Xavier will have to go back to the doctor. He's not really excited about this but right now we have great medical coverage so I'd rather get it all done while we can.
He did go to the dentist last week - I believe I forgot to mention that. Xavier has great teeth genetics so no cavities yet. The dentist doesn't think he will get cavities since there haven't been any and no sign that he will need braces. Xavier has one tooth out of line but the rest are perfect. There's no need to correct that one tooth and Xavier likes it just the way it is. The bad thing is Xavier is not really good at brushing his teeth. We have given him more control over his hygiene instead of standing over him while he gets ready but we may have to be more hands-on. I don't know what it is about teeth brushing that Xavier doesn't like but he really doesn't want to do it. We've switched him to Toms of Maine which is not a bad toothpaste. I hope that a more natural toothpaste might appeal more to him. Since the dentist is sure there won't be cavities there's no more threat of fillings to convince him to brush. (Ideas would be greatly appreciated).
Next Tuesday he goes back to Dr Hall to talk about the medication. I just don't feel comfortable not making the appointment after getting the medicine in an emergency.
I talked with Anna, X's therapist, yesterday. She has recommended that we try CFI which is a different sort of therapy that is done in home with the whole family. I like this idea because it gets us all on the same page and someone who really knows what they are talking about creating a plan instead of Rob and I trying to piece together our own therapy program. She said we should put any schooling plans on hold and talk with the school in the fall. She works closely with Xavier's school but it seems that we need a better person in charge. Xavier did have multiple members on his team but no real leader so not all the information was being shared across the board. There were issues that Rob and I were working on with the school that Anna didn't know existed and vice versa. Unfortunately we can't do anything about it now but we can learn to be more communicative. We didn't really talk much to Anna this year and I think it harmed Xavier's ability to get help. We'll have to make sure we touch base with Anna on a regular basis.
Meanwhile Xavier will work with Anna in a group setting a few times this summer doing challenge courses and some sort of trip. He hadn't worked with Anna last summer because he was doing so well so he's excited to return to the program. In the years past they have gone on an all day rafting trip but they may do something different this year.
We meet with the CFI coordinator on Tuesday as well. We're excited to get this ball rolling.
Xavier will have his first trip with Anna on the 27th and he's already excited.
We had a rough start to the summer but I think we're still on task with trying to find a good therapy that works for Xavier and will help him be successful in high school. I did talk with Anna about Xavier going through "the change" and how we will have to monitor that while we are working on his PDD/ADHD issues. Puberty is tough for anyone but add that to a mix of other issues and this is going to be one bumpy ride.
Showing posts with label ADHD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ADHD. Show all posts
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Definitions
As I started this blog and the enormous amount of research into Autism therapy, I realized that I don't really understand my son's diagnosis. How am I supposed to come up with a treatment plan when I don't fully know what needs treatment? I can talk basics but the truth is I just didn't know what the dr's have determined what was wrong with him. Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with Xavier - I used to tell people he had a social disease, he just doesn't fit into society. As he gets older that becomes something that is more apparent. As a toddler, I had a really difficult time explaining to the drs that something was going on with him.
So the things I know about Xavier are:
1. He has a terrible time sleeping.
2. He gets anxious and overly emotional about things that aren't really relevant (for example, he'll refuse to go into the store with us because he saw a cat that looked like our cat that died two years ago and he is far too sad to go shopping, he might even cry. or he goes to the dr's office and someone in the next room is getting a shot which sends Xavier into an absolute panic because he might need a shot even though he's there for the flu. These are made up examples but not far from the truth.)
3. He has a very difficult time staying focused.
4. He has a need to constantly move. When he was 4-5 I used to use his tv watching as an example. He would watch tv, absolutely focused mentally (I know I just said he lacks focus but tv is mesmerizing) on the show but his body would be up in the middle of the floor dancing even though the show doesn't have music. Now that he's older he can spend some time holding still but not much. He spins in chairs or taps fingers/feet when he is supposed to be focusing.
5. He has a hard time relating to his peers. He is well loved by the little kids in our neighborhood. Even though he's 14, the 9-10 year old boys are always coming to see if he can play. We have to have lots of discussions about appropriate touch and behaviors because he is so much older now. They even want him to spend the night which we don't allow. He, also, seems to do okay relating to adults. All his teachers tell us that he loves to engage them in conversation but won't really talk to his classmates.
6. He's incredibly smart but is nearly failing all his classes. This boy has a high IQ (I don't know what it is because the therapist did not release that information to us) but is barely squeaking by with D's. He's in remedial classes and will probably have to take the same math class for the 3rd year in a row. We don't know why he can't keep up in a classroom.
7. He doesn't understand social cues nor appropriate touching. When talking about appropriate touching, I'm not saying he's molesting the neighborhood children. I'm talking about not hitting or pinching or pushing. He likes to tackle people as a sign of affection but we're struggling with letting him know that it's not appropriate - it hurts people. He'll pull on someone's arm or clothing to get their attention instead of talking to them. He's very tactile, meaning he likes to experience the world through touch, but he's 5'9" and 180 pounds which makes for a very large and sometimes painful tactile experience for the person receiving his touch.
8. He still puts inappropriate items in his mouth, such as pennies he finds on the ground or the wire from a pen. He'll take things apart so he can chew on them.
As a small child these behaviors are normal but I knew right away that they weren't but I couldn't find the words to explain.
