Tucker has been doing well lately. Mom and I took him to see the neurologist a few weeks ago, and she raised the dose of Celexa for him. He has been very anxious and very frustrated lately, so he is now at an adult dose of Celexa. She also prescribed Focalin, which is a stimulant for ADD/ADHD. We have not started that yet, the dr. recommended that we try it once or twice outside of school to see how he reacts, then start giving it to him in the morning before school.
Because Tucker is so small, he is on a very low dose; Focalin is like Ritalin, but a lighter dose, with fewer side effects. The possible side effects are still increased anxiety, increased emotions, and sleep problems....all three things that Tucker already has and we don't want to make worse! But anyways, we are going to try the medicine over spring break as he needs something to get him to pay attention.
Tucker's ABA therapist met him at school and did his school evaluation, she emailed me and said he is adorable! Why am I not surprised? Haha:)
Tucker's speech therapist hadn't seen him in about two months due to insurance and scheduling issues, well she came on Thursday and said he is more anxious than she's ever seen him. And this is after we've upped the Celexa, and to us, we think he is better! So he is still very anxious about things, and clinging to Chris and Black Bear for dear life. One big improvement is that he has gone back to his bed for sleeping at night. For a few weeks, he was too scared, like deathly afraid to be left alone. Now he sleeps in his own bed. We told him if he slept in his own bed all week, he could have a trampoline. (This is because Uncle David got him one, and he was bringing it this weekend anyway! So we just won't put it together until he sleeps alone.) So he slept in his bed all week, and he will be getting the trampoline soon, but we may put it up at my parents' house.
A few weeks ago, we took Tucker to a birthday party at Jump N Jive. This is a local inflatables place, there are two sides, the Jump Side and the Jive Side. Both sides play party music and have disco lighting, both sides have an inflatable slide, inflatable obstacle course, and inflatable jumper. For the birthday party, Tucker had to have either Chris or me with him at all times, and he had an absolute blast on everything.
We had been considering having Tucker's 5th birthday party there next month, and after that party, we put a deposit down. So Jump N Jive has Open Play hours during holidays (usually they are only open for private parties), so I decided to take Tucker there yesterday on Good Friday.
He woke up yesterday, saw me, and ran to the front window. I knew he was looking for Chris's truck, so I told him that I was home all day, and Chris was at work. It is usually the opposite on Fridays, and Tucker was not very happy. I had lots of housework to do, so he and I listened to music while I cleaned and did chores. We danced to a lot of Jason Aldean songs as well, (his favorite), but throughout the day, he requested "Daddy" a lot!
When I was almost ready to take him to Jump N Jive, I sat down to talk to him.
This is probably the most real conversation we've ever had:
Tucker: "Daddy?"
Me: "No, Tucker, Daddy is at work. Mommy and Tucker are going to have a very fun day without Daddy."
Tucker: "Playground?"
Me: "No, it's too hot, but you and Mommy can go to jump on the jumpers, like the birthday party. Does that sound fun?"
Tucker grinned, grabbed my hand, then said: "Daddy?"
Me: "No! Just you and me!"
:)
Haha, we went and we had a blast. My friend Lacy brought her son Josh, and the kids loved running through both sides and jumping with all the kids.
Tucker did extrememly well with waiting his turn, being nice, and listening to my directions. He also tried to make me come with him on everything, but I forced him to go alone. After a few tries, he was climbing up the slide like a pro, he is getting so big! He has been so good lately, and I feel like there are more moments when he and I can almost "talk", and like most of what I say, he really understands and keeps in his mind. Which is great, hopefully we stay on this track.
And hopefully we get to the bottom of the anxiety issues, I am hoping to give Tucker more confidence.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
(Almost) Wordless Wednesday
Tucker asked for crackers, so I told him to go sit in his chair.....this is not what I meant! :)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month. As a friend of mine put on facebook "Every month is Autism Awareness month in my house."
Tucker has many issues, and it is often hard to tell where one's effect ends and another begins. His autism is linked with mito, but not all kids with mito have autism or developmental delays like Tucker. While Tucker's prematurity and medical problems due to mito seem overwhelming at times, his inability to communicate with us and behave like he wants to really affect us on a daily basis.
To know that your child has so much going on inside his head, but be unable to help him let it out is heartbreaking. Seeing Tucker's frustration when he can't find the right words, or he doesn't understand social situations and the rules that he must live by....that is hard as well.
