So I made the decision. Yup, I did it. Some people might think how can choosing a kindergarten program be such a big decision? Well until you are in my shoes, I can’t really answer that. I know that I thought long and hard, weighing all the options, asking all the questions and spent many nights pondering. Did I mention the fact that I have been given two doctors, a preschool teacher, a speech therapist and a psychologist’s opinion? Well I’ll start be telling you a little what they said…
In my previous posts I have gone in more detail, but basically Rocco’s doctors suggest regular Kindergarten with keeping on the medication and being pulled out for speech and language services.
His teacher for the past 3 years said, “I reviewed all test scores with the special day kindergarten teacher and we both think that Rocco looks good on paper to start regular kindergarten, but there is something holding us back.” What the test doesn’t show is that she had to redirect and focus Rocco before every question. In a class of 32, the kindergarten teacher would not be able to do this. At least I’m not the only one struggling with the decision.
His speech therapist on the whole thinks Rocco still needs speech services and I agree. You see Rocco doesn’t have a big problem repeating words you ask him to or speaking in sentences on his own, but if you ask him to repeat a 7+ word sentence, he is incapable. Plus he still has some problems with articulation as well.
So what did I decide?
Rocco will start regular kindergarten in August and he will be pulled out of class for speech and language therapy and will also have a “resource” teacher to monitor him in the class one a week. I plan to have a meeting with both the resource teacher and the regular teacher to discuss some 504 things like trying to sit Rocco in front of the class, etc. A resource teacher is someone that will observe Rocco in class and have dialog with the teacher if he seems to be struggling. If he is, she can spend a little one-on-one time with him to help.
I also made sure that Rocco still has an IEP. I have been told that once you exit the program, you would have to go through the long evaluation process all over again to see if he’d qualify for special services. I’d like to avoid that. I also have called for IEP meeting in November. This will give Rocco some time to adjust to a new school and new rules, allow me to have his annual well check visit with his doctor and review medication issues if necessary, and have a parent-teacher conference on his progress. Then if anything needs to change, or if Rocco needs to try Special Day Kindergarten instead then it can all be easily changed at the November IEP meeting. I think I have covered my bases.
Why I made this decision:
I agree with both teachers and doctors that Rocco would be in the top of a special day class and I don’t think he would be challenged enough.
I thought it best to try the hard route first so I wouldn’t wonder if he could handle it or not.
Rocco seems to be maturing a lot lately and I think he would enjoy being around kids at or above his level more.
I’ll be staying active in his progress and even volunteering in his class.
So I can honestly say that I feel good about my decision. Still don’t 100% know it is the right one, but only time can tell. One negative is that because I choose regular kindergarten, he no longer qualifies for summer school. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll find things to keep him busy and on track.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Fanatical?
So did I ever tell you I'm a Virgo. Well we like to over analysis EVERYTHING. So to the two people that may read this blog, I offer this: I'm possessed with over thinking ADHD. Not because I want to be, but for me, it's the only way to give myself any control over something so gray. I definitely did not wake up one morning and go, “I think I’ll brush up on my obsessing skills for kicks”. In the real world, I’m actually quite laid back. I hate sounding so negative. I really hope that when reading back my posts in the future my spirit is rising.
Until then, the valid rollercoaster continues…
Potty training is going the right direction. He got right back up on that horse and earning stars every day. The last three days Rocco actually ate some lunch and even a snack here and there. He’s eating lesser amounts at breakfast and dinner, but I’d prefer small meals throughout the day then nothing in the middle.
After several talks about the carpooling and eating snack at school dilemma, Rocco finally understands that we don’t want to talk about it anymore. That realization is great. The only problem with it, is now the last two nights he has just said he doesn’t want to go to school. “But, Rocco, you love school.” Then after a couple minutes of talking it gets back to the carpooling issue. Grrr So I think I have come up with a solution. I want to get Rocco his own mp3 player. Just a cheap one like a ishuffle or something. That way he could just listen to his music with ear phones while carpooling with the screaming baby. And it’s small to keep in his backpack.
Rocco is also elaborating on the future still. It’s cute. He wants to be a Police Officer and a Daddy when he grows up. He is just maturing with his communication too. Today he said, “Mom, the boring part of the day is when the babies nap.” Just the way he said it was different, hard to explain.
