It has officially started. Football season. Josh was so nervous he didn't know what to do. He was worried, nervous, and excited all at once. First practice was Monday and he had a lot of fun. So much fun that when he went to bed that night he said he had so much fun that he was ready "right now" to go back to practice. After being so nervous he really settled down.
When Josh is nervous he really yammers(word I use, talks way to much about nothing- rambling). He was doing that in practice on the first day but seem to settle down. At yesterday's practice I heard one of the coach says "hey, when you hear the coach talk you need to listen.. Sattler you are always talking". That is my boy. We had a small chat about that. Hopefully he won't get in too much trouble, he is my socializer. Hopefully he will learn Not to yap in football practice.
Now the cheerleaders are practicing close by, so he has another distraction. I tried to talk to Brandon about being a Cheer... he seems interested.
Brandon meds work and don't work. He still is confrontational but I am going to go a another week to see if this settles down. My fear is that he will get this tone at school with other kids or a teacher and it is not pretty. He thinks his brother is yelling at him and he is not, it could be a sibling thing. So hopefully he needs to adjust to the meds.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Summer Fun?
We went to Magic Waters yesterday. Josh was able to do more of the water rides but really enjoyed the body slides. Those are not my favorites. We also enjoyed a roller coaster ride that splashes you as you go over the hills and dive into water. You go over 4-5 hills and have a blast. You are flying out of your seat when you go over the hills and I swear you feel like you will end up sideways. Well not necessary sideways but for someone, he ended up backwards.
Yep, Brandon somehow and someway on the 4th hill came over and started going backwards... the whole tube turned around. Luckily it didn't flip. The Magic Waters personnel told me that it has never happen before. The water ride shut down instantly and he was locked at the bottom of the hill. I think that scared him more than being shoved backwards.
I was waiting on the side and saw Josh with another Dad from our group go up the hill and it had stopped. Then I looked around and wondered where Brandon was. Some girls were walking down and I thought maybe they got scared. Then I notice the lifeguard go over to another location and I watched and then I notice Brandon. He came out of the splashed baster and I waved and he came up running and crying. The lifeguard didn't say boo to me so I asked him what had happened and he said he was going backwards. So then I walked over to find out what had happened and found out that because Brandon had gone backwards it had shut the ride down. Then the Lead person came over and talked with Brandon who looked like he had no clue at what had happen. She sent us to the Medical tent to be checked out. It was a bit scarey for a moment, but I knew Brandon was ok so I didn't panic or worry. I am just curious as to what could have happen. I mean the wind had to be just so and Brandon had to be in the air and water hitting at such a time... unbelievable.
The only thing that makes me a bit upset was the lack of concern the first lifeguard had for Brandon and sent him on his way. She just open the gate and waved him away. I held Brandon and walked over to find out what had happen with him. As I was walking up I heard her saying that kid went backwards... like he did it on purpose. I mean he could have but I don't think he did or would know how. Luckily I went back to talk with the lifeguards and when the lead person came over the lifeguard pointed out Brandon. Had I not come back the lead lifeguard would have not been able to talk to Brandon and me and have us sent to the medical tent.
When we got to the medical area they asked Brandon if he was hurt and he pointed to his skinned knee. However, the knee was from earlier like 2 hours ealier from the water bucket... but they fixed that boo boo.
Yep, Brandon somehow and someway on the 4th hill came over and started going backwards... the whole tube turned around. Luckily it didn't flip. The Magic Waters personnel told me that it has never happen before. The water ride shut down instantly and he was locked at the bottom of the hill. I think that scared him more than being shoved backwards.
