Even if you don't know a ton about Montessori, many people understand that Montessori places the child at the center of everything we do. We "follow the child," then we follow some more. We trust, we sit back, we believe. We know that a child will become who he or she is supposed to when set free in a prepared environment.
This can be a tall order when your child is struggling in some area. When your child is falling behind. Or if your child is just on a different track. It requires us to really focus on our child, not the children around our child, and know that it is still important to follow the child. And, to be honest, it is challenging! We want to do everything we can to support our children, and sometimes to just sit and trust that everything will be how it is supposed to be is hard work.
I mention this because it has become increasingly obvious that Augustus isn't developing at a typical rate. I have mentioned before that he was diagnosed with torticollis -- which affected his ability to look both ways. This has led to a plagiocephaly (a flat spot on his head) which is severe enough that he will be getting a helmet in just a few days. This all has been coupled with low muscle tone and an overall lack of strength means that we are seeing gross motor delays. He is in physical therapy to try and stretch his muscles and build his strength.
But, beyond this, Gus has visual tracking and scanning issues. He has a hard time finding the source for sounds around the room, and scanning new images. Doctors are calling it "slow visual development" until he's a bit older. If the issues still don't resolve themselves, he may be looking at a visual delay and more therapy. His hand strength and grip are extremely immature. All of this together means he is no longer meeting minimum cognitive standards for his age.
Many of these issues may resolve themselves over time, or they may not. He could be looking at long term cognitive delays, or he may make leaps and catch up. Right now, he is developing completely normally, as in he is taking all of the normal steps, but just doing it much, much slower than a typical baby.
But, even with all of this, we will follow the child! We will walk Gus' path with him, knowing that he will get to the place where he is meant to be. We know that it may not be the same path as your child, or our other children, but it will be his path. The perfect path for him.
This has been a long way of saying that, his delays don't have to mean that Montessori or natural gross motor development go out the window. But instead they are the framework in which we will guide him to his full potential, however that will look for him!
In the words of Maria Montessori, “Independence is not a static condition; it is a continuous conquest, and in order to reach not only freedom, but also strength, and the perfecting on one’s powers, it is necessary to follow this path of unremitting toil.” And, oh Gus, we will follow!
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