Nathan, Nathan, Nathan. Obviously this is what is on my mind today and this is what I will be talking about today. Nathan was about 2 1/2 when he was diagnosed with ADHD. Our pediatrician recommended a doctor for us to go to and work with. He was wonderful with the exception that one of the first words out of his mouth was "do you want meds". With that being said, after I explained to him that I didn't, he taught me what I needed to know about his condition and ways to learn to control it without meds. I have to say that he was right about most of it. I was worried when he was going to start kindergarden because I thought he would always be in trouble but to my surprise, he was at his best in school. According to the doctor, that was because of the structure in the school. That has always saddened me that I can not create that same structure for him at home but then he wouldn't have much of a life at all. So Nathan has done great in school (honor roll student) but at home he has just been getting by. A couple of years ago though his behavior at home started to take a turn for the worst. The past couple of years have been a struggle and have led to this point where I am now waiting for his next dr's appointment to discuss meds.
I had never entirely ruled out meds. I just knew that he was too young when he was diagnosed and promised myself that as long as he was tolerable and I could handle it then there was no reason to put him on meds. So after realizing a few things, I have made the decision to try it. You see, I didn't want to put him on meds because I have seen too many children altered by medication from ADHD. They become withdrawn and lose their personality and their livelihood. I didn't want my son to miss out on his childhood or wonderful times because of medication. As it turns out, he missed out things because he wasn't on medication. All the things he has had to miss because he was punished from acting up wildly. All the things that I couldn't allow him to do because of my fear of his behavior. Every day has become a battle now and I don't want him to look back on his childhood and remember always being yelled at or always being punished. My son deserves to have his life back.
My hope is that Nathan will still be Nathan. He has a lively personalityand he is full of energy. He loves to laugh and joke. He loves to be silly and his creativity surpasses mine, hands down. He is a wonderful child and I want the rest of the world to see that about him too. So on August 21st, we will be heading to the doctor's office to discuss our options. I am ready to begin this journey with him, hand in hand. I am prepared for trial and error. I know that we might have to change medications or play with doses and I am will try to remain objective to the situation. Most importantly, I will communicate with the doctor what my concerns are and what my requests are. So wish me well on this upcoming appointment because I am hoping it will enhance our life as a family and enhance his life as a great kid.
No comments:
Post a Comment