Reading time before bedtime

Mark reads to Gabriel most of the nights. Gabriel has a ferocious appetite for reading. He enjoys reading so much that he reads practically almost everything. We are trying to read more social stories to him lately to allow him do be able to understand himself better as well as to learn to handle situations.

Gabriel's OT session 4 (3 May 2013)

Therapist: Ong Shu Zhen
Focus: Speaking with the right volume 1-4
Pretend Play

Shu Zhen taught Gabriel how to play and speak with the correct volume when at different places and situations. She explained that it is like a volume TV remote control.
Volume 1- whisper when telling secrets, in the library

Volume 2- when talking to someone just in front of you or when in the car

Volume 3- when calling out to someone who is somewhat quite far away.

Volume 4 - shouting loudly when at a very noisy place

Part 2, Shu Zhen demonstrated how pretend play works. How to be a doctor an check on the patient.
Gabriel was rather hesitant but with much prompt and encouragement, he did it rather well. First time grandma came along to watch how therapy sessions are carried out.

Although Gabriel did a good job pretending to be a doctor, he told me later that he didn't enjoy it and do not like to play in this manner. So I asked if he would like to pretend to be a policeman, and he said that he didn't mind, a soldier too.

Occupational Therapy 3 (Feelings)

Date: 26 April 2013 (Friday)
Time: 11.15am-12.30pm (about an hour)
Location: Health Promotion Board
Therapist: Shu Zhen

Focus: How do you feel and how do other people feel?

In this session, Gabriel was introduced to different types of feelings and later on he had to build an expression based on the card he drew from the deck. It took Gina few seconds before he got started or confidence level.

This is a good session as Gabriel was given the opportunity to be taught explicitly how an angry happy, sad face looked like. She talked about the different positions of the eye brows, lips, eyes, etc. at the end of the session, he was allowed to play at the gym area. He was elated. Ran out and went wild!

Looking forward to the next session where Gabriel will continue to develop on his pretend play part 2.

Gabriel's haircut

Gabriel hated haircuts since he was a baby. He would be so terrified of the sound made by the shaver (even though its pretty silent compare to a normal shaver). I had to resort to cutting hair for him while he played in the bath tub. However he is extremely sensitive to touch. He would fret if any strand of hard lands on any part of his body. We finally managed to get him to cut his hair at SuperCuts by Uncle Jimmy (because he gets to pick his favourite DVD to be played during the haircut) We would be so proud of him each time he gets his haircut. These days, things have improved with sufficient pre-empt. The last visit (6yrs old 2012) he had his first haircut at a QB House ($10/cut). He asked for very short hair and sat right through without crying or fidgeting! I'm so proud of you Gabriel! Mummy loves you!