Our "typical" daughter

Having a special needs child means seeing a lot of reports about how she's delayed in a certain area, goals that were met in the past six months, goals for the next six months, specific things that she's not doing that would bump her up to the next level.

Today we got Natalie's six-month report card from her therapy clinic to the state (which pays for her therapy) on how she's developing. At 26 months of age, her scores range from 9 months for expressive language, 14 months for gross motor, 15 months for fine motor, 17 months for cognition to 18 months for receptive language.

But in one area, she scored "typical." For a parent of a special needs child with global delays, that word is rarely seen and held in great value when it appears.

Natalie scored "typical" in sensory processing, meaning she doesn't resist sensory input or need extra sensory input to calm herself. She doesn't have oral aversions, she doesn't show gravitational insecurity, and she enjoys being in positions that kids her age enjoy: upside down, on a ball, rolling around. I can put normal clothes on her and she isn't fearful of loud noises.

That's our "typical" daughter...in sensory processing. Seeing that word and using it to describe Natalie brings tears to my eyes.

As far as the rest of the report card, we're pleased with her improvement. She's made great strides and we're excited about some of the goals for the next six months: taking 8 steps unaided, imitating speech, comforting a peer in distress, drinking from an open cup with minimal assistance.

Go Natalie! We love watching you grow.