A long time ago (like when Cooper was six months old) we noticed that his right eye wouldn't track the same as his left eye when he looked to his left. I talked to the pediatrician about it, and I couldn't get Cooper to do it so I could show him what I was talking about. He said to wait and give him more time and see what happens.
Well, in the past few months it has gotten more and more noticeable. So, at Cooper's 18-month check up a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned it again. He said to call Dr. Brown (Harlie's eye doctor).
They did their stuff (Cooper was very UNcooperative) and said that he has Duane's Syndrome, Type II.
I beg your pardon?
She said it is a misnomer in that a syndrome usually means there are multiple abnormalities (yeah, I'm familiar) but that Duane's Syndrome is just this one thing. Whew!
Basically, one set of his eye muscles in his right eye are weak or underdeveloped or something like that. So, when his head is facing forward, and he looks to his left (with only his eyes) his right eye does something funny - and they are not even. It's almost as if his right eye looks up instead of to the left. And it most often occurs when he is looking up AND to the left at the same time.
She said that as he grows, we will notice it less and less. He will learn to turn his head to compensate. She said that he probably sees double when that happens, so to correct that he'll just have to turn his head to see more clearly. There's no fix.
So, that's that.
I had to laugh at myself, though. On Sunday, I told my friend Heather about his upcoming appointment. On Wednesday, she called me and asked me how his appointment went. I said, "what appointment?" HA! I had already completely forgotten about it!!! Poor Cooper.
Oh, darn it. I meant to take a picture of him today. Tom gave him another buzz cut and he looks so adorable. Oh well, I'll just show you this one from a couple of weeks ago.
He can now say the following words:
Mommy
ball
all done
aw, man (he totally learned that from me)
uh-oh
And he has said please (came out "peas") once.
And despite my many efforts and much energy - the kid REFUSES to sign one stinking word. Not one! Just out of curiosity I went and looked at some of my old Babysite journal entries. By the time Harlie was 16 months old, she knew 20 words in sign!!! And Cooper, at 18 months (almost 19) knows ZERO signs and can only say a few words.
He is so stubborn. And funny. Last night, Tom went to CVS to pick up Harlie's meds and he bought Cooper a pair of knock-off Crocs. Well, Tom put them on him this morning, and he would not take them off. He even took his nap wearing them. And at one point during the day Harlie tried to take them off and he threw a fit and wouldn't let her.
OH! I almost forgot... tomorrow is the Little Feet Meet at a local high school. It is a Special Olympics Event. And since Harlie is in a special education preschool, she gets to participate. I am excited to see what she can do. I will take lots of pictures (of course) and write about it tomorrow night.
Thanks!
Christy
2 comments:
My 3 (nearly 4) year old son had us worried for a while that he may be mute for life. That kid would not talk. Of course, he is a mile a minute now and he even repeats himself over and over and over and... yeah. I have 3 boys and only one of them was an early talker... the other two talked much later.
That is so funny about the crocs. When Heely's first came out I bought some for the older kids and took a picture of one of them sleeping with theirs on. I miss those days when shoes were all it took to make them happy.
Oh man! Well at least he can compensate and it doesn't require surgery. He is super-duper adorable!
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