Monday, August 3, 2009
Things are a little crazy right now. We finally decided to put Aidan on meds, and he has been doing great! Just when we thought we were getting into a good groove, life throws us another curve ball. We have recently discovered Aidan hasn't been doing as well as we thought. In fact, things could be much worse. We have an appointment with his psychologist this week, so we will see... All prayers are appreciated!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Update on Aidan
Well, it has been a hard month for us with Aidan. I feel like his issues are consuming my life. I know part of it is the time of the year. It's too cold to play outside, so he has inside recess most days. I think he is going stir crazy like everyone else! I will be glad for Spring. But he has been lying a ton lately. He lies about everything. Sometimes he does so he won't get in trouble, or to get out of trouble. Other times I don't even think he realizes he is doing it. The lies just come out of his mouth without him thinking about it! If it wasn't so sad, it would be funny!!!
School and homework have been very difficult for Aidan these past couple weeks. The weighted belt he wears has helped a lot with his hyperactivity, but he still can't focus and concentrate to get his work done. He is easily distracted and off in space half of the time. Most days, his teacher has to sit right with him or he doesn't get anything done! Homework is the same way. We can't leave him alone to do it. We have to sit right with him and fight with him to work on it. It's a battle, and one that we usually don't win, at least not without a lot of bloodshed!!!
We took him to get bloodwork and an EKG done so he can go on medication for the ADHD. I feel like we are doing and have done everything we can for him, and he is still struggling. His teacher is wonderful, and she is constantly trying new things to help him be successful, but he still needs so much attention. It's so frustrating to see him struggle so much. And I know Aidan feels the same way. We went to the psychiatrist today and he gave us a perscription for meds. We will start Aidan on them as soon as his doctor see his EKG results. I am so nervous about all of the side effects and all of the horror stories you hear about meds. But we have really prayed about this, and we think this is the best thing for Aidan right now.
I am going to do some more research online about diet stuff that may help. I looked into this a little, but the book I read was fairly extreme and very overwhelming so I sorta gave up on it. I think I will look into it some more and see what I can come up with online. I just don't know if changing or limiting his diet is the best option for him right now. He is already very emotional and has an extremely hard time with change or being different from other kids. Limiting or changing what foods he can and cannot have may just be enough to push him over the edge! Or maybe that's just an excuse for me not wanting to put all the work into completely changing our family's lifestyle! I don't know.
I just feel like either way we go, meds or no meds, people are judging us. If we don't do meds, I feel like people don't want to be around Aidan because he can get so out of control. If we do meds, I feel like people think we are bad parents because we aren't coming up with some natural alternative to fix him. I know I shouldn't worry about what others think, but of course I do.
So that's where we are with Aidan. I love that boy so much, and yet he frustrates me more than ever!!! But he is so loving and generous. And he is constantly making us laugh. I just have to try and stay calm, even when he isn't. That is REALLY hard for me to do. Pray for us!
Cherene :)
School and homework have been very difficult for Aidan these past couple weeks. The weighted belt he wears has helped a lot with his hyperactivity, but he still can't focus and concentrate to get his work done. He is easily distracted and off in space half of the time. Most days, his teacher has to sit right with him or he doesn't get anything done! Homework is the same way. We can't leave him alone to do it. We have to sit right with him and fight with him to work on it. It's a battle, and one that we usually don't win, at least not without a lot of bloodshed!!!
We took him to get bloodwork and an EKG done so he can go on medication for the ADHD. I feel like we are doing and have done everything we can for him, and he is still struggling. His teacher is wonderful, and she is constantly trying new things to help him be successful, but he still needs so much attention. It's so frustrating to see him struggle so much. And I know Aidan feels the same way. We went to the psychiatrist today and he gave us a perscription for meds. We will start Aidan on them as soon as his doctor see his EKG results. I am so nervous about all of the side effects and all of the horror stories you hear about meds. But we have really prayed about this, and we think this is the best thing for Aidan right now.