I signed a revised IEP today to include summer school for Rocco. I think this will help the transition.
As we continue to adjust, I’m going to try not to sweat the small things so much.
Until then, the valid rollercoaster continues…
Potty training is going the right direction. He got right back up on that horse and earning stars every day. The last three days Rocco actually ate some lunch and even a snack here and there. He’s eating lesser amounts at breakfast and dinner, but I’d prefer small meals throughout the day then nothing in the middle.
After several talks about the carpooling and eating snack at school dilemma, Rocco finally understands that we don’t want to talk about it anymore. That realization is great. The only problem with it, is now the last two nights he has just said he doesn’t want to go to school. “But, Rocco, you love school.” Then after a couple minutes of talking it gets back to the carpooling issue. Grrr So I think I have come up with a solution. I want to get Rocco his own mp3 player. Just a cheap one like a ishuffle or something. That way he could just listen to his music with ear phones while carpooling with the screaming baby. And it’s small to keep in his backpack.
Rocco is also elaborating on the future still. It’s cute. He wants to be a Police Officer and a Daddy when he grows up. He is just maturing with his communication too. Today he said, “Mom, the boring part of the day is when the babies nap.” Just the way he said it was different, hard to explain.
I signed a revised IEP today to include summer school for Rocco. I think this will help the transition.
As we continue to adjust, I’m going to try not to sweat the small things so much.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Crap & Doctors
So today was another check up for Rocco's ADHD meds. My previous posts show my anexity for meds overall and still feeling unsure about them. Today didn't help much.
I told the doctor how I was feeling, the good and bad changes in Rocco and she thinks that it is just hard for the Teachers to let-go of the old "happy-go-lucky" kid. That the positive out ways the negative. She wasn't concerned about him losing 6 pounds in two months, but did suggest that I stop meds in the summertime to let him bulk up. That the month off of the meds will remind me of the behaviors that really have improved on meds. I should then start them again one week prior to starting school.
She also agrees that Rocco should start regular Kindergarten on meds. If I choose to not go the meds route then Special Day Class Kindergarten might fit better. Decisions, decisions.
She then proceeds to tell me that she doesn't need to see him again until his well check in October. Since I can't come to a conclusion on the meds myself, then maybe more time is what we all need.
I was feeling resolved for now until Rocco pooped in his pants twice today. He actually hasn't pooped in the potty for a couple of days now. I know kids make mistakes so I'm not trying to make a big deal about it. If we continue to go backwards though I may shoot my foot off.
It was nice to see my brats playing with their cousins today and hope it happens more often.
I told the doctor how I was feeling, the good and bad changes in Rocco and she thinks that it is just hard for the Teachers to let-go of the old "happy-go-lucky" kid. That the positive out ways the negative. She wasn't concerned about him losing 6 pounds in two months, but did suggest that I stop meds in the summertime to let him bulk up. That the month off of the meds will remind me of the behaviors that really have improved on meds. I should then start them again one week prior to starting school.
She also agrees that Rocco should start regular Kindergarten on meds. If I choose to not go the meds route then Special Day Class Kindergarten might fit better. Decisions, decisions.
She then proceeds to tell me that she doesn't need to see him again until his well check in October. Since I can't come to a conclusion on the meds myself, then maybe more time is what we all need.
I was feeling resolved for now until Rocco pooped in his pants twice today. He actually hasn't pooped in the potty for a couple of days now. I know kids make mistakes so I'm not trying to make a big deal about it. If we continue to go backwards though I may shoot my foot off.
It was nice to see my brats playing with their cousins today and hope it happens more often.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Perseverate
I'm having a hard morning. Felt I needed to say that out loud. Might explain this post and why it feels so negative.
I have Rocco's med check up appointment this Friday and I feel out of control. Really unsure of everything. So the first thing I do is right a note to his teacher about the appointment and ask if she could update me on his progress. I know she has been testing him the last couple of weeks, but I don't get those results until beginning of May. I just needed some feedback for my appointment. She said she would email me the paragraph that she put in his IEP document...
