Tyla has been having more meltdowns then normal and is having a hard time focusing in her school class and is giving her teachers and aides a hard time. My other children are suffering, my marriage has been tested and most importantly Tyla is struggling. I have done my homework starting by talking to all parties involved with Tyla, going over her diet, reading books, researching and lots of praying. This weekend I decided I need to take the next step and seek some help.
Monday I called Tyla's doctors office and asked when was the soonest I could get in with Dr Guthrie usually I will see any of the doctors there but Dr Guthrie has always been so understanding with tyla because he has a daughter of his own on the spectrum. Tyla was very nervous about the appointment and repeatably kept asking me if the doctor was nice and if he was going to look in her ears and make her say "aww" while he looked her mouth. Her anxiety was at an all time high. Poor girl. It has to be awful to always feel anxious and scared.
Dr Guthrie walked in and was awesome with Tyla and got her acceptance. He looked at me and said so tell me what's going on.....I started by saying well she is having meltdowns everyday after school, she hates her baby brother Ryker and his life is in danger everyday, my oldest daughter can't even be a kid right now and told me she wanted to be Autistic so she can get away with everything and not have to do as many chores. Everything is double standard at my house and I feel like the worst Mom and wife ever and I haven't slept for weeks now and I have no ounce of energy left in my body and I just want to be able to go take my kids anywhere anytime and not have to worry about the extreme meltdowns and.....the tears came out! Dr Guthrie looked at me and said you are now at the point where you feel alone and no one understands. I said yes.
He asked me what I thought about putting Tyla on medication? I told him I have always been very against it. I don't want her to have to depend on it the rest of her life or keep upping the dosage and so on. I told him I would like to know his opinion. He told me about his daughter and said it took him 2 years to finally put her on medication and the results were amazing and he wished he would have done it sooner. He also said every child is different and one medication might work for one child and not the other.
I asked why he thought it might be helpful to Tyla and he explained to me that her mind is constantly going and going and she can't control it and that is why she can't hold still in class to actually learn. That made complete sense to me. She is always so nervous and anxious because of her attention deficit. When she is not in control of all these things going on in her head at once that could cause her to act out and have her meltdowns.
To make a very long story short, He sent me some information on a medication called strattera and he recommended I take Tyla back to the Melmed center where she was diagnosed with Autism and ask for a second opinion. He told me that he totally respects my opinion and decisions I make for Tyla and would never want to force me to put her on anything that I didn't feel good about. He gave me a referral to another doctor who use to work for Melmed Center just in case they couldn't get me in right away. He told me that I am doing everything that is best for Tyla and that I was a great Mother.
I am surprised he didn't try to put me on medication. I was a wreck!
I left the office full of emotions and I am still trying to digest everything we talked about. I wanted to leave there with a direct answer but I respect the way he handled it and I guess that was just the first step for seeking some help and once again this will be a process and my homework is not done yet.
Does anyone have any personal experiences with their children and medications? Good or Bad? I would love to hear. If you don't wish to share here you can email me at: kristyblingbling@yahoo.com
Tyla in the waiting room at Gilbert Pediatrics. (you would never guess that she was scared by the looks of this picture)
2 comments:
Kristy - You will know what to do. You are a wonderful mom and will get through this. I loved visiting the other day, it had been way too long since we'd talked. Hang in there and seriously call me if you need some help. Be strong & pray! Love you! Amy (too lazy to sign in)
I love Tyla so much and she is a special gift and will teach all of us so much about life. I see qualities in her that are rare, and they are good qualities. She is trying to figure out so many things in her head, You are a great Mom and you will reach down deep inside of your soul to help her because you always have. This is another bump in the road that will take a lot of love and understanding. A lot of prayers will help because we can"t do it alone. She needs us all!! Mom
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