We have had some amazingly strong winds since late last night. The pictures above show the damage they did to one of our Bradford Pear trees in the front of our house. This poor tree lost an equally large section of branch a couple years ago. That time the branch hit the house and dented up the rain gutter. It is a much skinnier tree now. It might be hard to see the detail in the upper photo, but the stability of the tree really looks like it is compromised, it broke off so far into the trunk. These trees are notorious for having entire sections of branch break off like this.
Samuel has an appointment with a developmental pediatrician tomorrow. I have not taken him to one since 2002, partly because of being busy with babies since then and partly because I was so discouraged after the last visit. The doctor immediately began discussing medication, something I will consider if necessary but not as a first treatment option, and she was more interested in talking about my older son who was five at the time. He was drawing a picture of a thunderstorm and she thought this might be a sign that he had Aspergers Syndrome! I know, this might not sound like a big deal but this was the first time I had been able to convince my husband to go to an appointment with me and he left it feeling like it wasn't a very worthwhile experience. We will be seeing a different doctor this time and won't have nearly as far to travel to get there.
6 comments:
Hmm its a growing trend I believe [medication] When the expert had finished reporting on both of my two, his rejoinder was about drugs - they were only 3 and a half then.
I'm not ruling it out, but they're just too little for the time being.
Best wishes
Yea, those Bradfords aren't all that sturdy. In the Dallas area, we typically use them to provide shade while an oak tree grows.
I have a huge Bradford on the side of my house. It stretches out over the neighbors place. Scary.
We put the eldest on meds about 2 yrs ago now. We debated it for 6mths. It got to the pt he couldn't sit for a moment, he ate standing up. You could watch the dual thoughts going on at the same time... it was just out of control.
I don't regret making that decision. It's helped him immensly. Especially now he sleeps relaxed instead of sweating and rigid. I'm hoping to increase them next Fri.. not a lot but to allow me to only give him the meds twice daily instead of 3 times. I keep forgetting the middle one.
But it's a personal decision. I don't plan on giving meds to the youngest.
Anyone that we talked to is shocked he's on meds. Done right, nobody ever notices. It's just to take the edge off, not to change them.
I too found a different Dev Ped for the littlest's dx and the eldest's re-dx.
I have a blog post somewhere on the topic.....
S.
I agree that the use of medication is a growing trend as well, and the harm of turning to medication too quickly is the development of a dependence on it, rather than trying to teach your child to be in control of his behaviors and emotions. Of course, there are certainly times that medication is an appropriate means of dealing with behaviors or problems. My problem was that at age three, this was the first avenue I was being directed to!
In her book Thinking in Pictures, Temple Grandin devotes an entire chapter to discussing the use of medications. Panic attacks and anxiety after puberty are what made her turn to using medication. She says "The proper use of medications is part of a good autism program, but it is not a substitute for the proper educational or social programs."
We're fortunate to live in a time where there are often many options available to us, and we also are in a better position to acquire more information about options, with the internet at our disposal.
Forgot to add..
I also agree, S., that putting your child on medications is a personal decision. I believe parents know their children best. They have the most information about all the variables that go into making the decision.
I find it easier to accept the idea of medication when I have the impression that the parents realize they are not going to medicate away their child's problems and they take other actions to show that they are trying to teach their child.
Also forgot to say... I'll search your blog for your previous discussion of the developmental pediatrician, thanks for letting me know! laa
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