink.
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