I am going to do some more research online about diet stuff that may help. I looked into this a little, but the book I read was fairly extreme and very overwhelming so I sorta gave up on it. I think I will look into it some more and see what I can come up with online. I just don't know if changing or limiting his diet is the best option for him right now. He is already very emotional and has an extremely hard time with change or being different from other kids. Limiting or changing what foods he can and cannot have may just be enough to push him over the edge! Or maybe that's just an excuse for me not wanting to put all the work into completely changing our family's lifestyle! I don't know.
I just feel like either way we go, meds or no meds, people are judging us. If we don't do meds, I feel like people don't want to be around Aidan because he can get so out of control. If we do meds, I feel like people think we are bad parents because we aren't coming up with some natural alternative to fix him. I know I shouldn't worry about what others think, but of course I do.
So that's where we are with Aidan. I love that boy so much, and yet he frustrates me more than ever!!! But he is so loving and generous. And he is constantly making us laugh. I just have to try and stay calm, even when he isn't. That is REALLY hard for me to do. Pray for us!
Cherene :)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
So Much Has Happened!
What a crazy end of the year it has been!!! Crazy, but fun. We finally got a diagnosis of ADHD and ODD (Opositional Defiance Disorder) for Aidan. The psychiatrist also thinks he has some anxiety issues, as far as dwelling on things and worrying. Nothing clinical, but something to keep an eye on. We have also noticed some OCD symptoms. He is very particular about meal time, but not all the time. He usually has to have a different piece of silverware for each food, and he likes his "space" at the table a certain way, with nothing intruding his space!!! He is also particular about furniture sometimes, and he seems to have an obsessions with his lips and mouth lately (picking at his lips, playing with his lips, putting fingers in is mouth...). We don't think it's enought to be concerned with at this point, but again we are keeping an eye on it.
We discovered that ankle weights (those used for exercise) work really well for Aidan. Amazingly, they calm him! His body movements become more controlled, and he doesn't act so impulsive. We also finally got the weighted belt we ordered for him. He wears it under his shirt. We just got it a couple weeks ago, and he isn't sure how he feels about it yet. It is a bit bulkier and cumbersome than we had expected, so it bothers him after a while. Although, after wearing for a time, he seems to be able to stay calmer and more focused, even when he takes a break from wearing it. It is really quite extraordinary actually!!!
He has worn the ankle weights to school, and it has seemed to help. We will try the belt when school starts again on Monday. He really likes the feeling of being weighted down. I think he feels like his arms and legs are floating, and the weights seem to help him feel grounded. I don't know if this will be enough to help him academically at school, but as far as his defiant behavior goes, the weights have drastically improved that! He has been much easier to handle at home and at church, and anyone can see a difference when we forget to have him wear the weights to church! He is still the same child, just a more controlled Aidan! It has been a beautiful thing! We may still do medicine, depending on how school goes. But it would be so great to not have to!!!
Anyways, Christmas time was wonderful. Vacation was way too short, but time with family up north was great! My boys love their cousins so much, and I hate having to leave at the end of a great visit!!!
Ok, I will post more later. Hopefully, I won't take so long next time. To all my faithful readers...thanks for waiting.
Cherene :)
We discovered that ankle weights (those used for exercise) work really well for Aidan. Amazingly, they calm him! His body movements become more controlled, and he doesn't act so impulsive. We also finally got the weighted belt we ordered for him. He wears it under his shirt. We just got it a couple weeks ago, and he isn't sure how he feels about it yet. It is a bit bulkier and cumbersome than we had expected, so it bothers him after a while. Although, after wearing for a time, he seems to be able to stay calmer and more focused, even when he takes a break from wearing it. It is really quite extraordinary actually!!!