"Rocco is well liked by his peers and gets along well with others. He has preferred friends and can be a leader in his group of friends. He is very compliant in the class and obeys the safety rules with occasional reminders from the staff. Rocco has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and is on medication although this is still in the trial stages. When Rocco wasn’t on medication he was easily distracted by anything around him and fooled around a lot. Now that he is on medication he isn’t as easily distracted by other things but tends to daydream more. When we sit him in the front row during large group activities, he is more focused and responds more but can still withdraw into his daydream. Since on the medication, Rocco seems to perseverate on various topics even if it doesn’t pertain to what the group is talking about before he can move on. Sometimes he perseverates on something that has happened in the past. He gets more flustered with himself when he cannot complete a task."
per·sev·er·ate/pərˈsevəˌrāt/
Verb: Repeat or prolong an action, thought, or utterance after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased.
Describing the behavior, generally displayed by those with various developmental disabilities, of extraordinary, exclusive and lasting obsession to a detail or occurrence others consider minor; to repeat or continue a pattern
Doesn't this define my obsession with the little things Rocco does that makes me worry so. This morning we had two battles. One, snack and two, driving home with Sammy.
Snack
My son is not hungry at 11am for snack. I feed him a pretty big breakfast with the meds and he is not hungry until dinner time. The classroom rules are this. Snack time is 15 minutes long. You need to pull out your snack and try to eat it. If you finish early, you can clean up and quietly read a book until snack time is over. This has become an issue. I tell Rocco to pick out his snack this morning so maybe he'll eat it at school. He says that he is just not hungry. I say let's just pick something and you can try it at snack time. He picked cookies. Chosing not to fight that battle, I let him take cookies. Rocco must have went back and forth 6 times this morning. "Mom, I just don't want to eat snack." I respond with a simple, "I understand buddy". Then 2 minutes later he says, "Ok I'll try to eat one cookie." I say, "That sounds like a great idea." Throughout the morning I go on to explain that it's important to follow the teacher's rules and at least try to eat at snack time. It's ok if you can't, but you must follow the no playing and only reading rule for 15 minutes. I see the internal struggle within Rocco and I wish I could take that way for him. Why does a 5 year old have to be so worried about such a minor thing. I did mention to his teacher this morning that we are having a hard time and I asked her that Rocco never be punished for not eating snack or made to feel bad. I did say that I think it is important that he obeys the class rules and so on. She ensured me that he would never be punished for not eating and only commented to Rocco that maybe he should be bringing something healthier than just cookies. (Yeah mom of the year had to then say, that is all he has today, COOKIES!)
Carpooling with Sammy
So Wednesday through Friday I pick up Sammy and bring him to school and Sammy's mom picks up Rocco and brings him home the same days. It is actually really nice not to pack up Frankie and get him. The downside is that Rocco does not like driving in Sammy's car because he has a 3 month old sister that screams the whole time. SCREAMS. This morning Rocco tells me he doesn't want to drive home with Sammy on the way to Sammy's house and again when we got to the school. My response was, "I'm sorry you don't want to. I know the baby cries a lot, but sometimes we just have to do things we don't like." He starts to get upset and cry. "Rocco, I understand, but I can't pick you up today, so you just have to go with Sammy." CRY. "Rocco, control your emotions, you need to go to school now. I'll think about picking you up, but not today." So Internet, what do I do? My first thought is to just forget the convenience of carpooling and start picking him up again. I think I'm just being selfish. Then the next second I think, geez I can't give Rocco whatever he wants all the time. I don't want one of those kids that bosses their parents around. Is that truly how I feel or the world's pressure to be the perfect mom. I wouldn't want to spend 10 minutes in the car with a screaming kid, so I don't blame him, but still don't know if it warrants cancelling carpool.
Well, with the meds I think there has been a change with Rocco's communication. That is good. Unfortunately, he does seem more negative overall. He doesn't like playing with the annoying neighbor kid for long periods of time. He doesn't want to drive with Sammy. He doesn't want to play at the toddler playdate I go to for the girls. Sleeping at grandparents is boring. Can you consider these negative feelings a bad thing though? He's just stating his preferences. Before meds, he was more happy go lucky, but maybe that is not who Rocco was. Maybe he just didn't know how to communicate what he didn't like. Rocco still shows joy. He still wants to go to Karate and Baseball and play video games. He likes to dance, cuddle with Frankie and watch movies. He talks about wanting to play with his cousins Jason and Noah (both older) and seems to understand things better over all.