I am posting an article that I read long ago.....I need to blow up this outline and post it all over my house, as I forget these ten things as soon as things get tough. I need to always remember that Tucker is having a much harder time with autism than I ever will, and that it is up to us to understand Tucker and autism so that he can reach his full potential.
Here are ten things every child with autism wishes you knew:
1. I am first and foremost a child. I have autism. I am not primarily “autistic.” My autism is only one aspect of my total character. It does not define me as a person. Are you a person with thoughts, feelings and many talents, or are you just fat (overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy (uncoordinated, not good at sports)? Those may be things that I see first when I meet you, but they are not necessarily what you are all about. As an adult, you have some control over how you define yourself. If you want to single out a single characteristic, you can make that known. As a child, I am still unfolding. Neither you nor I yet know what I may be capable of. Defining me by one characteristic runs the danger of setting up an expectation that may be too low. And if I get a sense that you don’t think I “can do it,” my natural response will be: Why try?
2. My sensory perceptions are disordered. Sensory integration may be the most difficult aspect of autism to understand, but it is arguably the most critical. It means that the ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of everyday that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. The very environment in which I have to live often seems hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent to you but I am really just trying to defend myself. Here is why a “simple” trip to the grocery store may be hell for me: My hearing may be hyper-acute. Dozens of people are talking at once. The loudspeaker booms today’s special. Musak whines from the sound system. Cash registers beep and cough, a coffee grinder is chugging. The meat cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the input and I’m in overload! My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh, the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on aisle 3 with ammonia….I can’t sort it all out. I am dangerously nauseated. Because I am visually oriented (see more on this below), this may be my first sense to become overstimulated. The fluorescent light is not only too bright, it buzzes and hums. The room seems to pulsate and it hurts my eyes. The pulsating light bounces off everything and distorts what I am seeing -- the space seems to be constantly changing. There’s glare from windows, too many items for me to be able to focus (I may compensate with "tunnel vision"), moving fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion. All this affects my vestibular and proprioceptive senses, and now I can’t even tell where my body is in space.
3. Please remember to distinguish between won’t (I choose not to) and can’t (I am not able to). Receptive and expressive language and vocabulary can be major challenges for me. It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions. It’s that I can’t understand you. When you call to me from across the room, this is what I hear: “mailto:*&%5E%25$#@,” Instead, come speak directly to me in plain words: “Please put your book in your desk, Billy. It’s time to go to lunch.” This tells me what you want me to do and what is going to happen next. Now it is much easier for me to comply.
4. I am a concrete thinker. This means I interpret language very literally. It’s very confusing for me when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy!” when what you really mean is “Please stop running.” Don’t tell me something is a “piece of cake” when there is no dessert in sight and what you really mean is “this will be easy for you to do.” When you say “It’s pouring cats and dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Please just tell me “It’s raining very hard.” Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres, inference, metaphors, allusions and sarcasm are lost on me.
5. Please be patient with my limited vocabulary. It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I don’t know the words to describe my feelings. I may be hungry, frustrated, frightened or confused but right now those words are beyond my ability to express. Be alert for body language, withdrawal, agitation or other signs that something is wrong. Or, there’s a flip side to this: I may sound like a “little professor” or movie star, rattling off words or whole scripts well beyond my developmental age. These are messages I have memorized from the world around me to compensate for my language deficits because I know I am expected to respond when spoken to. They may come from books, TV, the speech of other people. It is called “echolalia.” I don’t necessarily understand the context or the terminology I’m using. I just know that it gets me off the hook for coming up with a reply.
6. Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented. Please show me how to do something rather than just telling me. And please be prepared to show me many times. Lots of consistent repetition helps me learn. A visual schedule is extremely helpful as I move through my day. Like your day-timer, it relieves me of the stress of having to remember what comes next, makes for smooth transition between activities, helps me manage my time and meet your expectations. Here’s a great website for learning more about visual schedules: www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped/autism/structure/str11.htm . I won’t lose the need for a visual schedule as I get older, but my “level of representation” may change. Before I can read, I need a visual schedule with photographs or simple drawings. As I get older, a combination of words and pictures may work, and later still, just words.
