We went down to Seattle again on Wednesday for Cohen's high risk infant follow up clinic appointment. It went sort of well. He is measuring right on track developmentally for where he should be. Which is really great news. He showed off by barrel rolling around, picking up the toys, moving them hand to hand, and putting everything in his mouth.
However, the appointment was also hard. We got to the appointment and I tried to feed Cohen his bottle while we were waiting since I wanted him to be ready to show off when it was time. He was too distracted to eat much so I gave up. We got him in the room and I sat on one side of the table with him in my lap and the OT sat on the other side. She went through all the different "tests" to see what he could do and where he was at developmentally. As it went on, Cohen was getting so restless. He finally got to the point where he was squirming and arching his back so much that I could hardly hold onto him. The OT left to get something and I turned off the lights and wrapped him in a blanket to try and get him to calm down.
He did calm down a little so we turned the lights back on to finish the rest of the appointment. We got him undressed and laid him on the floor so she could finish her assessment. He gets so excited when he is naked so he was rolling all over and grabbing toys. Towards the end he was starting to get super squirmy so I picked him up and he was just fussing and moving all over the place and working harder to breathe. So I put him in his stroller and closed both of the sunshades over him. He was just really wound up and we were having a hard time getting him to calm down again.
He got way overstimulated being in a new place, new toys, new people, bright lights etc. The OT asked if he was like this at home and I told her that we had noticed that he was awfully busy all the time. We also mentioned that he still has a really strong "startle" reflex like in a newborn. He jumps and looks really scared any time he hears a noise he wasn't expecting like a cough, sneeze or laugh. It usually isn't very loud, but he still gets scared. She said it is not uncommon for preemies to be sensitive to things (noises, tastes, textures etc). Cohen was born before his nervous system was done forming. When he should have been nice and cozy inside snuggling his brother, he was in an isolette with a tube down his throat getting handled and poked frequently (necessarily).
The OT was glad that we were already seeing an OT at home and that she could continue to evaluate him. We aren't sure if this was just a "way too much going on at once" kind of thing or if it is something that will be an issue in the future. We also don't know if his recent increase in activity is related to him coming off his oxygen and having to work harder to breathe and feeling anxious because of that.
I don't know if we are reading too much into it (quite possible) but this sensory "sensitivity" would explain why he is SO active all the time and seeking out stimulation. It may also explain why he likes to play in his pack n play because he feels "enclosed" and for the most part that is kind of his alone play time and why he always eats with his hands over his face. It would also explain why my mom called him a "whirling dervish" after having him for the day while I was at work :) It could also be the reason that he has short awake times and then needs a nap. But, who knows.
For now, we will talk to his current OT about it when she comes in 2 weeks. We will watch him to see if he seems to continue to get overstimulated. We will try and give him a calm environment with "time outs" if he needs them to calm down. We have put away his moving/dancing/twirling/lights and music toys.
We aren't really sure what this all means yet, but we know that Cohen has already overcome so much that this just may be a little bump in the road. We will keep you updated if we find anything else out from his OT or Pediatrician. We are hoping that maybe we are just getting overexcited about this and that it is just something he will grow out of. And if not, we will carry on. We know that we are "lucky" that Cohen is doing as well as he is today. We know that he could be dealing with a lot more. We are SO thankful for his health and we don't take it for granted. We just wish he didn't have to go over any more bumps in the road, but we know that isn't realistic. I just want to be able to help Cohen and not cause him any more stress.
(If any preemie moms out there have experience with anything like this I would love to hear from you...feel free to email me)
I used to worry about Cade a lot too with sensory things. He would startle at lots of things. I think he grew out of it mostly. Neither Camdyn nor Cade like loud noises still. They freak out if they hear a motorcycle. They hate the vacuum cleaner, and they will get startled by other loud noises. Camdyn has some sensory issues, but definitely nothing major. She is constantly moving and loves to bounce, dance, etc. I don't know if this will become a problem later with attention or not. Sometimes it's hard to say what is an effect of their extreme prematurity and what would have been anyway just based on who they are as individuals. I think a lot like you though too - always worried about any signs of something else. I think the NICU does that to you. It takes a long time to let your preemie guard down, and I don't think you ever let it down completely. I still worry about runny noses meaning something more severe, etc., but it is getting easier finally. I think that protective guard and wanting to do everything you can for Cohen is going to help him achieve great things!
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