I cried tears of joy the day I found out I was pregnant. All
the hopes and dreams that any mother would have, ran through my mind.
My pregnancy went very well and to my delight no morning
sickness. Later in my pregnancy I was told that I had Pre-Eclampsia. Three
and one-half weeks prior to my due date the
doctors informed me I was running out of amniotic fluid and
that they must induce labor right away. Soon my beautiful boy would be in my
arms.
The labor went well with the help of an epidural and rather quickly with
the Petocin. Colton was on his way, got stuck, was turned around and
brought into the world with the help of suction. He was slightly jaundice and
had a fever so spent the next 72 hours on antibiotics. He was a beautiful 5.5
pound, 19 inch boy. He had a very pointed head, but only at first, thank
heavens.
We then spent the next two years learning how to be a family together. He was
always sick with upper respiratory problems, ear infections and colds.
Allergies and asthma were ruled out. He was slow to reach his milestones, but
did so in his own time.
At the age of two he was still not talking and the pediatrician referred me to
the public county school system for early intervention. This was the
beginning for me to understand why my son would bang his head, flip
his feet in the crib, and scream for no apparent reason. What was causing
this behavior?
He was obviously delayed and accepted into a special education pre-K. It
was then that I learned he had sensory and auditory processing difficulties.
My first reaction was that he would catch up and all would be well. After
all it just had to...right?
The teacher and therapist both suggested I read
"The Out-Of-Sync Child"
by
Carol Kranowitz. I immediately did and was amazed by how much of the book
described my son. Did she have hidden cameras in my house? Other children
and parents are suffering too? What can be done to help us?
Sensory Integration Dysfunction was the answer to all my questions. I was
not a bad parent after all, and that was quite a relief. The guilt was gone
and the weight was lifted from my shoulders. Sensory Integration Dysfunction was the reason for the constant meltdowns, the endless screaming
and crying, and the relentless frustration that we both felt.
Colton began Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Physical Therapy and
began making progress by leaps and bounds. There were advancements and
setbacks; we laughed together and cried together. I never once gave up
hope and he never gave up his determination.
It is a long road and we still have further to go. We have hit roadblocks
and detours, but onward we drive, and slow only occasionally to take in
some sites. This is no vacation by any means; it is our life, a life we
share with Sensory Integration
Dysfunction.
Colton is now in a special education Kindergarten class and we have our
fair share of challenges. Educating the educators, working with designing the “right” IEP program, learning all about the IDEA laws and learning in
our home OT playroom. I have incorporated so many therapies at home:
I even been so bold as to create my
own, but we'll save that for another article.
At the risk of sounding like an advertiser I want to stress that
with home
therapy your child will advance so much more quickly and your life may
become more manageable and stress free!
I have learned so much over the last few years about Sensory Integration
Dysfunction. I attribute this to my son's teachers, therapists, on-line
support groups, special friends, and the information highway we call the
Internet.
I look back and think if I only knew then what I know now...and I
feel sorry that I did not realize it sooner. This brings me to think that
sharing my story, my knowledge, and my experiences with others may give
other families relief sooner. I actively participate in on-line support
groups and I am even starting a local parents support group in my area to
serve that purpose.
I have wasted enough energy on trying to figure out what has caused this or
why it happened. Instead I focus my energy on helping Colton and I feel
better, offering help to others through education, and being a supportive
person to families in need.
Would I trade any of this for an alternative? No I would not.
Living this
has taught me so much about myself, and about Colton’s issues. It makes
us each individuals that I have come to love and respect.