Where does this leave me? The teacher didn't tell me if Rocco improved academically. I do notice some improvement myself, but not a huge amount. I definitely get the sense that there are still quite a few annoyances at school. But is this the best one can expect? Do we need to try different meds? Do we need to try anti anxiety meds on top of ADHD meds? Is that too much meds to put on a 5 year old? Rocco's eyes seem bloodshot or glossed over come four pm like he hasn't slept in 2 days, but I ask him if he is tired and he says no. He sleeps from about 9pm to 7am so it isn't really an issue. I guess I'll I can do is give as much information I can to his doctor and see what she suggests. I just don't like not knowing what I suggest for Rocco. I don't think these meds are a perfect fit for us, but also scared that different meds would be worse. I guess time will tell. I committed to seeing this through.
On a side note. I went to register Rocco for Kindergarten and they asked if he was going to school now. I told them he was is the special day preschool class, but I was told to register for this school for kindergarten. She then got the special day kindergarten teacher and she said I need to register him at the district office. I told her that he might not go to special day kindergarten. We talked for a second and I did bring up Rocco's ADHD and that he was on medication. The teacher then interrupts and says, "You are being really consistent with that, right?" Of course I am, but that irked me. I guess the school pressure for meds is just beginning. I told Rocco's current teacher that I was told to go to the district office and she said they don't know what they are talking about and to just go back to that school to register. Goodtimes.
At least I forewarned you that my mood is low. I'm trying to raise it up quickly though. I'll leave you on a positive note: Rocco is so funny. He's starting to play little tricks on me and even tries to scare me. I do really love that boy!
I have Rocco's med check up appointment this Friday and I feel out of control. Really unsure of everything. So the first thing I do is right a note to his teacher about the appointment and ask if she could update me on his progress. I know she has been testing him the last couple of weeks, but I don't get those results until beginning of May. I just needed some feedback for my appointment. She said she would email me the paragraph that she put in his IEP document...
"Rocco is well liked by his peers and gets along well with others. He has preferred friends and can be a leader in his group of friends. He is very compliant in the class and obeys the safety rules with occasional reminders from the staff. Rocco has recently been diagnosed with ADHD and is on medication although this is still in the trial stages. When Rocco wasn’t on medication he was easily distracted by anything around him and fooled around a lot. Now that he is on medication he isn’t as easily distracted by other things but tends to daydream more. When we sit him in the front row during large group activities, he is more focused and responds more but can still withdraw into his daydream. Since on the medication, Rocco seems to perseverate on various topics even if it doesn’t pertain to what the group is talking about before he can move on. Sometimes he perseverates on something that has happened in the past. He gets more flustered with himself when he cannot complete a task."
per·sev·er·ate/pərˈsevəˌrāt/
Verb: Repeat or prolong an action, thought, or utterance after the stimulus that prompted it has ceased.
Describing the behavior, generally displayed by those with various developmental disabilities, of extraordinary, exclusive and lasting obsession to a detail or occurrence others consider minor; to repeat or continue a pattern
Doesn't this define my obsession with the little things Rocco does that makes me worry so. This morning we had two battles. One, snack and two, driving home with Sammy.
Snack
My son is not hungry at 11am for snack. I feed him a pretty big breakfast with the meds and he is not hungry until dinner time. The classroom rules are this. Snack time is 15 minutes long. You need to pull out your snack and try to eat it. If you finish early, you can clean up and quietly read a book until snack time is over. This has become an issue. I tell Rocco to pick out his snack this morning so maybe he'll eat it at school. He says that he is just not hungry. I say let's just pick something and you can try it at snack time. He picked cookies. Chosing not to fight that battle, I let him take cookies. Rocco must have went back and forth 6 times this morning. "Mom, I just don't want to eat snack." I respond with a simple, "I understand buddy". Then 2 minutes later he says, "Ok I'll try to eat one cookie." I say, "That sounds like a great idea." Throughout the morning I go on to explain that it's important to follow the teacher's rules and at least try to eat at snack time. It's ok if you can't, but you must follow the no playing and only reading rule for 15 minutes. I see the internal struggle within Rocco and I wish I could take that way for him. Why does a 5 year old have to be so worried about such a minor thing. I did mention to his teacher this morning that we are having a hard time and I asked her that Rocco never be punished for not eating snack or made to feel bad. I did say that I think it is important that he obeys the class rules and so on. She ensured me that he would never be punished for not eating and only commented to Rocco that maybe he should be bringing something healthier than just cookies. (Yeah mom of the year had to then say, that is all he has today, COOKIES!)