7. Please focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can’t do. Like any other human, I can’t learn in an environment where I’m constantly made to feel that I’m not good enough and that I need “fixing.” Trying anything new when I am almost sure to be met with criticism, however “constructive,” becomes something to be avoided. Look for my strengths and you will find them. There is more than one “right” way to do most things.
8. Please help me with social interactions. It may look like I don’t want to play with the other kids on the playground, but sometimes it’s just that I simply do not know how to start a conversation or enter a play situation. If you can encourage other children to invite me to join them at kickball or shooting baskets, it may be that I’m delighted to be included. I do best in structured play activities that have a clear beginning and end. I don’t know how to “read” facial expressions, body language or the emotions of others, so I appreciate ongoing coaching in proper social responses. For example, if I laugh when Emily falls off the slide, it’s not that I think it’s funny. It’s that I don’t know the proper response. Teach me to say “Are you OK?”
9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns. Meltdowns, blow-ups, tantrums or whatever you want to call them are even more horrid for me than they are for you. They occur because one or more of my senses has gone into overload. If you can figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can be prevented. Keep a log noting times, settings, people, activities. A pattern may emerge. Try to remember that all behavior is a form of communication. It tells you, when my words cannot, how I perceive something that is happening in my environment. Parents, keep in mind as well: persistent behavior may have an underlying medical cause. Food allergies and sensitivities, sleep disorders and gastrointestinal problems can all have profound effects on behavior.
10. If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally. Banish thoughts like, “If he would just……” and “Why can’t she…..” You did not fulfill every last expectation your parents had for you and you wouldn’t like being constantly reminded of it. I did not choose to have autism. But remember that it is happening to me, not you. Without your support, my chances of successful, self-reliant adulthood are slim. With your support and guidance, the possibilities are broader than you might think. I promise you – I am worth it. And finally, three words: Patience. Patience. Patience. Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. It may be true that I’m not good at eye contact or conversation, but have you noticed that I don’t lie, cheat at games, tattle on my classmates or pass judgment on other people? Also true that I probably won’t be the next Michael Jordan. But with my attention to fine detail and capacity for extraordinary focus, I might be the next Einstein. Or Mozart. Or Van Gogh. They had autism too. The answer to Alzheimer’s, the enigma of extraterrestrial life -- what future achievements from today’s children with autism, children like me, lie ahead? All that I might become won’t happen without you as my foundation. Think through some of those societal ‘rules’ and if they don’t make sense for me, let them go. Be my advocate, be my friend, and we’ll see just how far I can go.
Tucker has many issues, and it is often hard to tell where one's effect ends and another begins. His autism is linked with mito, but not all kids with mito have autism or developmental delays like Tucker. While Tucker's prematurity and medical problems due to mito seem overwhelming at times, his inability to communicate with us and behave like he wants to really affect us on a daily basis.
To know that your child has so much going on inside his head, but be unable to help him let it out is heartbreaking. Seeing Tucker's frustration when he can't find the right words, or he doesn't understand social situations and the rules that he must live by....that is hard as well.
I am posting an article that I read long ago.....I need to blow up this outline and post it all over my house, as I forget these ten things as soon as things get tough. I need to always remember that Tucker is having a much harder time with autism than I ever will, and that it is up to us to understand Tucker and autism so that he can reach his full potential.
Here are ten things every child with autism wishes you knew:
1. I am first and foremost a child. I have autism. I am not primarily “autistic.” My autism is only one aspect of my total character. It does not define me as a person. Are you a person with thoughts, feelings and many talents, or are you just fat (overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy (uncoordinated, not good at sports)? Those may be things that I see first when I meet you, but they are not necessarily what you are all about. As an adult, you have some control over how you define yourself. If you want to single out a single characteristic, you can make that known. As a child, I am still unfolding. Neither you nor I yet know what I may be capable of. Defining me by one characteristic runs the danger of setting up an expectation that may be too low. And if I get a sense that you don’t think I “can do it,” my natural response will be: Why try?
