A Start In the Right Direction

Thursday morning we had an appointment with our family doctor for Rocket Boy. He needed a well-visit, having missed several due to moving cross country and insurance issues. Rocket Boy has gained two pounds since the start of summer - which is amazing to me as his eating is getting pickier by the day. All of his normal developmental stuff checks off, apart from being wobbly in balancing (though if he had stopped trying to hop on his one foot that would have made it easier).

When we started to get into behaviors and social/emotional aspects, that is where my concerns came up. You see, RB has been giving me pause since babyhood - little things like not making consistent eye contact, not responding to his name, and not being "cuddly". He has usually preferred to play on his own and wasn't super social as a baby.

Then he had language development on an odd curve and a habit of using made-up words (without seeming to realize they were made up). For instance, just after a year old he stopped saying "mama" and then began to use the word "Gig-ga" to call for me. It took us ages to figure out this phrase was his word for "mama"...and even though it was constantly corrected and we (the adults) never used it, he continued to call me that until after his third birthday. Then one day, it was just "mom". (Needless to say I was relived to have a normal name again). He continues to make up words and use them in conversation with no apparent knowledge that the word isn't meaningful to the rest of us. 

Lately he has added what I can only call "stimming" actions to his repertoire of behaviors - running a consistant route through the living space on tip-toes for mild excitement/anxiety to a "knee spin" when he is really wound up tight. If I try to stop these activities he goes totally wild - throwing his body around and kicking and crying. His preferred method of "play" is aggresively physical and he can't seem to help himself - head butting like a bull and rolling on people. He is overly touchy to his peer's faces instead of using a standard "hello" to start a conversation or play interaction.

I could go on (and I did in a three page write up for his doctor), but suffice to say that his collection of behaviors has gotten to the point of being very troubling. Our doctor agreed that an evaluation is needed and the "big A's" were mentioned - Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. I can't say I was surprised at her suspicions, but it puts a new light on things to hear it from someone else.

We have an evaluation through the school district in a little over a week, though from what I understand they are more concerned with learning behaviors vs. the whole picture - and so far in preschool he is doing well (only 5 class days in, so we are hoping it continues). This focus on learning difficulties has me looking for an independent evaluation as well - something I need to speak with my insurance about (yay, insurance calls). I have a feeling that whatever is going on with our little Rocket, it is not going to hamper schooling for some time - but home and social life are turning into a situation that this Rocket Mama needs help with.

But for now, Rocket Boy is sleeping soundly upstairs and we have a fun weekend planned. If the mosquitos will finally die down we will venture to the park tomorrow to let off some energy. Fall crafts are waiting on the table and church this Sunday is at a historic church set in the middle of an adorable park. My project for the weekend is to look for solutions for a visual schedule for Rocket Boy - routines help him so much, but I need a schedule I can change quickly when needed vs. the hand drawn lists I have done in the past.

Have a beautiful Fall weekend everyone!

Rocket Boy!