He has worn the ankle weights to school, and it has seemed to help. We will try the belt when school starts again on Monday. He really likes the feeling of being weighted down. I think he feels like his arms and legs are floating, and the weights seem to help him feel grounded. I don't know if this will be enough to help him academically at school, but as far as his defiant behavior goes, the weights have drastically improved that! He has been much easier to handle at home and at church, and anyone can see a difference when we forget to have him wear the weights to church! He is still the same child, just a more controlled Aidan! It has been a beautiful thing! We may still do medicine, depending on how school goes. But it would be so great to not have to!!!
Anyways, Christmas time was wonderful. Vacation was way too short, but time with family up north was great! My boys love their cousins so much, and I hate having to leave at the end of a great visit!!!
Ok, I will post more later. Hopefully, I won't take so long next time. To all my faithful readers...thanks for waiting.
Cherene :)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sorry For The Delay!
Whew! This has been a very busy month. Our trip to Disney was AMAZING!!! It was a blast, and we can't wait to go back sometime! The boys did an amazing job. I thought for sure that Aidan would have several large meltdowns because of the weird schedules every day, but he did so great! We made special schedule cards specific to our vacation, and those seemed to help him a lot. We took the cards everywhere, and he relied on them heavily. Disney is so much fun, and also so exhausting! I have not walked that much in such a short time in my whole life. My feet felt like they were going to fall off by the end of each day. Four theme parks in four days, oh my goodness!!!
But, like I said, it was so worth it. Aidan rode almost all of the big roller coasters and liked looking at the maps. Austin was pretty much afraid of everything, especially all the 3-D stuff. Every time we told him a ride wasn't going to be scary, sure enough, a villian would pop up somewhere and send him into a panic. No matter how scared he got, he wouldn't look away or close his eyes! He was terrified but had to keep watching. So weird! He is scared of movies at home now that he has watched a million times before. I don't know what we are going to do with him! :) I am pretty sure we traumatized him so much he is going to need therapy some day!
Aidan had an allergic reaction to something while we were there and broke out in a strange rash all over his face and legs. So that was fun. Austin had a runny nose the whole time and ended up with a sinus infection when we got home. I lost my voice while in Disney, but at least I felt OK. I just couldn't talk or shout when one of the boys got away from me in a crowd! Two days after we got back, Austin came down with the stomach flu, and he is still not doing very well. After 5 days of throwing up (from both ends mind you!), fevers, and a very whiny boy, I am pretty much ready to be done with all sickness in this house!!!!!! Watching my little 3 year old hugging the toilet is just about the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. He was so sad last night, it made me cry. Ugh! Go away sick germs!
Alright, I am off to watch the election results. I love the media. They are so neutral and unbiased. :)
Cherene :)
But, like I said, it was so worth it. Aidan rode almost all of the big roller coasters and liked looking at the maps. Austin was pretty much afraid of everything, especially all the 3-D stuff. Every time we told him a ride wasn't going to be scary, sure enough, a villian would pop up somewhere and send him into a panic. No matter how scared he got, he wouldn't look away or close his eyes! He was terrified but had to keep watching. So weird! He is scared of movies at home now that he has watched a million times before. I don't know what we are going to do with him! :) I am pretty sure we traumatized him so much he is going to need therapy some day!
Aidan had an allergic reaction to something while we were there and broke out in a strange rash all over his face and legs. So that was fun. Austin had a runny nose the whole time and ended up with a sinus infection when we got home. I lost my voice while in Disney, but at least I felt OK. I just couldn't talk or shout when one of the boys got away from me in a crowd! Two days after we got back, Austin came down with the stomach flu, and he is still not doing very well. After 5 days of throwing up (from both ends mind you!), fevers, and a very whiny boy, I am pretty much ready to be done with all sickness in this house!!!!!! Watching my little 3 year old hugging the toilet is just about the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. He was so sad last night, it made me cry. Ugh! Go away sick germs!
Alright, I am off to watch the election results. I love the media. They are so neutral and unbiased. :)
Cherene :)
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Ok, So I Am Exhausted!