2. My sensory perceptions are disordered. Sensory integration may be the most difficult aspect of autism to understand, but it is arguably the most critical. It means that the ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of everyday that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. The very environment in which I have to live often seems hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent to you but I am really just trying to defend myself. Here is why a “simple” trip to the grocery store may be hell for me: My hearing may be hyper-acute. Dozens of people are talking at once. The loudspeaker booms today’s special. Musak whines from the sound system. Cash registers beep and cough, a coffee grinder is chugging. The meat cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the input and I’m in overload! My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh, the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on aisle 3 with ammonia….I can’t sort it all out. I am dangerously nauseated. Because I am visually oriented (see more on this below), this may be my first sense to become overstimulated. The fluorescent light is not only too bright, it buzzes and hums. The room seems to pulsate and it hurts my eyes. The pulsating light bounces off everything and distorts what I am seeing -- the space seems to be constantly changing. There’s glare from windows, too many items for me to be able to focus (I may compensate with "tunnel vision"), moving fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion. All this affects my vestibular and proprioceptive senses, and now I can’t even tell where my body is in space.
3. Please remember to distinguish between won’t (I choose not to) and can’t (I am not able to). Receptive and expressive language and vocabulary can be major challenges for me. It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions. It’s that I can’t understand you. When you call to me from across the room, this is what I hear: “mailto:*&%5E%25$#@,” Instead, come speak directly to me in plain words: “Please put your book in your desk, Billy. It’s time to go to lunch.” This tells me what you want me to do and what is going to happen next. Now it is much easier for me to comply.
4. I am a concrete thinker. This means I interpret language very literally. It’s very confusing for me when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy!” when what you really mean is “Please stop running.” Don’t tell me something is a “piece of cake” when there is no dessert in sight and what you really mean is “this will be easy for you to do.” When you say “It’s pouring cats and dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Please just tell me “It’s raining very hard.” Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres, inference, metaphors, allusions and sarcasm are lost on me.
5. Please be patient with my limited vocabulary. It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I don’t know the words to describe my feelings. I may be hungry, frustrated, frightened or confused but right now those words are beyond my ability to express. Be alert for body language, withdrawal, agitation or other signs that something is wrong. Or, there’s a flip side to this: I may sound like a “little professor” or movie star, rattling off words or whole scripts well beyond my developmental age. These are messages I have memorized from the world around me to compensate for my language deficits because I know I am expected to respond when spoken to. They may come from books, TV, the speech of other people. It is called “echolalia.” I don’t necessarily understand the context or the terminology I’m using. I just know that it gets me off the hook for coming up with a reply.
6. Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented. Please show me how to do something rather than just telling me. And please be prepared to show me many times. Lots of consistent repetition helps me learn. A visual schedule is extremely helpful as I move through my day. Like your day-timer, it relieves me of the stress of having to remember what comes next, makes for smooth transition between activities, helps me manage my time and meet your expectations. Here’s a great website for learning more about visual schedules: www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped/autism/structure/str11.htm . I won’t lose the need for a visual schedule as I get older, but my “level of representation” may change. Before I can read, I need a visual schedule with photographs or simple drawings. As I get older, a combination of words and pictures may work, and later still, just words.
7. Please focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can’t do. Like any other human, I can’t learn in an environment where I’m constantly made to feel that I’m not good enough and that I need “fixing.” Trying anything new when I am almost sure to be met with criticism, however “constructive,” becomes something to be avoided. Look for my strengths and you will find them. There is more than one “right” way to do most things.
8. Please help me with social interactions. It may look like I don’t want to play with the other kids on the playground, but sometimes it’s just that I simply do not know how to start a conversation or enter a play situation. If you can encourage other children to invite me to join them at kickball or shooting baskets, it may be that I’m delighted to be included. I do best in structured play activities that have a clear beginning and end. I don’t know how to “read” facial expressions, body language or the emotions of others, so I appreciate ongoing coaching in proper social responses. For example, if I laugh when Emily falls off the slide, it’s not that I think it’s funny. It’s that I don’t know the proper response. Teach me to say “Are you OK?”
9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns. Meltdowns, blow-ups, tantrums or whatever you want to call them are even more horrid for me than they are for you. They occur because one or more of my senses has gone into overload. If you can figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can be prevented. Keep a log noting times, settings, people, activities. A pattern may emerge. Try to remember that all behavior is a form of communication. It tells you, when my words cannot, how I perceive something that is happening in my environment. Parents, keep in mind as well: persistent behavior may have an underlying medical cause. Food allergies and sensitivities, sleep disorders and gastrointestinal problems can all have profound effects on behavior.
