Making History

 

 

Applause Worthy

 

 

 

 

If there is one thing our Boo is good at it is applause.

 

Heart felt, heart warming, sincere applause.

 

I came across this article this morning about 8 people with Down syndrome who have made history this year.

 

 

http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/living-and-loving-with-down-syndrome-eliana-tardio/8-people-with-down-syndrome-who-are-making-history/

 

 

We definitely applaud these individuals for their achievements.

 

And while on the topic of achievement, let's talk about one of Bridgie's surprise achievements.

 

Potty Training.

 

We were told several times by pediatricians at our old practice not to worry about trying to train her until she was older because the range for children with Ds to be potty trained is anywhere between 4 and 9.

 

And before I continue I want to be clear that there is a difference between day training and over nite training.

 

Erin and Eoin were not quick or hip to the idea of using the potty and neither were trained until late 4's.  However, was they made the decision there were no overnight accidents for either of them.

 

A little before her 3rd birthday, I noticed Bridgie in the bathroom with all of us trying to see our business.  So I decided to start sitting her on the little potty while we went.

 

I have not love for the little potty and none of my children have either, preferring to use the inserts for the big potty. 

 

Backtracking a bit here, last summer Bridgie's constipation because remarkably outstanding.  It was some of the worst pain I have seen any of the kids in.  We started a course of Miralax (see why we are not fans here: http://www.gutsense.org/gutsense/the-role-of-miralax-laxative-in-autism-dementia-alzheimer.html#.UfQckynXYbI.facebook) which kept her in a comfortable state of the opposite and made for some horrific diapers.

 

I did not like having her on the Miralax opting to try to find a natural way for her to have healthy bowels.  We made changes to her diet and added fruit-eze (http://fruiteze.com/) and a probiotic. 

 

Bridgie is a great eater of fruits and vegetables and beans, so I was having a hard time understanding the bind.

 

Low muscle tone in the digestive tract could be part of the culprit as well.  Since is was so painfully obvious when she needed to go and she would come to be held.  We started massaging her belly and back to help her move it through so to speak.  We would just hold her and sing and switch on and off as it was exhausting and upwards of 45 minutes per movement.

 

One day we were in the middle of one of these marathon sessions when I got tired or one of the other kids needed me and Jerry was at work, so I sat her on the potty with the insert, knowing she could not and would not climb down.  Exhausted, I sat myself on the kids step stool and pulled it up next to the john and hugged her, sang, and rubbed her back. 

 

She made a movement on the toilet that day and the applause, standing ovation in fact as Erin and Eoin wanted in on the excitement, was tremendous.  The pride on her face was enough for me to actually stick with putting her on the potty even when too busy.

 

We are poopy diaper free in this house for at least 9 months.  She will now tell me when she has to pee pee as well.

 

So at 3 1/2 or just shy of 3 Bridgie has made history in our house.

 

Youngest to be 'potty trained'!!

 

Again, overnight is going to be a different story.

 

I wanted to share this because her story is different.  Not in a better way not in a worse way, just different.

 

Her-story.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and the youngest to stick her face in the water and blow bubbles too!