The Wobbly Road to Walking

"Come on Graci. You can do it! Take that first step girly-girl. Pick up your foot! Yay!!! Now take a step!"

That is our cheer-of-the-day today! And she is close... oh so close!

Graci's road to walking has been a long one for us, but for Graci... she's right on schedule. She definitely does things on her own schedule, and not a second before she is ready. Good for her!

She first started her forward motion when she was about 9 months old. She would lay on her belly and push herself forward with her toes. Over time, that turned into a full on army crawl, using her elbows to pull herself around. And she was fast! She could get to anything she wanted using mostly her arms.

She finally got up on all fours and started to crawl and we were so excited! She swings her head back and forth a bit to get her pony tail going while she crawls now, which is hilarious to watch. We can remember her being a bit timid when she first started crawling, going back to the army crawl when in a hurry, so seeing her being so carefree is sweet. Just before her second birthday, she pushed herself up into a hands and feet walk and started maneuvering around that way. We knew it would only be a matter of time until she finally stood up on her own. And we were right!

Within days of her walking on hands and feet, she finally started to stand up on her own! Graci now stands for long periods of time while working on her balance. She shakes toys, puts her hands up, dances, claps and laughs... all while standing all by herself. We help her practice by walking with her holding her hands; sometimes just with one hand! And, she has two carts that she pushes around both inside and outside. Those seem to really help her with balance.

Mobility with Down Syndrome can be delayed in some children due to poor muscle tone and sometimes excessive joint movement. Low muscle tone and joint issues leave them a bit unstable, making it more difficult to walk. It is very important to give your child plenty of floor time to help them in this development. Push carts and climbing toys can aide in this area.

Today, Graci has been standing up... concentrating a bit... lifting a foot... putting it down... and laughing! We've been encouraging, clapping and laughing right along with her and we're just so excited! Another milestone to check off the list. And we're close... oh so close.

Follow Us Online

If you are reading this on your Android or iPhone app, be sure to check us out online as well. wwwGraciStorycom or send us an email at GraciStory @ gmail com.

The Truth about Teeth

Really... along with all of these other genetic markers, Graci may not get any teeth until she's two? We learned that news early on, either through reading our Parent's Guide (given to us by the hospital in a small box that included the book and a baby t-shirt with the words "I'm Special") or possibly at our first DS Clinic at Rady's. Either way, that was a tough one to come to terms with for some reason.

She did start getting them before her 2nd birthday, but she welcomed two upper molars first. Typical babies start with their two bottom teeth followed by their two upper front teeth. Then, generally the top incisors arrive followed by the bottom incisors. Then after getting all of those teeth they finally get their molars.

Not these little Down Syndrome angels... they blaze their own trails and really don't see the point in being like everyone else. They do not have a set pattern of tooth eruption. One DS child might get molars first and another may get front teeth first. Other than it being a bit more difficult to eat, Graci has handled her teeth eruption pattern just fine.

She got her top molars first... then her bottom molars... then her front top teeth... then the bottom canines... and finally her top incisors. We have no idea which will come next. As with all of the others, it will be a big surprise. Of course, we're hoping it will be her bottom front teeth since they are still in hiding.

Another issue that sometimes occurs with DS children is they could be missing teeth altogether. This happens more often in people with Down Syndrome for some reason. Additionally, irregularities in tooth formation, such as small teeth and malformed teeth could occur. Roots are often small, which can lead to tooth loss from periodontal disease.

It is very important to start good dental hygiene early with your child. We were advised to get into a brushing routine when she was just six to nine months old. We had a finger brush and would brush her gums one to two times a day (without toothpaste). Graci responds very well to songs, so we would sing the same little song when it was time to brush. This helps them develop a routine and be prepared for what is coming.

When we started using toothpaste and a regular toothbrush, we moved the routine to after bath time, since she generally takes one in the morning and one before bed. Now, when we pull her out of the bath, she says "teeth, teeth, teeth!" and indeed it is time to brush. We let her take the first minute and then we follow with the tooth brushing song; making sure every tooth is nice and clean. We do laugh realizing how much our little Graci loves her bath time and loves brushing her teeth!

Welcome iPhone & iPad Users!
We wanted to give a quick shout out to all of our new iPhone and iPad users! Thank you and welcome!

To everyone following Graci's Story on your phone, please be sure to find us online as well at wwwGraciStorycom. There, you will find a long list of DS resources as well as an archive of blog entries. Please contact us at GraciStory @ gmail com if you have any questions or comments. We love hearing from you!

Saline Nasal Spray in Every Room!

One of the most important "Tips and Tricks" we can give you is to have a Saline Nasal Spray bottle in every room of your house! Searching for it at 2:00 am can be a daunting task, to say the least. We've fumbled around the house for the spray more times that we can count and have found ourselves frustrated beyond getting back to sleep after the search. When we finally bought several bottles and found a place in each room, our world changed considerably.

On our first visit to the Rady Children's Down Syndrome Clinic, we learned from the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist that Saline would be our new best friend. We learned it is very common for these little angels to deal with ear, nose and throat problems due to their narrow ear canals and smaller nasal passages. Using saline drops and/or spray helps keep stuffed up noses to a minimum.

When Graci was a baby, we would simply hold her, tilt her back and drip the saline into her nose. Then, and this came directly from the specialist, blow air sharply onto her face. This causes the child to attempt to take a breath in through their nose which gets the saline further up and into their nasal passage. Now, we use the spray function and simply spray it into her nose. In fact, when she sees one of us with the bottle, she leans forward and tips her head up a bit. It took her a while, but once she realized how helpful the saline was, she welcomed it!

There was a time that we were using the saline up to 7 or 8 times a day. When she had a cold or a stuffy nose, we used it as much as she would let us. We had been told it helps to keep them clear of nasal issues and to continue using preventatively, so we did. Since we used it so much with her, she got used to it and feels now that it's just a normal part of life.

We also keep the "nose sucker" (well, that's what we call it) handy. We bought a battery operated nose aspirator, but it really never did the trick. They don't seem to go in to her nasal passage far enough to work. We've tried several times and haven't had good results. So, we use... still use... the style given to us from the hospital.

Today, we really only use the saline and nose sucker on Graci when she is stuffy. We use it before she goes to bed and throughout the day as necessary. Sometimes we sit back and smile thinking back to those early days. It's amazing to see how far we've come and to know that we did it all... together!

Be sure to check with your child's Pediatrican. We do not claim to be experts in the field of Down Syndrome. We've just had a wonderful ride and are happy to share our experiences.

Beautiful Vacation... Glad to be Home

Now that our family vacation is over, guess it's time to get back to work and back to updating our story about our sweet little Graci-girl. She and her 6-mo-old brother did fantastic on our 3500 mile road trip to see friends and family in the Pacific Northwest. We've received so much love and support from our friends and extended family and it's just so fun to see them all interact with and be totally blown away by Graci's progress. We are all blessed indeed!

We've been getting back into the swing of things since getting home a few weeks ago. The kiddos are back on their wonderful, one long nap a day sleep schedule and Graci has been enjoying her nightly wave and cheer for Pat & Vanna on Wheel of Fortune. Can't wait for the day she actually solves a puzzle!

If you are reading this from your Graci Story Android App and would like to check in sometimes while online, go to wwwGraciStorycom. We've added some product information, including a nutritional drink that Graci uses to help her constipation issues and a Baby Signs book link. We will continue to add product information on relevant products that we have found useful. Let us know what you think! GraciStory @ gmail com