10. If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally. Banish thoughts like, “If he would just……” and “Why can’t she…..” You did not fulfill every last expectation your parents had for you and you wouldn’t like being constantly reminded of it. I did not choose to have autism. But remember that it is happening to me, not you. Without your support, my chances of successful, self-reliant adulthood are slim. With your support and guidance, the possibilities are broader than you might think. I promise you – I am worth it. And finally, three words: Patience. Patience. Patience. Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. It may be true that I’m not good at eye contact or conversation, but have you noticed that I don’t lie, cheat at games, tattle on my classmates or pass judgment on other people? Also true that I probably won’t be the next Michael Jordan. But with my attention to fine detail and capacity for extraordinary focus, I might be the next Einstein. Or Mozart. Or Van Gogh. They had autism too. The answer to Alzheimer’s, the enigma of extraterrestrial life -- what future achievements from today’s children with autism, children like me, lie ahead? All that I might become won’t happen without you as my foundation. Think through some of those societal ‘rules’ and if they don’t make sense for me, let them go. Be my advocate, be my friend, and we’ll see just how far I can go.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Global Wildlife Trip
Yesterday we headed out for Galatas Family Fun Day, or GFF for short:) But really it was Lavigne family day, as it was Susan's idea, and a big chunk of the Lavigne was in attendance. Global Wildlife is a safari tour company that is about an hour outside of Baton Rouge. We rode in covered wagons and fed the animals. We have been wanting to go for a long time, so when Susan suggested this Sunday, we were all excited. Tucker said "enimals" the whole way there, which sounded a lot like "enema," haha, but of course we knew what he meant! We went around 9am so that we could get seats on the 10am ride. Well, it was already sold out, so we had to wait for the 11am ride, which was really more like 1130am. So we had about 2 hours to kill, and Tucker was not happy about waiting! He did well for a while, the kids ran around outside and up and down the stairs on the observation decks. But when the 10am tour lined up, and he didn't get to ride on the big tractor, he was MAD! There was a lot of "you're a big boy, you can wait" and "look how nicely Molli and your friends are waiting, you can wait like them." Finally we saw Molli eating Cheetos....Chris and I wondered why we hadn't thought of that.....so Molli shared, then we got Tucker his own bag, and Tucker sat quietly and nicely licking all of his Cheetos. When it was time to board the wagons, we got first pick since we had such a big group. Tucker chose the very back of the last wagon. And of course he chose to sit by Daddy! 
Here is a picture of our group.
Here are Susan and Molli:)
Addi, Aliyah, and Molli
Gina and Jene'e:)
We had 3 big feed buckets to feed the animals, Tucker loved playing with it.
Meagan and Aliyah:)
Tucker and Chris waiting for some animals to feed.
Chris feeding the animals...Tucker kept putting his hand in the animals' mouths, so he was banned!
Hanging out with Black Bear....yes, of course Black Bear wanted to see some "enimals" too.
Looking at the animals
Here is a picture of our group.
Here are Susan and Molli:)
Addi, Aliyah, and Molli
Gina and Jene'e:)
We had 3 big feed buckets to feed the animals, Tucker loved playing with it.
Meagan and Aliyah:)
Tucker and Chris waiting for some animals to feed.
Chris feeding the animals...Tucker kept putting his hand in the animals' mouths, so he was banned!
Hanging out with Black Bear....yes, of course Black Bear wanted to see some "enimals" too.
Looking at the animals
Sitting by Paw Paw Ed
The animals know that the wagons are full of food, so they followed us, it was hilarious.
And with about 1/3 of the tour done, Tucker fell aslep!
The llama with 6 girlfriends....we didn't really understand why the ladies love him, haha! Aliyah fed him.
And Tucker still slept.
The long horned cattle put their heads and horns right in the wagon, looking for food.
Aliyah wasn't one bit scared, but Nana sure was!
Almost at the end, and Tucker woke up.
It was a nice day, though already getting too hot to be outside. This summer is going to be rough.
The animals know that the wagons are full of food, so they followed us, it was hilarious.
And with about 1/3 of the tour done, Tucker fell aslep!
The llama with 6 girlfriends....we didn't really understand why the ladies love him, haha! Aliyah fed him.
And Tucker still slept.
The long horned cattle put their heads and horns right in the wagon, looking for food.
