Child Of The Month

Bobby
by Pam and Bob Weiderwax

Bobby was born in April, 1978 weighing 6 lbs. He was our second child. After a couple of months went by, I felt there was a problem, since he continually cried and was making very little progress. My family felt I was just comparing him to our firstborn, Jennifer, who was a quick learner. Six months later though, we learned that Bobby had a chromosome disorder, later identified as inverted duplication 15. He is now 16 and it has been a long road.

Bobby has had seizures since he was a young child, but they are under control at the present time with medication. He started an infant stimulation program at home at age one and then went to a pre-school program at 2 years old. Putting him on a school bus at that young age was a very difficult thing for "mom" to do, but we got through it. Bobby now attends a special school and has made a lot of progress. He can feed himself and go to the bathroom with very little assistance, and he speaks very well. His fine motor skills are still underdeveloped, so he has difficulty with buttoning and writing. Bobby has some autistic characteristics, such as poor eye contact and difficulty with changes in his routine. He is fascinated with music and his bike. He’s had his share of tantrums, but his behavior has come a long way. One problem that has continued since he was younger is that he gets panic attacks when left alone. When he was little, I could feel his heart pounding in his chest with fear whenever he was left by himself for even a few minutes. This still poses a problem, especially with Bobby’s sleeping pattern, since he wants someone to be with him at bedtime. It’s a real struggle to get him to stay in his bedroom by himself at night.

Now 16, Bobby is handsome, strong, and healthy. He loves to push objects (strollers, carts, anything with wheels), and he is always, always holding something. He is never without an object in his hand! Our daughter Jennifer is now 19 years old, and has been wonderful and extremely patient through all of Bobby’s stages’. We’re proud that she is now going to college to study Special Education!

Update: Twenty-one year old Bobby at his sister's wedding in 1999.

Child Of The Month Archive

Exceptional Parent Magazine Feature Article by Cindy Johnson	Alexis Marie Johnson
Child of the Month	Travis Ritter
Child of the Month	Lisa Poore
Child of the Month	Spencer Gray
Child of the Month	Lindsey Young
Child of the Month	Olivia Taylor
Special People Profile	Cheyenne Rain Jackson
Special People Profile	Naomi
Special People Profile	Bobby
Special People Profile	Kevin
Special People Profile	Olivia
Special People Profile	Megan
Special People Profile	Sarah
Special People Profile	Cheyenne D
Special People Profile	Joshua
Special People Profile	Robert
Special People Profile	Frederique
Special People Profile	Julia
Special People Profile	Ryan
Mount Prospect Times Article	Jake
Epilepsy Foundation Newsletter	Will
Exceptional Parent Magazine Story	Joshua D