Carpooling with Sammy
So Wednesday through Friday I pick up Sammy and bring him to school and Sammy's mom picks up Rocco and brings him home the same days. It is actually really nice not to pack up Frankie and get him. The downside is that Rocco does not like driving in Sammy's car because he has a 3 month old sister that screams the whole time. SCREAMS. This morning Rocco tells me he doesn't want to drive home with Sammy on the way to Sammy's house and again when we got to the school. My response was, "I'm sorry you don't want to. I know the baby cries a lot, but sometimes we just have to do things we don't like." He starts to get upset and cry. "Rocco, I understand, but I can't pick you up today, so you just have to go with Sammy." CRY. "Rocco, control your emotions, you need to go to school now. I'll think about picking you up, but not today." So Internet, what do I do? My first thought is to just forget the convenience of carpooling and start picking him up again. I think I'm just being selfish. Then the next second I think, geez I can't give Rocco whatever he wants all the time. I don't want one of those kids that bosses their parents around. Is that truly how I feel or the world's pressure to be the perfect mom. I wouldn't want to spend 10 minutes in the car with a screaming kid, so I don't blame him, but still don't know if it warrants cancelling carpool.
Well, with the meds I think there has been a change with Rocco's communication. That is good. Unfortunately, he does seem more negative overall. He doesn't like playing with the annoying neighbor kid for long periods of time. He doesn't want to drive with Sammy. He doesn't want to play at the toddler playdate I go to for the girls. Sleeping at grandparents is boring. Can you consider these negative feelings a bad thing though? He's just stating his preferences. Before meds, he was more happy go lucky, but maybe that is not who Rocco was. Maybe he just didn't know how to communicate what he didn't like. Rocco still shows joy. He still wants to go to Karate and Baseball and play video games. He likes to dance, cuddle with Frankie and watch movies. He talks about wanting to play with his cousins Jason and Noah (both older) and seems to understand things better over all.
Where does this leave me? The teacher didn't tell me if Rocco improved academically. I do notice some improvement myself, but not a huge amount. I definitely get the sense that there are still quite a few annoyances at school. But is this the best one can expect? Do we need to try different meds? Do we need to try anti anxiety meds on top of ADHD meds? Is that too much meds to put on a 5 year old? Rocco's eyes seem bloodshot or glossed over come four pm like he hasn't slept in 2 days, but I ask him if he is tired and he says no. He sleeps from about 9pm to 7am so it isn't really an issue. I guess I'll I can do is give as much information I can to his doctor and see what she suggests. I just don't like not knowing what I suggest for Rocco. I don't think these meds are a perfect fit for us, but also scared that different meds would be worse. I guess time will tell. I committed to seeing this through.
On a side note. I went to register Rocco for Kindergarten and they asked if he was going to school now. I told them he was is the special day preschool class, but I was told to register for this school for kindergarten. She then got the special day kindergarten teacher and she said I need to register him at the district office. I told her that he might not go to special day kindergarten. We talked for a second and I did bring up Rocco's ADHD and that he was on medication. The teacher then interrupts and says, "You are being really consistent with that, right?" Of course I am, but that irked me. I guess the school pressure for meds is just beginning. I told Rocco's current teacher that I was told to go to the district office and she said they don't know what they are talking about and to just go back to that school to register. Goodtimes.
At least I forewarned you that my mood is low. I'm trying to raise it up quickly though. I'll leave you on a positive note: Rocco is so funny. He's starting to play little tricks on me and even tries to scare me. I do really love that boy!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Eat this
So the last two days Rocco is eating Lunch. Like all of it. Plus a snack. He didn't eat as much dinner, but more overall throughout the day. He also pooped in his pants both days. He was doing really well, but I'm still positive that we are in the right BM direction.
So this has me wondering if Rocco is finally getting used to the meds and dealing with them, or has he started to build up a little immunity to them only after a month? I certainly don't want to up his meds every few months!!
