Tomorrow is what I have dubbed "d day". I will be getting up early, leaving the house with Jack by 7 and heading to DC for a "quick" appointment. I plan to be home in time to put in a full day of work. Tomorrow Jack is starting Namenda as part of the study he has been enrolled in. I am nervous, excited, scared, and hopeful.
We have been reading a book about Aspergers- I feel like Jack is old enough to notice that things are different for him, and I want to set the precedent early on that yes, different is the right way to say it, not less. The book I found is called "What It Is to Be Me!- An Asperger Kid Book".
It is like reading or looking at a map of Jack. It is about a little boy named Danny who has aspergers- he talks about how he's very good at some things, like computers, but has a really hard time with things like writing. (check) It talks about his very strong senses, and the fact that sound often hurt his ears, and sometimes he likes to wear headphones. It addresses food texture issues (pasta has never once entered my child's mouth), personal space issues, fixations, difficulty listening, CONSTANT questions about how things work, and taking things super literally. It is a great book and Jack really likes it.
I tried to use some of these concepts to explain what this new medication is all about, and I have to admit it, mommy FAIL. I used the example of his "super ears". Or tried to. I was attempting to explain to Jack that he would be taking a new pill that might help him feel a little different, like things won't hurt his ears as much. Somehow, he turned it into this- the pill is going to make sounds and it will hurt his ears. Sigh. So for the past 5 days I have been trying to undo this damage- every time he takes a supplement that's in pill form we examine it and confirm that it does not in fact have a mouth, so it can't make any sounds. Hope this works tomorrow.
Here is some anecdotal info on Namenda. Oh, and I should mention that this study, which is taking place at multiple centers nationwide, just increased it's enrollment from 120 participants to 900- seems it is pretty promising.
http://autismliveshere.com/2012/03/namenda-month/
https://imfar.confex.com/imfar/2012/webprogram/Paper11938.html
Here is the study we are participating in:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00872898
I am NOT a fan of giving my child drugs. That being said, this year has been very very difficult for both myself and Jack's father to watch. His difficulties in the school setting are almost painful to see, and knowing how smart he is and knowing how much the "noise" is getting in the way of him functioning at the level he is capable of is just awful. I have tried B12, GABA, inositol, DMAE, melatonin and magnesium in terms of natural therapies. I have tried focalin and intuniv in terms of ADHD therapies. Nothing has helped, or at least not significantly. So this is where we are. This is the next step. And at least with the study, he will be closely monitored.
So please say a few prayers for our family, the next few days could be very telling.
We have been reading a book about Aspergers- I feel like Jack is old enough to notice that things are different for him, and I want to set the precedent early on that yes, different is the right way to say it, not less. The book I found is called "What It Is to Be Me!- An Asperger Kid Book".
It is like reading or looking at a map of Jack. It is about a little boy named Danny who has aspergers- he talks about how he's very good at some things, like computers, but has a really hard time with things like writing. (check) It talks about his very strong senses, and the fact that sound often hurt his ears, and sometimes he likes to wear headphones. It addresses food texture issues (pasta has never once entered my child's mouth), personal space issues, fixations, difficulty listening, CONSTANT questions about how things work, and taking things super literally. It is a great book and Jack really likes it.
I tried to use some of these concepts to explain what this new medication is all about, and I have to admit it, mommy FAIL. I used the example of his "super ears". Or tried to. I was attempting to explain to Jack that he would be taking a new pill that might help him feel a little different, like things won't hurt his ears as much. Somehow, he turned it into this- the pill is going to make sounds and it will hurt his ears. Sigh. So for the past 5 days I have been trying to undo this damage- every time he takes a supplement that's in pill form we examine it and confirm that it does not in fact have a mouth, so it can't make any sounds. Hope this works tomorrow.
Here is some anecdotal info on Namenda. Oh, and I should mention that this study, which is taking place at multiple centers nationwide, just increased it's enrollment from 120 participants to 900- seems it is pretty promising.
http://autismliveshere.com/2012/03/namenda-month/
https://imfar.confex.com/imfar/2012/webprogram/Paper11938.html
Here is the study we are participating in:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00872898
I am NOT a fan of giving my child drugs. That being said, this year has been very very difficult for both myself and Jack's father to watch. His difficulties in the school setting are almost painful to see, and knowing how smart he is and knowing how much the "noise" is getting in the way of him functioning at the level he is capable of is just awful. I have tried B12, GABA, inositol, DMAE, melatonin and magnesium in terms of natural therapies. I have tried focalin and intuniv in terms of ADHD therapies. Nothing has helped, or at least not significantly. So this is where we are. This is the next step. And at least with the study, he will be closely monitored.
So please say a few prayers for our family, the next few days could be very telling.
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