Blog #100~ 20 Tidbits about Nick
To celebrate the 100 milestone of this blog “Down Syndrome with a Slice of Autism,” I made a list of 20 things about my son Nick.
Nick 20 years ago, what a little kewpie doll…..
1. Nick was born the day after his Dad’s birthday.
2. Nick was in NICU and on oxygen for one week due to an AV valve in his heart not closing. Fortunately, this closed up within a week. He was released from the hospital on Valentine’s Day which was also Ash Wednesday.
3. Nick started early intervention with speech, occupational and physical therapy at 8 weeks old. They taught him sign language. He worked on a stability ball to build core strength long before it became trendy.
4. Nick was the youngest child to start horseback riding therapy in the early intervention program at age one.
5. We use to prop up pillows on the sides of his high chair to keep him from flopping over to the side, until his core became stronger.
6. Due to his low muscle tone (a trait of Down syndrome) he didn’t walk or eat solid foods until he was 3 ½ years old. We did a co-treatment with extensive OT and speech therapy with a feeding specialist using the Debra Beckman feeding technique
7. Nick doesn’t like yogurt or applesauce because I’d mix this awful smelling and tasting Nutrivene Vitamin Supplement into them.
8. To get Nick to pull up to stand, his brother would bounce ping pong balls on the coffee table to catch his attention. I also hung several music toys over the fireplace so he had to pull up to his feet to hear the music. (Hmmmm, maybe that’s why he’s obsessed with pushing buttons.) 🙂
9. Nick has been to the top of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral.
10. He has been overseas three times including London, France and Spain.
11. Nick can replicate exact sneezes, high and low pitch, big and small ones.
12. He is so flexible that he can sleep with his legs crossed and folded all the way forward.
13. Nick’s a thrill seeker and will sign “more” as soon as a roller coaster ride is over.
14. He hates to wear hat and gloves no matter how cold it is.
Unless he’s indoors :)……….
15. Nick’s favorite actor is Eddie Murphy, in the movies The Nutty Professor, Doctor Doolittle, and Norbit.
16. He doesn’t like any fruit at all (except raspberries, that is giving and getting them). He does LOVE salads.
17. He won a gold medal in the softball throw event at the Illinois State Special Olympics.
18. Nick was evaluated for autism at age 5, but didn’t get a formal diagnosis until he was 11 years old.
19. Nick has a thing for dolphins and beluga whales.
20. Before the 30 fire alarm pulls, Nick would grab car remote keys and set the alarms off.
Hope you enjoyed the 20 snippets about Nick. Thank you so much for reading and sharing Nick’s world for the last 100 blogs. That’s what is in my noggin this week. 🙂
~Teresa
20 Year Old Nick…..
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Down Syndrome with a Slice of Autism 