I was waiting on the side and saw Josh with another Dad from our group go up the hill and it had stopped. Then I looked around and wondered where Brandon was. Some girls were walking down and I thought maybe they got scared. Then I notice the lifeguard go over to another location and I watched and then I notice Brandon. He came out of the splashed baster and I waved and he came up running and crying. The lifeguard didn't say boo to me so I asked him what had happened and he said he was going backwards. So then I walked over to find out what had happened and found out that because Brandon had gone backwards it had shut the ride down. Then the Lead person came over and talked with Brandon who looked like he had no clue at what had happen. She sent us to the Medical tent to be checked out. It was a bit scarey for a moment, but I knew Brandon was ok so I didn't panic or worry. I am just curious as to what could have happen. I mean the wind had to be just so and Brandon had to be in the air and water hitting at such a time... unbelievable.
The only thing that makes me a bit upset was the lack of concern the first lifeguard had for Brandon and sent him on his way. She just open the gate and waved him away. I held Brandon and walked over to find out what had happen with him. As I was walking up I heard her saying that kid went backwards... like he did it on purpose. I mean he could have but I don't think he did or would know how. Luckily I went back to talk with the lifeguards and when the lead person came over the lifeguard pointed out Brandon. Had I not come back the lead lifeguard would have not been able to talk to Brandon and me and have us sent to the medical tent.
When we got to the medical area they asked Brandon if he was hurt and he pointed to his skinned knee. However, the knee was from earlier like 2 hours ealier from the water bucket... but they fixed that boo boo.
Monday, July 19, 2010
summer
It has been a great summer. We have been very busy and on the go go go. I just started Brandon on his new meds but I think I picked the worst time to start. First we go to Six Flags and overwhelm him then his brother has a birthday and then we go to a Giant picnic where there is a petting zoo and bouncy stuff. Lots of dysregulated kids...he has been having a hard time at it. I swear not a good time to analize any thing.
This is the big final week. Next week we start football with Josh. He has been looking forward to this since April. I hope he is not bored or frustrated and hate in by August. This could happen... watching people play and actually playing are two different things. I hope he realizes that.
So I am still hoping to do a few more fun things like go to a beach, go to a museum, hang out with friends and relax before we go back into school. School is less than a month away. I know we start in a month and I feel like we just started our summer.
This is the big final week. Next week we start football with Josh. He has been looking forward to this since April. I hope he is not bored or frustrated and hate in by August. This could happen... watching people play and actually playing are two different things. I hope he realizes that.
So I am still hoping to do a few more fun things like go to a beach, go to a museum, hang out with friends and relax before we go back into school. School is less than a month away. I know we start in a month and I feel like we just started our summer.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
CRT Visit
Well it is official. We finally went to the Children's Research Triangle (CRT). The CRT is known for diagnosing and analyzing children with no medical history. They know what to look for such as trauma, bi polar, FAS, Autism etc. Usually International children get diagnosed incorrectly because kids without history and being internationally adopted fall into ADHD or mental illness that aren’t really there. You try to work on issued that aren’t there because they are masked by things the child does and you get nowhere and it is very frustrating. Attachment and RAD are things that gets missed along with so much. Basically they are told the child is ADHD without added help.
I took Brandon, and we did get the results I assumed it would be and I am fine/happy with it. He is VERY ADHD (big on the H) along with FAS. What does this mean? It means it will take many re directs to learn, many reminders, constant repetition to learn. Can he learn? Yes, he can. What does this really mean? He is socially and emotionally behind by 2-3 years. When he regresses further, it is just the “child” side of him nothing more. CRT did not see any hidden trauma, and felt he was very attached (YES) and that he is hyper and the FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) will/does affect how he learns.
The FAS explains why there are days my son cannot handle any large noises and will freak out at a toilet flushing and then a day where he is in the bathroom constantly flushing the toilet for extra/added stimuli. The brain is damaged and sends signals to his brain that he needs more (hence the flushing) but yet he can learn other ways to get the stimuli he is seeking. Another service we need to seek is OTSI, sensory integration so that he isn't doing one thing one day and then having affect him another day differently.
