Statistically What?

I feel like curling up and crying. Seeing information written about Samuel in fine clinical language upsets me. This is so, I suppose, because diagnostic language can never capture my precious boy. (Although the occupational therapist tried:  "Samuel is a sweet and happy ...boy. He immediately greeted the evaluator ...") An evaluation also puts in black and white that hey, there's a problem here. Each day, I am concentrating so hard on what he can do that it is startling to have someone tell me he has limitations.

The other difficulty is that I know something about statistics in a clinical setting. Think of a bell shape with a very narrow lip on either side. Samuel is in that thin, narrow lip edge (or statistically speaking at the second  percentile) in his fine and gross motor skills. Some of the fine skill difficulties I see in his handwriting and coloring. And I understand that difficulties in controlling the body makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make fine movements with the hands.

But it's hard to see my boy in these statistics, even if this is a valued second opinion. It's hard to see the little guy climbing and leaping off a low wall today, chasing around with other little kids, wrestling with his little brother ... Quite frankly, I would expect him to look more limited given these statistics..

OK, the practical side of me comes out now. I can arrange for occupational therapy sessions through an excellent local facility. (Sigh, but that adds more rush to a schedule for a child that craves orderliness and predictability.) We can continue with Samuel's swim lessons; he started these lessons a few weeks ago when I wanted to build on the wonderful exercise he was getting by playing in the pool this summer. And I can pray to the God who made him and ask for His guidance and care for my precious boy. (His Mama too!)