Connor's Doctor is a good family practice Doctor. She has been great with both of my kids, but lately, we just aren't seeing eye-to-eye. I asked at the beginning of the school year if we could separate shots particularly the MMRV. She laughed (that's right, laughed) at me and said, "You know they are safe and don't cause Autism, right?". "They don't even make them separately". Do I blame shots for causing Connor's Autism? Not necessarily, but I like to proceed with caution. I like the middle of the road.
I like to think that I exercise reason when it comes to Autism and I don't drink the "we've got a cure for Autism Kool-Aid". I have hope and I strive to improve Connor's quality of life and constantly raise the bar so that he might have the opportunity to do more. I guess I stayed with my current Doctor in part to keep some semblance of normal, but I am not sure normal works for us any more. Especially when issues we thought we had beat re-occur like some constant nightmare.
Like most parents with a child or children on the Autism Spectrum, I have read my share (and more) of articles on Autism, what causes it, how to treat symptoms of and even how to "cure" Autism. I have become seriously offended by those who would hope to offer us a "cure" and have even chastised at least one person for going as far as to say that she knew someone who's Autistic child could not speak and then "miraculously" could after taking her supplement. It sickens me that there are so many that would sell us anything to make a dollar off of our desire to help our children and they are out there in many forms.
Recently, I met a Doctor who specializes in treating children with Autism. He has two of his own. I really dragged my feet on meeting him and approached our introduction with my shields up. Another snake-oil salesman, I thought. Awesome. Well, I'm not drinking his brand of Kool-Aid no matter how great it sounds. But....... he IS middle of the road about treating the symptoms of Autism. He doesn't make promises of cures. He doesn't laugh at concerns. He listens. Long story short we have a appointment on Monday because sometimes it is about treating the symptoms, so that he can have a better quality of life and we can continue to raise the bar so that he will have the opportunities that he should have. I am still proceeding with caution but maybe taking a little sip of the Kool-Aid sometimes may not be a bad thing after all.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Save the Date
I have been thinking about the planning that must be done for next year and the beginning of Connor's IEP season. It started with a email from Connor's consultant. "Do you have plans to put him in some sort of summer tutoring to keep up his skills?", "I would like to start setting some goals for his IEP in May". Those questions make my skin crawl and start the onset of parenoia that commonly begins the IEP season. Thoughts like "I should have been thinking of goals two weeks ago!", "I didn't even think about summer tutoring let alone who was going to provide it!", "I need to talk to next years teacher, replace our current consultant, talk to the principal...........etc. infinity for eternity." On the other hand, my mind also wanders to happier, crazier places. There has got to be a silver lining to the dark, dreaded cloud that is IEP season. Why not have a I Survived the IEP Season Party? So I talked to my other local Autism Mommy home girls. They liked my idea too! So here a copy of the official invite. Wish you could join us!
You are officially invited to the I Survived IEP Season After Party!
Got your ducks in a row? Then Join us for madcap merriment and wine tasting!
When: May 17th, 2012 @ 7pm
Where: Bendetto's Wine Bar
A official I Survived IEP Season 2012 t-shirt will be given to the person with the "best" worst IEP meeting story!
Dear Lunch Ladies......
Dear Lunch Ladies,
I am writing today re: Connor's freakish eating habits. Rather than meet with you individually at a time of your convenience, I have decided to make multiple copies of my short course in Autism and Eating Habits 101. You will each receive a copy and I will file several for the poor &%#$*!@ who are your successors. Connor's aide has told me that you question why I don't just pack his lunch if he won't eat cafeteria food.
A. Connor eats randomly and stores his food (not unlike a camel stores water.) What he likes one month he may act as if it is poison for the next several months. Then, eventually, he will decide he likes it again.
B. Packing his food doesn't mean squat to him other than Mommy sent another thing to carry to school filled with stuff he isn't going to eat today either. Now I can send a loaf of bread and a box of crackers to school or you can provide him with these things which I am sure he will guzzle down, but I will also have to pack enemas for you to give him when he is so constipated he can't go potty for a week. I think you find the need to keep his bowels working trumps your happiness at seeing him chowing down.
C. Autistic children who have eatings problems (a whole lot of our kids do) don't just develope these problems overnight. I have been watching Connor's weight and growth along with his doctor his whole life. Just because you don't see him eating doesn't mean he doesn't eat enough at home or according to my aide, at school to enable him to gain weight and grow. I have the records to prove it. I have been trying to counteract his bizarre eating for a long time now and have reached a "happy place" by giving him extra fiber supplements (bowel production) and multivitamins (insurance and assurance) and we have a system to count down "bites" of food.
In short, what we are doing works. He continues to grow. I apologize that he doesn't eat the food that is far more nutritionally unbalanced than what he gets at home but there you are. Never fear, there are many more children who will appreciate the stuff you serve up.
Sincerely,
Connors Mom
I am writing today re: Connor's freakish eating habits. Rather than meet with you individually at a time of your convenience, I have decided to make multiple copies of my short course in Autism and Eating Habits 101. You will each receive a copy and I will file several for the poor &%#$*!@ who are your successors. Connor's aide has told me that you question why I don't just pack his lunch if he won't eat cafeteria food.
A. Connor eats randomly and stores his food (not unlike a camel stores water.) What he likes one month he may act as if it is poison for the next several months. Then, eventually, he will decide he likes it again.
B. Packing his food doesn't mean squat to him other than Mommy sent another thing to carry to school filled with stuff he isn't going to eat today either. Now I can send a loaf of bread and a box of crackers to school or you can provide him with these things which I am sure he will guzzle down, but I will also have to pack enemas for you to give him when he is so constipated he can't go potty for a week. I think you find the need to keep his bowels working trumps your happiness at seeing him chowing down.
C. Autistic children who have eatings problems (a whole lot of our kids do) don't just develope these problems overnight. I have been watching Connor's weight and growth along with his doctor his whole life. Just because you don't see him eating doesn't mean he doesn't eat enough at home or according to my aide, at school to enable him to gain weight and grow. I have the records to prove it. I have been trying to counteract his bizarre eating for a long time now and have reached a "happy place" by giving him extra fiber supplements (bowel production) and multivitamins (insurance and assurance) and we have a system to count down "bites" of food.
In short, what we are doing works. He continues to grow. I apologize that he doesn't eat the food that is far more nutritionally unbalanced than what he gets at home but there you are. Never fear, there are many more children who will appreciate the stuff you serve up.
Sincerely,
Connors Mom
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