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Ayutthaya, Thailand
Tag Archives: Expat
Killi Therapy Week 6: Say Wha?
“Say wha!?!?” That’s what I feel like most days trying to decipher what my son is trying to say but this week we have seen a noticeable difference in my sons communication skills. I would say around the first week of therapy Killi would sometimes say “dadadadada” that was about it and it was few and far between. At this beginning stage in the ESDM therapy, we have been working on going to Killi’s “spot light” and narrating everything that is going on with a few very simple terms and it is finally paying off.
Killi Therapy Week 5: “They Call Me Mellow Yellow”
After five weeks of therapy my son has completely mellowed out. Before he had the attention span of a gnat, flitting around from place to place. We couldn’t keep him engaged on anything. He would run around like a mad man doing laps in the therapy room and spend about a minute with each toy.
Killi Therapy Week 4: Divine Intervention
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalms 63:4
I am a Christian. I am a Christian that believes that if we give ourselves over to Gods plan we will prosper, there will always be hard times but those hard times mold us into better people and followers of Christ.
I believe 110% that God has a plan for my family here in Bangkok. I was 110% sure it was to help other people and work at the orphanage. I am so grateful for all of our friends and family that purchased scarves to help raise funds for the orphanage when we first arrived. This was something I prayed over and God blessed that project with a donation of over $3,600 USD. I now see that this is and will probably be the only work I do with the orphanage while in Bangkok and you know it might be all they needed of me.
I now see my reason for following my husband to Bangkok and following Gods call here was to be the mother that I could have never have been in the US. I know there are moms that can do this but I personally could not have balanced work, home life and the needs of my special child. This is why I am here in Thailand, a world away from everything and everyone I know, to get my son the best help money can buy from the best professionals here in Bangkok! Listen to this amazing display of divine intervention that took place this weekend.
Killi Therapy Week 3: Objects vs People
Killi & Yuki at therapy
Part of my sons issues have to do with being social. I can understand why he wouldn’t want to be social in Thailand, everyone here makes such a big deal about a white baby. They have to squeeze his legs, pinch his cheeks, pat his head, try to kiss him, and are always shouting “hey boy!!” to get his attention. I totally understand why he doesn’t want anything to do with people. Imagine how much easier his life is when he ignores everyone (except for mom and dad) and acts like people are completely invisible! It’s funny how we all adapt to different situations and this is how my son is dealing with the harassment he receives the moment he leaves the house.
I am sure this constant touching and being “hollered” at like he is a beautiful woman walking by a construction site or I guess really a farang man walking down soi 33 by the “working girls” would have him retreat into his shell and not want to come out is greatly impacting his condition in a negative way.
Killi Therapy Week 2: To Tantrum or Not To Tantrum
turtle watching
That is the question…
My son can throw an epic tantrum. To me they are so awful I would rather have bamboo shoots shoved under my fingernails then to have to listen to a tantrum. Something about the tantrum sets me on edge, I hear this is normal for mothers but that does not make it any easier to deal with. I have been told by two different medical practitioners that mothers are wired in such a way that our cortisol, the stress hormone, levels go through the roof when our kids cry/throw a tantrum. I can attest to this because I feel like I can’t function when my son throws one.
Another Fun Sign
A new sign at church today. Never really thought about people doing drugs at church but I am glad the sign is there to tell them not to…
Crazy Signs Around Thailand
A fun sign from Krabi… Never trust a monkey!
If you want to do #2 they suggest you go down the road to villa supermarket and pay 10 baht to use their toilet.
This is totally normal walking down NaNa at night time. Next to the prescription drugs you can purchase your sex toys and dirty movies… To be honest that was a shock to me when I first saw what they were selling but I’m not sure why living so close to soi 33…
Ooooo Thailand
Evaluation Complete
Fun @ Funarium
The two week evaluation period is complete. The doctor is very pleased with what Killi can do but at the same time there are several areas we need to work on. Thank the Lord, our son has not been diagnosed with autism but with developmental delays in several areas and for the sake of having to call it something the doctor said he would diagnose him with PDD-NOS.
Our Next Big Adventure
Our Wild Man
We are moving forward in the next phase of working on Killian’s delays. Like I mentioned in a previous post, we went to a specialist at the hospital that told us he was delayed and kept saying, with her sweet Thai smile “o no good.” I have tried to implement every recommendation that she gave us. She assured me that I would not be able to find a speech therapist that speaks English and I was Killian’s best option. After a month and half, my son has become a little more social with improvements with his eye contact but his speech has not. It does not matter what I do to change this, he is simply choosing not to talk to us with words we can understand. He does currently have a special language that he uses.
We have decided that we are not the best teachers for Killian in helping him to speak. I started to search out different options for help with developmental delays in Bangkok. Yesterday I visited the Reed Institute in Bangkok. I met with the director and explained everything that has happened with Killi. How he was talking, went mute when we moved to Bangkok, our disgruntled nanny that was clearly affecting him, our new nanny that he loves and the progress he has made in the last two months with his babbling.
From Palmetto Pride to Pad Thai 