He was fine and then.....he was not. This is like what happened with us, and to watch another mother go through that was painful. Then they interviewed his sister.....box of tissues please.....she was explaining how boring autism is when it is in your face all the time. She did not like the money and time that was being spent on her brother's medical problems and hoped that when he was older he would not have to live with her. She was 10. He was 6.
That part got me. She was thoughtful and kind but honest. Just like a little girl I know, who once yelled at me that her brother's cyst was ruining her life. All too familiar and too real.
This mom was like me, consumed by the autism diagnosis and on a mission to find doctors that would help. Getting an answer like, "Oh that is just part of having autism." was not acceptable to her and it hasn't been enough for me.
When I was pregnant with both my children I use to complain that I was just a transport module. I would have some strange symptom and the nurse or doctor would just say, "Oh it's because you are pregnant." Like you aren't allowed to have a legitimate complaint that isn't related to your "condition".
It has been like that since we obtained the diagnosis of autism. Everything I complained about was just blamed on the disorder. NO.
Not good enough. His speech is halting and strange.....oh yeah all kids with autism have that. His memory is poor, oh yeah that is common with autism, his attention seems to be like a gnat on crack....oh yeah that happens....
(I should have thrown in an odd one to see if they would blame the autism....He likes to lick the wall.....Oh yeah....that happens.....)
So the one thing that has shown up since my son was born, has been allergies. He has always been an allergic little guy. His skin, his sinuses and his tummy have suffered the effects of allergies. From what I can tell his food allergies caused a lot of problems for this poor guy. Environmental allergies also created havoc in his body. Now I see research being done on inflammation and autism. I hear that the immune system plays a roll.... I feel like banging my head on the wall. I have been to countless doctors complaining about my son's allergies and skin issues and yet we were blindsided by the Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.
Some of my son's health problems have been caused by his medications. Some have just appeared but no one can give me an answer as to why. I wont be happy with just a diagnosis. I want reasons. I know I am not alone.
Today when we are at the allergy doctor appointment I will sit with my binder that is larger than my son. I will be prepared to defend my theory that my son's health decline was medication induced. I will be ready to explain that while I am there to find relief for my son's allergic misery I do not want medication....(that will be interesting)
Fast forward a few hours.....
The appointment went well! I was not met with the well known eye roll as I flopped my binder on the counter. The Medical Assistant that roomed us did not snicker or even protest when I explained about my son's oversensitivy to medication. I was impressed.
The doctor was just as kind. He understood my concerns and came up with a plan to use little or no medication. He wants to do skin testing to see what my son is really allergic to. Apparently blood tests can be inacurate. Hmmmmm
This testing will be done only if my son can stay off Benedryll for five days. I hope that in a month when he has his next appointment the season will have changed enough for what ever is agitating him now, to dissipate.
Once we have a more accurate picture of what he is actually allergic to, then he can begin shots....to desensitize him. The doctor said, best thing about that plan, no side effects! Both my son and I liked that.
I asked this new doc what he thought about the connection of allergies and autism. He said that from what he can tell, the research that has been done shows that people with autism seem to be overly sensitive to everything.....meaning that if their airway is just a little irritated they will obsess and notice it more than any other person. So if they are allergic, and you remove the allergy it stands to reason you would see great joy and change. It's like walking around with a rock in your shoe....take the rock out and that shoe becomes very comfortable again.....
I hope we get some answers to what is plaguing my son. Not just during allergy season, but all the other things too....I hope we can find that "rock in his shoe" and get rid of the darn thing.
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