Doing homework with Aidan is exhausting. That's all I have to say about that. :) Really though, nothing tries my patience more than sitting down to help my little guy with his homework. He is very bright, but he gives up so easily. Or he looks around the room and comments on some obscure something else other than his homework. But, we are going to see a therapist with him on the 20th. She will hopefully perform the battery of tests on him to find out more about how he ticks. Then, maybe we will get some good ideas on how to help him and work with him. Still, his teacher is being so great, and his principle has been nothing but supportive. He now gets to go to the sensory room twice a day to give him a break. He is also going to go to group social once a week with other students and the Student Support Coordinator (counselor). She is going to work with him on his impulsivity and opposition (which he mostly only pulls at home!). I am confident that we can get this all figured out and get him on the right path to success, but getting there is so exhausting! Did I mention this process is exhausting?
You know what else exhausts me? Political commercials. Can't stand them. They are all so completely ridiculous. We all know that they are slanted and biased, so why do they even bother. Seriously...Ok, sorry I'm so cranky. But it really annoys me!
Anyways, life really is pretty good. Just extremely stressful and busy. :) We go to Disney in 13 days, so we are all excited about that. Aidan and Austin can barely contain themselves. I just keep praying for everyone to stay healthy and no rain while we are there. Is that too much to ask?! I can't wait to see the boys' faces when we get there.
So, I am a big, fat loser and haven't posted any pictures of the boys' first days at school. They are still stuck on my camera. I really need to get those off before Disney! I'll add that to my ever-growing TO DO list. When will life slow down? Oh, that's right, not until January, if we're lucky! Ok, I am off to do something I am actually supposed to be doing...
Cherene
You know what else exhausts me? Political commercials. Can't stand them. They are all so completely ridiculous. We all know that they are slanted and biased, so why do they even bother. Seriously...Ok, sorry I'm so cranky. But it really annoys me!
Anyways, life really is pretty good. Just extremely stressful and busy. :) We go to Disney in 13 days, so we are all excited about that. Aidan and Austin can barely contain themselves. I just keep praying for everyone to stay healthy and no rain while we are there. Is that too much to ask?! I can't wait to see the boys' faces when we get there.
So, I am a big, fat loser and haven't posted any pictures of the boys' first days at school. They are still stuck on my camera. I really need to get those off before Disney! I'll add that to my ever-growing TO DO list. When will life slow down? Oh, that's right, not until January, if we're lucky! Ok, I am off to do something I am actually supposed to be doing...
Cherene
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
My Baby's In Preschool!
Austin started preschool this week. He did great! It's at our church so he calls it "church school". He goes twice a week for two and a half hours. He has 21 kids in his class, so it's a full bunch! There are three teachers though, so they get lots of attention. He loves it so far, and he loves wearing his Diego backpack every day.
Yesterday, Aidan got mad at Austin for something and bopped him on the head. Austin looked right at Aidan, and in a rather loud and stern voice, let him know that "his teachers said no hitting!" It was so funny cause he was so serious about it.
Anyways, I can't believe both of my boys are in some form of school. Now if I can just get rid of those pesky diapers at nap (sadly, the nap is quickly disappearing and that's another post in and of itself!) and bedtime. He is being so stubborn with potty training! I just want to be done with it!!! Diapers are the last baby hurdle to be jumped in this family, and we are so ready to keep running past "baby life" and never look back!
Cherene :)
Yesterday, Aidan got mad at Austin for something and bopped him on the head. Austin looked right at Aidan, and in a rather loud and stern voice, let him know that "his teachers said no hitting!" It was so funny cause he was so serious about it.
Anyways, I can't believe both of my boys are in some form of school. Now if I can just get rid of those pesky diapers at nap (sadly, the nap is quickly disappearing and that's another post in and of itself!) and bedtime. He is being so stubborn with potty training! I just want to be done with it!!! Diapers are the last baby hurdle to be jumped in this family, and we are so ready to keep running past "baby life" and never look back!
Cherene :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