Not having the answers is hard.
So this has me wondering if Rocco is finally getting used to the meds and dealing with them, or has he started to build up a little immunity to them only after a month? I certainly don't want to up his meds every few months!!
Not having the answers is hard.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Delayed
I was trying to think of a way to describe the time since my last post and the best word I came up with was DELAY.
Delay my disappointment how medicine is working.
Delay my judgments of Rocco’s actions.
Delay changing his medicine so I feel like I gave these specific ones a shot.
Delay calling his doctor to talk about meds because I have nothing concrete to support change or not.
Delay what I think is the inevitable
Delay thinking about ADHD for one more stinking night!
So my confusion is still about the same. Are these meds helping to the best any medication can help? Does the good out way the bad? Here are some more comments from his teacher:
3/23/11: Rocco wasn’t answering questions appropriate to the circle time conversation. Kept talking about things not related and couldn’t get back on topic. 3/25/11: Very loud today, but very alert.
They started testing last week so I hope the teachers are starting to see some improvement. I still feel like if I were to read in-between the lines, I’d get, “Rocco seems much more annoying with these meds. He actually seems worse and less happy.”
At home there are more up and down moments:
Down: Rocco seems a little meaner or less patient. Rocco used to touch his sisters’ heads excessively, but never to harm them. It was just a compulsive behavior. Now I’ll catch him squeeze their arm when they won’t stop bugging him. They whine/cry and then he says, “You’re ok”, in a voice to calm them down; maybe because he doesn’t want to get caught in action. He still doesn’t hit, push, bite or kick, but it’s still new undesirable aggression. He also seems less interested in playing with his younger friends.
Up: He talks more about the future with his sisters. “When I get bigger, I’m going to drive my sisters to the park. A far away park.” I find him and Frankie laying/lounging with each other more too.
Down: I think he is down about 5 pounds in 2 months. After breakfast he eats nothing. Not one cracker, nothing until about 6pm for dinner.
Up: There is less of a struggle at dinner time. I still make him a lunch and offer snacks all afternoon, but I don’t let it bother me constantly. We’ll see what the doctor says.
Up: He seems to grasp some larger life things I try to explain. Like a few days ago he didn’t want to play with the neighbor kid through the fence so he just said, “I don’t want to play with you” and went inside. He seemed a little rude when saying it, so I talked with him inside about how that may have sounded mean to his friend. That it was ok to not want to play anymore, but maybe next time he could say something like, “I need a little break, so I’m going to go inside. We can play again another day”. So today I heard him say, “Rohin, I’m really hot so let’s go inside and take a break”. (He meant in the different houses sense they were only playing through the fence). It wasn’t really hot out, but I was proud that he was trying to take his friend’s feelings into consideration. I told Rocco that I thought that was a nice way to talk to his friend and I gave him a star.
Up: Rocco has had only one BM accident in the last 10 days. Did you hear me? Rocco is pooping in the potty and whipping his own bottom almost every day. Mini fireworks go off and people start dancing in joy. Up: More detailed play. So this is hard to explain. He seems to take his play further than before. For instance, instead of just putting on his Mario costume, he will now put it on, find the Mario music on youtube and actual run around like he’s straight out of the game. (Super fun to watch!)
Up or down?: Rocco is wanting some private time. If you have been in our lives for a long time, you know that I have prayed for the day that Rocco didn’t want constant attention, but I don’t know if I should be happy about this. He likes to take my phone and put his playlist on and dance in his room with the door closed. Or sometimes he takes his gameboy in his room and gets upset if his sisters want to come in. This is normal growing up stuff right and normal is good?
It still feels like I’m on a roller coaster. One minute I think wow these meds are helping and then the next second, I’m like nope, you’re just imagining the positive things and this bad comment/action proves it. There is my whine for the week. I need to schedule the next appointment with his doctor to check progress with meds this week and will have Rocco’s meeting with all his instructors next month.
So, delaying a little bit.
Delay my disappointment how medicine is working.
Delay my judgments of Rocco’s actions.
Delay changing his medicine so I feel like I gave these specific ones a shot.
Delay calling his doctor to talk about meds because I have nothing concrete to support change or not.
Delay what I think is the inevitable
Delay thinking about ADHD for one more stinking night!
