As many of you know, Trevor was born 7 weeks early. He spent 3 1/2 weeks in the NICU at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore. Preemies usually take (depending on how early they were) up to 2 years to "catch up" as far as milestones and growth goes. That is why for the first two years many doctors have parents follow the adjusted age when tracking growth and milestones.
One thing that has bothered me throughout this whole "ordeal" is the fact that some have blamed Trevor for his death. People have said that because he was a preemie, he was developmentally behind. This was just not so. Trevor was a "normal" nine month old baby. I always worried about his development, mainly because I was a new mom. Dr. Corden always assured me that Trevor was meeting all of his milestones.
According to children's hospital, children between 7-9 months should be doing the following:
• rolls over easily from front to back and back to front
• sits leaning forward on hands at first, then unsupported
• bounces when supported to stand
• gets on hands and feet and rocks back and forth
• may creep, scoot, crawl - backwards first, then forward
• begins to pull up to stand
• reaches for and grasps objects using whole hand
• bangs toy on table
• can hold an object in each hand
• may hold a bottle
• plays peek-a-boo
• grasps object with thumb and finger by 8 to 9 months
• begins teething, usually starting with the two center front teeth in the lower jaw, then the two center front teeth in the upper jaw
• learns to drink from cup
• puts everything into mouth
Guess what???? Trevor had met and mastered each of those milestones. He was not behind, he was not delayed, he was normal. I can not stand to hear that Trevor was blamed for his own death. JUST NOT SO! My child is a victim of a horrible crime.
As I have said before, I am now Trevor's voice. I am making it very very clear - Trevor was a normal, healthy and very loved little boy.
As a mom of a preemie - and the reason why I met you and your beautiful son - I know personally Trevor caught up to his actual age amazingly fast! It was always hard for me to believe they were merely weeks apart in age.
ReplyDeleteI remember going to lunch with you to Pizza Hut and Aidan was finally sitting up on his own and Trevor was standing on your lap and kept grabbing at your straw. Then he said "Hey Dada" and Aidan was still cooing and so far from talking or grasping at anything.
I simply can not believe anyone could think it was Trevor's fault. Honestly, the fact that he was a baby(preemie or not) should shock the hell out of people that a grown adult could hurt him and take his life!
Makes me sick!