Open House!

Playing in her 'new' indoor swing set

This is what she likes to do now. One day Trent put her in one of her toy bins, and since then, she likes to dump out all the toys, climb in and put the toys right back inside with her!

Yep, that is right, Lilah had her first open house today for her Mother's Day Out (MDO) program. I have decided to enroll here this year for something, I wasn't sure at first because she is only 2.5, and I did not think pre-school was the answer this year, and daycare was not really an option for us either.

The program that she is enrolled is a great one! She will be in the older 2 year-old group, those that will be turning 3 years old towards the beginning of next year. This is also a great program for us because the curriculum is Christian based (without the price tag), and she will be going 3 days a week.

This will also allow me more time to get classwork and my crafts done! By being able to work on class during the day, I can spend more time with Trent being lazy at night! And, I've been trying to work on about 2 quilting projects! I want to start another, but I don't seem to have the time right now! With this, it will free up some of my day time, in order to get things done that I WANT to get done, not that I HAVE to get done!

I wanted to attach the letter that I sent to her teacher and director, but will post the general information here. We, Trent and I, have chosen to take the "one-day-at-a-time" approach to telling others about her dwarfism. We have made a note to tell her teacher, so that we can make the appropriate simple modifications in her classroom.

Our daughter, Lilah, is attending VPBC Mother’s Day Out Program this year. She was born with a form of dwarfism known as achondroplasia. We have found that in many cases, children and adults alike who are new to Lilah’s

condition are interested in increasing their understanding of dwarfism. With this in mind, we have compiled the following information which should answer many of the most frequently asked questions that should help you and the children in your classes understand Lilah’s dwarfism.

- Lilahs’s growth disorder, achondroplasia, is the most common form of dwarfism. It is a dominant genetic bone disorder that affects the long bones of the arms and legs, the spine, and some small bones in the head. Achondroplasia affects one child in 40,000 births. Dwarfism affects all races and nationalities equally.

- 80% of children born with dwarfism are a 1st generational phenomenon, which means that neither parent is a dwarf nor is there a history of dwarfism on either side of the family. Lilah is in this category. First generation dwarfism is a spontaneous gene mutation that is presently unexplainable; no cause has yet been found.

- Lilah’s adult height will be approximately 4 feet. Her life span should be equivalent to “average-sized” people.

- Dwarfs are not mentally handicapped in any way. The median I.Q. for dwarfs is, in fact, slightly higher than the median for “average sized” people.

- The difference between a dwarf and a midget has to do with physical proportions. Midgets are perfectly proportional, short-statured individuals. Dwarfs have average sized torsos, shortened limbs and slightly larger heads. Many people with dwarfism find the word “midget” offensive. This word is no longer used to describe people with dwarfism. The term “little person” or “person with dwarfism” is perfectly acceptable. Some individuals do refer to themselves as “dwarfs” and this also acceptable and not offensive.

Please don’t think that we are asking you to treat Lilah differently than her peers, but if questions or comments arise, please don’t hesitate to talk with me or look for further information at lpaonline.org (Little People of America). In talking about Lilah, the best route to take is to be open, honest and direct. For example, if your children comment that Lilah’s head is “big”, tell him “Yes, Lilah’s head is a little bigger than most kids, isn’t it? People come in all shapes and sizes!”

If there is any special treatment that we would like for Lilah, it is that he be treated according to her age and not her height. Please let your children know that they should not attempt to pick up Lilah. We celebrate Lilah’s differences and the opportunity she provides us to teach our community about tolerance and understanding toward people who look different than they do.

Sincerely,

Trenton and Sheri Ward

(we also added our contact information at the end)

Such as putting a step stool at the bottom of her chair so her feet don't swing when she sits, and having a pillow behind her back to allow for more comfortable seating. Fortunately for us, they have a little potty there, literally! It is one of those potties that all young children should be able to use with ease; of course she will still need help to get up on the seat, but her teacher said even other children her age still need help with that adjustment, so no modifications will be needed there.

They are also going to add a few more step, step-stools around the school. They have a single step stool that is position in-front of a low height sink, but even with this already made modification, she still cannot reach the flowing water to wash her hands. Thus, they said they will either add another step-stool in the bathroom, or buy a multiple step to put in the classroom for them to fold up and leave in there.

I did not take any pictures because I didn't want to seem like the over bearing mom at Open house! But I will have pictures for her first day there! So check back for updates next week!