Now that he's 14, it's become obvious to the rest of the world and now somehow I am supposed to do something about this. I'm a little frustrated because I don't know how to do it. So I thought the first thing to do is understand it. Xavier was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with Anxiety. I had always believed that PDD was in the Autism spectrum, looking at the NIH definition I realized I had it all wrong, Autism is under PDD which doesn't really help me with anything but I can begin to realize that I was looking at this all wrong.
Here are the definitions and websites for those definitions to his diagnosis. I had a difficult time getting a real definition of anxiety but included the information for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett's Syndrome. Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pdd/pdd.htm
Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Autism is characterized by three distinctive behaviors. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, display problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and exhibit repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling. Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when more debilitating handicaps mask it. Scientists aren’t certain what causes autism, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3-5 percent of all American children. It interferes with a person's ability to stay on a task and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition (cognitive alone or both cognitive and behavioral). Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details. There are several types of ADHD: a predominantly inattentive subtype, a predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype, and a combined subtype. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, although the condition can continue into the adult years.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/adhd/adhd.htm
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.
Signs & Symptoms
People with generalized anxiety disorder can't seem to shake their concerns. Their worries are accompanied by physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml
So the things I know about Xavier are:
1. He has a terrible time sleeping.
2. He gets anxious and overly emotional about things that aren't really relevant (for example, he'll refuse to go into the store with us because he saw a cat that looked like our cat that died two years ago and he is far too sad to go shopping, he might even cry. or he goes to the dr's office and someone in the next room is getting a shot which sends Xavier into an absolute panic because he might need a shot even though he's there for the flu. These are made up examples but not far from the truth.)
3. He has a very difficult time staying focused.
4. He has a need to constantly move. When he was 4-5 I used to use his tv watching as an example. He would watch tv, absolutely focused mentally (I know I just said he lacks focus but tv is mesmerizing) on the show but his body would be up in the middle of the floor dancing even though the show doesn't have music. Now that he's older he can spend some time holding still but not much. He spins in chairs or taps fingers/feet when he is supposed to be focusing.
5. He has a hard time relating to his peers. He is well loved by the little kids in our neighborhood. Even though he's 14, the 9-10 year old boys are always coming to see if he can play. We have to have lots of discussions about appropriate touch and behaviors because he is so much older now. They even want him to spend the night which we don't allow. He, also, seems to do okay relating to adults. All his teachers tell us that he loves to engage them in conversation but won't really talk to his classmates.
6. He's incredibly smart but is nearly failing all his classes. This boy has a high IQ (I don't know what it is because the therapist did not release that information to us) but is barely squeaking by with D's. He's in remedial classes and will probably have to take the same math class for the 3rd year in a row. We don't know why he can't keep up in a classroom.
7. He doesn't understand social cues nor appropriate touching. When talking about appropriate touching, I'm not saying he's molesting the neighborhood children. I'm talking about not hitting or pinching or pushing. He likes to tackle people as a sign of affection but we're struggling with letting him know that it's not appropriate - it hurts people. He'll pull on someone's arm or clothing to get their attention instead of talking to them. He's very tactile, meaning he likes to experience the world through touch, but he's 5'9" and 180 pounds which makes for a very large and sometimes painful tactile experience for the person receiving his touch.
8. He still puts inappropriate items in his mouth, such as pennies he finds on the ground or the wire from a pen. He'll take things apart so he can chew on them.
As a small child these behaviors are normal but I knew right away that they weren't but I couldn't find the words to explain.
Now that he's 14, it's become obvious to the rest of the world and now somehow I am supposed to do something about this. I'm a little frustrated because I don't know how to do it. So I thought the first thing to do is understand it. Xavier was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with Anxiety. I had always believed that PDD was in the Autism spectrum, looking at the NIH definition I realized I had it all wrong, Autism is under PDD which doesn't really help me with anything but I can begin to realize that I was looking at this all wrong.
Here are the definitions and websites for those definitions to his diagnosis. I had a difficult time getting a real definition of anxiety but included the information for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is before 3 years of age. Symptoms may include problems with using and understanding language; difficulty relating to people, objects, and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behavior patterns. Autism (a developmental brain disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, and a limited range of activities and interests) is the most characteristic and best studied PDD. Other types of PDD include Asperger's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, and Rett's Syndrome. Children with PDD vary widely in abilities, intelligence, and behaviors. Some children do not speak at all, others speak in limited phrases or conversations, and some have relatively normal language development. Repetitive play skills and limited social skills are generally evident. Unusual responses to sensory information, such as loud noises and lights, are also common.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pdd/pdd.htm
Autism (sometimes called “classical autism”) is the most common condition in a group of developmental disorders known as the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Autism is characterized by three distinctive behaviors. Autistic children have difficulties with social interaction, display problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and exhibit repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests. These behaviors can range in impact from mild to disabling. Autism varies widely in its severity and symptoms and may go unrecognized, especially in mildly affected children or when more debilitating handicaps mask it. Scientists aren’t certain what causes autism, but it’s likely that both genetics and environment play a role.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/autism.htm
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3-5 percent of all American children. It interferes with a person's ability to stay on a task and to exercise age-appropriate inhibition (cognitive alone or both cognitive and behavioral). Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details. There are several types of ADHD: a predominantly inattentive subtype, a predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype, and a combined subtype. ADHD is usually diagnosed in childhood, although the condition can continue into the adult years.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/adhd/adhd.htm
What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or nothing to provoke it.
Signs & Symptoms
People with generalized anxiety disorder can't seem to shake their concerns. Their worries are accompanied by physical symptoms, especially fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, and hot flashes.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml
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