Claire Wiegand's Story: 1993 - 1994

Just before Claire turned four, her father and I moved from the south side of Indianapolis to a new home on the north side. This meant a new school and a new daycare, as I had gone back to work the previous year. Once again, we were lucky with Claire's school, because her teachers and therapists in the preschool program at Orchard Park Elementary were wonderful to Claire. In addition to OT, PT and SLT, she began receiving music therapy. One of Claire's new habits was to pull out her hair. She would start in a section on the back of her head, and by the end of the day would have cleared a 1/2 inch wide strip, several inches long. We didn't know how to stop her. Eventually, she worked her way from one side of the back of her head to the other, one strip at a time. We had cut her hair short in the front to match (if it's possible to match bald sections in the back!), and when she reached the hair over her ears, she stopped. Perhaps the hair wasn't long enough to be interesting. Who knows? At any rate, that habit faded and hasn't returned, just like so many others.

Claire at 4 1/4, on her rocking horse. We bought it on a recommendation from other Rett parents. After a year, she graduated from having us put her on it and bounce it for her, to getting on it and bouncing it herself! Her hair was very short, because she pulled most of it out in the back. (October 1993) Next: 1994 - 1995