Another example of how his brain works is that many people can learn that 12-6 = 6… and that 12 =a dozen. So if you had a story like “you have a dozen eggs and you use 6, how many are left?" you would say 6, it just comes to you there is not much thinking in this. However, children like Brandon cannot conceptualized this,…. They can learn 12-6, and 12=dozen but the reality of it and using it doesn’t make sense in his brain. He will be taught each part differently and there will never be a connection. But he can learn it, re learn it and know each group and they will not be connected, but possibly over time (years) it might, but just that piece. He is very bright and of normal intelligents but you get amazed and how some simple concepts he can't get.
I know I have mention that Brandon is FAS, but I never had a true diagnose. The genectics testing done proved it but they wanted to do more genectic testing which I feel would be a waste of time. I got the diagnose so Brandon cannot lose his resource at school. Hopefully they will learn that Brandon does learn differently and that he will keep and add services as needed. My biggest fear is they take it away because he DOES appear to be typical with some quirks. Most of this diagnose is for when he is older..
But for now, it helps Don and I learn how to help Brandon and not make his world more frustrated. It also helps to know that what we see and feel is true about our child and that we can get plugging along the way we are and over time see results. We are not just paddling along and getting no where... there is lots of hope.
I took Brandon, and we did get the results I assumed it would be and I am fine/happy with it. He is VERY ADHD (big on the H) along with FAS. What does this mean? It means it will take many re directs to learn, many reminders, constant repetition to learn. Can he learn? Yes, he can. What does this really mean? He is socially and emotionally behind by 2-3 years. When he regresses further, it is just the “child” side of him nothing more. CRT did not see any hidden trauma, and felt he was very attached (YES) and that he is hyper and the FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) will/does affect how he learns.
The FAS explains why there are days my son cannot handle any large noises and will freak out at a toilet flushing and then a day where he is in the bathroom constantly flushing the toilet for extra/added stimuli. The brain is damaged and sends signals to his brain that he needs more (hence the flushing) but yet he can learn other ways to get the stimuli he is seeking. Another service we need to seek is OTSI, sensory integration so that he isn't doing one thing one day and then having affect him another day differently.
Another example of how his brain works is that many people can learn that 12-6 = 6… and that 12 =a dozen. So if you had a story like “you have a dozen eggs and you use 6, how many are left?" you would say 6, it just comes to you there is not much thinking in this. However, children like Brandon cannot conceptualized this,…. They can learn 12-6, and 12=dozen but the reality of it and using it doesn’t make sense in his brain. He will be taught each part differently and there will never be a connection. But he can learn it, re learn it and know each group and they will not be connected, but possibly over time (years) it might, but just that piece. He is very bright and of normal intelligents but you get amazed and how some simple concepts he can't get.
I know I have mention that Brandon is FAS, but I never had a true diagnose. The genectics testing done proved it but they wanted to do more genectic testing which I feel would be a waste of time. I got the diagnose so Brandon cannot lose his resource at school. Hopefully they will learn that Brandon does learn differently and that he will keep and add services as needed. My biggest fear is they take it away because he DOES appear to be typical with some quirks. Most of this diagnose is for when he is older..
But for now, it helps Don and I learn how to help Brandon and not make his world more frustrated. It also helps to know that what we see and feel is true about our child and that we can get plugging along the way we are and over time see results. We are not just paddling along and getting no where... there is lots of hope.
Monday, July 5, 2010
4th of July
I had my reunion this past weekend. It was great seeing everyone that went and really talking with some friends that go back to elementary school. One gal and I had third grade together and I had to realize my little guy is going into third... wow.. I think we re connected after many years not really knowing each other. You know you go different ways when you no longer have the same classes. Some I knew as an acquantice (?) I wished I had gotten to know in high school. Needless to say, it was fun and I am glad I went.
My boys did great. They let mommy have fun with her old friends. I was very impressed. They stayed with Grandma and then with my sister. They got as much sleep as me :) so we need to have more rest today.
My boys did great. They let mommy have fun with her old friends. I was very impressed. They stayed with Grandma and then with my sister. They got as much sleep as me :) so we need to have more rest today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)