So my confusion is still about the same. Are these meds helping to the best any medication can help? Does the good out way the bad? Here are some more comments from his teacher:
3/23/11: Rocco wasn’t answering questions appropriate to the circle time conversation. Kept talking about things not related and couldn’t get back on topic. 3/25/11: Very loud today, but very alert.
They started testing last week so I hope the teachers are starting to see some improvement. I still feel like if I were to read in-between the lines, I’d get, “Rocco seems much more annoying with these meds. He actually seems worse and less happy.”
At home there are more up and down moments:
Down: Rocco seems a little meaner or less patient. Rocco used to touch his sisters’ heads excessively, but never to harm them. It was just a compulsive behavior. Now I’ll catch him squeeze their arm when they won’t stop bugging him. They whine/cry and then he says, “You’re ok”, in a voice to calm them down; maybe because he doesn’t want to get caught in action. He still doesn’t hit, push, bite or kick, but it’s still new undesirable aggression. He also seems less interested in playing with his younger friends.
Up: He talks more about the future with his sisters. “When I get bigger, I’m going to drive my sisters to the park. A far away park.” I find him and Frankie laying/lounging with each other more too.
Down: I think he is down about 5 pounds in 2 months. After breakfast he eats nothing. Not one cracker, nothing until about 6pm for dinner.
Up: There is less of a struggle at dinner time. I still make him a lunch and offer snacks all afternoon, but I don’t let it bother me constantly. We’ll see what the doctor says.
Up: He seems to grasp some larger life things I try to explain. Like a few days ago he didn’t want to play with the neighbor kid through the fence so he just said, “I don’t want to play with you” and went inside. He seemed a little rude when saying it, so I talked with him inside about how that may have sounded mean to his friend. That it was ok to not want to play anymore, but maybe next time he could say something like, “I need a little break, so I’m going to go inside. We can play again another day”. So today I heard him say, “Rohin, I’m really hot so let’s go inside and take a break”. (He meant in the different houses sense they were only playing through the fence). It wasn’t really hot out, but I was proud that he was trying to take his friend’s feelings into consideration. I told Rocco that I thought that was a nice way to talk to his friend and I gave him a star.
Up: Rocco has had only one BM accident in the last 10 days. Did you hear me? Rocco is pooping in the potty and whipping his own bottom almost every day. Mini fireworks go off and people start dancing in joy. Up: More detailed play. So this is hard to explain. He seems to take his play further than before. For instance, instead of just putting on his Mario costume, he will now put it on, find the Mario music on youtube and actual run around like he’s straight out of the game. (Super fun to watch!)
Up or down?: Rocco is wanting some private time. If you have been in our lives for a long time, you know that I have prayed for the day that Rocco didn’t want constant attention, but I don’t know if I should be happy about this. He likes to take my phone and put his playlist on and dance in his room with the door closed. Or sometimes he takes his gameboy in his room and gets upset if his sisters want to come in. This is normal growing up stuff right and normal is good?
It still feels like I’m on a roller coaster. One minute I think wow these meds are helping and then the next second, I’m like nope, you’re just imagining the positive things and this bad comment/action proves it. There is my whine for the week. I need to schedule the next appointment with his doctor to check progress with meds this week and will have Rocco’s meeting with all his instructors next month.
So, delaying a little bit.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Lucky
I had an appointment to have my almost 3 daughter tested for preschool and Rocco's current teacher was part of it. When I got there, she wanted to take a minute to talk about Rocco and the medicine. She said that it was hard to describe, but before the meds, Rocco seemed to not pay attention but was a very happy go lucky kid. Now he still seems in his own world, but much more serious. Things bother him much more and much more easily.
We talked more and settled on seeing if he has any progress academically and then address the behavioral things. So basically, if he improves his academic standings I then get the lucky choice of having a kid no one likes and able to handle school or having a happy fun kid that will be 8 before he starts 1st grade.
Ok a bit dramatic, but today has been long and I'm tired.
We talked more and settled on seeing if he has any progress academically and then address the behavioral things. So basically, if he improves his academic standings I then get the lucky choice of having a kid no one likes and able to handle school or having a happy fun kid that will be 8 before he starts 1st grade.
Ok a bit dramatic, but today has been long and I'm tired.
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