A few months back we FINALLY found a pediatrician that we feel really fits our family, particularly cpc and me. It hasn't been easy to find one that has a good understanding of SPD, or who is aware of and supportive of maternal instincts. But we found her, and we've been very happy with her and the help she has given our family. One of the first things she suggested with Cpc was a full developmental evaluation, the results of which led to having a full "Aspberger's" evaluation done. This last evaluation happened right before Arc was born, and the results came back exactly as we've always thought.
See, Pmc and I both studied child development and have been around lots of kids. And both of us knew from day one that Cpc had some amazing differences from the average child. Our first sign was when he held his head up the day he was born. We've always said he was born 3 months old. Intellectually and physically, he has always been ahead. But at the same time he had these things he just struggled with. First and foremost was sleep. His sleep started off amazing, but then completely regressed. Then it was his speech, then learning to climb, then potty training. He kept learning things early and then almost magically he would unlearn them, as though he truly had never known them at all. And then he'd be just a bit behind - not to a concerning point developmentally, but concerning to us because we knew he was capable. Doctors would sort of blow this stuff off when I expressed concern, and there was a big picture I just couldn't get them to see. There were all these little things that made us wonder if he had Aspberger's. After all, it is in my family. But then he'd go doing these awesome things that convinced us that he didn't, like some amazing imaginative play. And then the cycle would start again.
Well, I'm happy to report that we were exactly right! The evaluator pretty much told me that at this point (the tests are kind of tricky with a 4-year old verbal child!), he's as close as he could possibly be to being Aspberger's without actually being Aspberger's. His precise words were that he has "the flavor."
Why does all of this matter? I'm not really concerned about labels. We were pretty much just told what we already knew. But it did feel really good to have an expert on the topic tell us we were right! And he directed us to some awesome resources. And now we know. There are no more doubts. And that feels great.
Really, Cpc IS going to need some of the resources that are designed for kids with Aspberger's. He already does. And that advanced brain of his that is a million miles ahead of everyone will need some good nourishment, as well as a little bridling so it doesn't get ahead of him.
I think we could say his biggest gift is his intellectual ability. These are his new favorite books we picked up from the library. I thought they would be way beyond a kid his age - but I need to remember that intellectually he is WAY ahead of that!
His biggest struggle is communication/social skills. Rather than picking up social skills naturally, he needs some coaching, and reminding. And he learns them as though they are facts, so once he has a skill he over-generalizes and then we have to teach him the exceptions to the rule and the nuances. But shucks, it's kind of fun to learn intellectually with him how social skills work!
I am so proud of this child of mine, and I know he can excel with the gifts his Father in Heaven has given him, especially because those gifts also came with challenges!
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