Many Changes

Our little guy or as he is known around here, the baby is growing up quickly. That would be a very normal state of affairs for a five and a half year old. Some of the changes are, however are due to changes in medications rather than physical maturity.

When Paul came to our family at two he was on a seizure medication which was controlling the seizures, however it was also controlling him. He was sleeping or in a daze eighteen to twenty hours a day. We had to be sure the seizures remained under control yet he needed to be more alert in order to make progress at meeting his milestones. He then was switched to a different seizure medication which still kept the seizures away and he woke up. He was a busy little guy, into everything, walking, running, climbing, and best of all learning lots of things.

Last December Paul`s doctors decided that he was doing well enough and they wanted to try and take him off all of his seizure medications. This was a very long, slow, process. It was a little bit scary watching him, hoping and praying that he would not have a seizure. He did not have any so he was medication free, Ya Hoo! The doctors told us that we would have a pretty good idea of what his true behavior was going to be in four to six months. At that point we were no longer so thrilled with him being off the seizure medications as he was making everyone just a little crazy.

We saw it FASD/TBI in action medication free. He had impulse control of zero, attention span about ten to fifteen seconds, loud, very loud, he absolutely had no awareness of self or anyone who happened to get it his way, he was not afraid of jumping off things that were far to high for hm or climbing way to high, he did not like to wear his shoes and would not wear most of his clothes, and he would be talking to you and change the subject in mid sentence. Just watching him like this was exhausting, very exhausting. I can not even begin to imagine what it must be like to be the kid who functions like this all the time.

I took him to the pediatrician because I was not going to let him start kindergarten like this. He has many, many issues and will have enough trouble as it is so I want him functioning at his best from day one. We discussed many medications to get him on track and in the end we chose Vyvanse.

I have a new kid now!!! I have caught myself more then once just watching him. He still gets off track at times and is no where near acting like an average almost kindergartner, but he is doing sssoooooo much better.

He can watch a half hour TV show all the way through without running off, yelling. or bothering someone else.

He can sit on his behind, at the dinner table, for the entire meal. ( He does not eat much which is a side effect from this medication), but at least he can sit at the table.

He can find and play with his toys for up to forty-five minutes at a time.

He can sit still long enough to practice writing his name.

He can pay attention long enough to pick our an outfit, and help to dress himself without running off half dressed.

He is much easier to calm and redirect.

For this kid medication is absolutely needed in order for him to reach his full potential in life and that is what we are working towards, allowing him to be the best that he can be. I am truly thankful that there are medication available to help in the process.