Aliyah wasn't one bit scared, but Nana sure was!
Almost at the end, and Tucker woke up.
It was a nice day, though already getting too hot to be outside. This summer is going to be rough.Tucker had a good time, and he was happy to be home with his Daddy on Sunday afternoon.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Another Mystery Solved
Tucker has been a mess lately. His behavior has been terrible, he has been grunting and whining instead of talking. Gentle reminders of "use your words" have been throwing him into tantrums and crying real tears. The only solution Chris and I have had to this behavior is to put him to bed early. His teacher's best solution has been correct him, try to distract him, and to wait until the end of the day and send him home. He has been obviously "off", but he had no fever, his ears were fine (he usually gets ear infections), and so I was very scared that this was just some bad behavior phase. Chris and I have been strict with Tucker, putting him in time out in his room, taking away priveleges.....raising our voices very loud to be heard over his screams. So last week Tucker had a hard time at school, but he was very well-behaved at home. His teacher and I talked, and we figured that something was off with Tucker, but he was comfortable enough at home, so he must just be tired or not feel good at school. Well on Sunday Tucker threw a two-hour fit, that ended when he finally gave up and fell asleep. After a one hour nap, our sweet boy came back. Then on Monday his school behavior was good, and he was good at home. On Tuesday, it went back to poor, and he was awful at home. On Wednesday, the same thing happened. My mom has Tucker after school everyday, and she said he was very well-behaved for her (of course! he is very good for his grandparents, haha). But on Wednesday evening it was another long, bad evening. Tucker cried and cried, and when we tried to comfort him he screamed.....when we ignored him he screamed louder. Tucker's teacher called me yesterday around 3pm, she said that Tucker's throat looked fine, but she had a feeling that he had strep throat. She had it on Monday, and her throat didn't hurt, so she came to school. Then she felt bad, and left to find out she had strep. No one else in the class has it, but it was possible that could explain all of Tucker's issues, as he has made so much progress and has been so good at school until lately. So once Tucker got off the bus, mom gave him pain meds, and he was so good and happy. Then Chris got home and took Tucker to after hours. I met them there, but by the time I got there, they were already out with a prescription for antibiotics, as Tucker had strep throat. Well I felt like the worst mom ever, I have to say. Looking back, Tucker has been poking at his neck, rubbing his neck, and has been hesitant to talk for days now. Instead of thinking logically "maybe his throat hurts, let's get this checked out" my thoughts automatically go to "oh no, his trachea is collapsing" or "he is regressing, maybe this is his autism and mito getting worse and he will never talk again." Seriously.....I need someone around to suggest "Mrs. Townsend, calm down, I think it's strep throat." Usually when Tucker is off like this for longer than a few days, we take him to the pediatrician. I think this time I felt like he would tell me if he was sick. Also, no one in our families is sick, so it didn't occur to me. His pediatrician told me years ago "Tucker doesn't tell you he's sick like other kids tell you, but he makes it obvious in his own way." Well, he certainly did make it obvious. So today Tucker stayed home from school. Mom spent the morning with him, and he was very good and played quietly. He also slept a little. Chris came home from working around lunchtime, and Tucker was tired of being inside. They played outside for a while, but I guess it was too much for him. He was very tired, but Tucker has this policy of NEVER napping when Chris is home. It's like Chris is just too amazing, he can't miss a minute with him. So Chris and Tucker played nap tug-of-war, aka Tucker screaming for hours while Chris tries to rock him. He finally got him to sleep at 3pm, and is likely enjoying a few well-earned beers right now..... We had a busy weekend planned, but I think we will take it easy tonight and tomorrow. We were going to watch our niece Kinley tonight. I borrowed a Bumbo chair and walker for her to play in when she comes over to our house. But of course we don't want her to get sick, so we are moving our playdate back, hopefully just by a few days. We have a birthday party tomorrow, but we may not make it. We have an early morning trek to the Global Wildlife center planned for Sunday. Tucker gets up at the crack of dawn usually, so if he feels better by then, he will love it. It's a local safari place, where we all ride in covered wagons, and animals come up to the wagon and you feed them buckets of corn. Molli has been working very hard at being good at school, so her parents planned an outing for all of us. Tucker loves Molli so much, he cried the other day when we didn't take her home with us! So he will really enjoy the trip, hopefully he feels good by then.
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