Q & A with a Super Hero:
Medicine
At first I was afraid of the pills. Almost every parent I know tried meds at one point. Some stuck and some didn’t. I remember the tantrums we had before and during transition to strong meds to help clear our Super Hero’s very active and clouded mind.
I was scared of many things, mostly that our very funny and energetic Jake would become a zombie. But with great care and a cautious team of doctors we proceeded slowly. A quarter of a milligram here and a quarter of a milligram there. Until we found our “happy place” where Jake could hold eye contact, sit in a chair/desk and eat dinner without jumping up and down. So our chemical adventure began when my life was in danger from my own kid.
We ventured out today again onto what I call the ‘road rarely traveled’ when I forgot to give him his afternoon meds because I was cooking dinner. From the playroom I hear the following in ONE breath and at a piercing high-pitched voice while jumping on the trampoline:
“Remember the elevator guy was he nice? He talks with a nice voice and says the same things over and over again. ‘Going up… Going down… 1, 2, 3’ Can I do that when I’m older? I could do that when I’m older. Would I get squished in the elevator doors if I had that job? (Now he’s doing the motion of the elevator gears opening and closing the doors in the air above his head wildly and repeatedly) I love elevators! I want to build and drive elevators when I get older, alright mom? Alright mom? Alright mom?" Now standing right under my nose to get an immediate response.
I turned around to glance at the clock and noticed I was about an hour past his regular medicine time. That explains it! I could actually watch him decline into what we call “Stim City” as he grew further and further un-medicated. It’s hard. He starts searching frantically for ways to calm his body. Jumping on the trampoline and incessant talking seem to push everything else out of his mind.
After realizing what was going on, I dosed him and grabbed my laptop. Yes I’m seizing this rare moment that hopefully won’t happen too often.
In order to get him to stay at the table when "off", he’s got his 15 lb. weighted Lizard in his lap, chew toy nearby and SALMON! Casually, I begin to ask about his medicine.
Jake, Dude, why are you acting so silly?
“I get out of control and get all googley!!” [ I made up googley a while ago to help him tell me when he was feeling a little off.]
How does your body feel right now?
“Really crazy (waving arms above his head) it makes me want to run, and run and run. “
Is that why you were just running in circles? [he was physically spinning in circles in the living room for almost a minute and would have continued if I didn’t stop him]
“Yea.”
Does the medicine help you think?
[Without it] “I can’t think because you (I) get stuck thinking about just one thing… right now its elevators.”
So the medicine does what for your brain?
“Helps my brain go slower.”
Is slower good?
“Yes it’s good.”
So without medicine your body does what?
“Gets out of control … and makes me do orbiters (stimming consisting of big imitations of his favorite amusement park ride) with my arm AND bite my finger hard.”
Do you think taking medicine is good or bad?
“Good so I don’t have to be silly.”
Do you remember how your body felt before you took any medicine at all?
“No.”
Do you remember running outside pushing the green guy? [We used to log about a mile a day running when he was 2-3 years old, he never really walked]
“Yes.”
Why do you think we did that?
“It felt good.”
Is your brain calmer now? (30 mins.after meds and food)
“Yep.”
Now how do you feel?
“I feel happier now. Could I have more tomato ketchup please?”
[10 minutes go by]
Now we finished eating, he has cleared his table (without prompt) and started independently making a card for a friend at school with his art supplies.
Did you put your weighted lizard on your lap?
“NOPE! I don’t need to because I’m fine right now! How do you spell ….”
Medicine
At first I was afraid of the pills. Almost every parent I know tried meds at one point. Some stuck and some didn’t. I remember the tantrums we had before and during transition to strong meds to help clear our Super Hero’s very active and clouded mind.
I was scared of many things, mostly that our very funny and energetic Jake would become a zombie. But with great care and a cautious team of doctors we proceeded slowly. A quarter of a milligram here and a quarter of a milligram there. Until we found our “happy place” where Jake could hold eye contact, sit in a chair/desk and eat dinner without jumping up and down. So our chemical adventure began when my life was in danger from my own kid.
We ventured out today again onto what I call the ‘road rarely traveled’ when I forgot to give him his afternoon meds because I was cooking dinner. From the playroom I hear the following in ONE breath and at a piercing high-pitched voice while jumping on the trampoline:
“Remember the elevator guy was he nice? He talks with a nice voice and says the same things over and over again. ‘Going up… Going down… 1, 2, 3’ Can I do that when I’m older? I could do that when I’m older. Would I get squished in the elevator doors if I had that job? (Now he’s doing the motion of the elevator gears opening and closing the doors in the air above his head wildly and repeatedly) I love elevators! I want to build and drive elevators when I get older, alright mom? Alright mom? Alright mom?" Now standing right under my nose to get an immediate response.
I turned around to glance at the clock and noticed I was about an hour past his regular medicine time. That explains it! I could actually watch him decline into what we call “Stim City” as he grew further and further un-medicated. It’s hard. He starts searching frantically for ways to calm his body. Jumping on the trampoline and incessant talking seem to push everything else out of his mind.
After realizing what was going on, I dosed him and grabbed my laptop. Yes I’m seizing this rare moment that hopefully won’t happen too often.
In order to get him to stay at the table when "off", he’s got his 15 lb. weighted Lizard in his lap, chew toy nearby and SALMON! Casually, I begin to ask about his medicine.
Jake, Dude, why are you acting so silly?
“I get out of control and get all googley!!” [ I made up googley a while ago to help him tell me when he was feeling a little off.]
How does your body feel right now?
“Really crazy (waving arms above his head) it makes me want to run, and run and run. “
Is that why you were just running in circles? [he was physically spinning in circles in the living room for almost a minute and would have continued if I didn’t stop him]
“Yea.”
Does the medicine help you think?
[Without it] “I can’t think because you (I) get stuck thinking about just one thing… right now its elevators.”
So the medicine does what for your brain?
“Helps my brain go slower.”
Is slower good?
“Yes it’s good.”
So without medicine your body does what?
“Gets out of control … and makes me do orbiters (stimming consisting of big imitations of his favorite amusement park ride) with my arm AND bite my finger hard.”
Do you think taking medicine is good or bad?
“Good so I don’t have to be silly.”
Do you remember how your body felt before you took any medicine at all?
“No.”
Do you remember running outside pushing the green guy? [We used to log about a mile a day running when he was 2-3 years old, he never really walked]
“Yes.”
Why do you think we did that?
“It felt good.”
Is your brain calmer now? (30 mins.after meds and food)
“Yep.”
Now how do you feel?
“I feel happier now. Could I have more tomato ketchup please?”
[10 minutes go by]
Now we finished eating, he has cleared his table (without prompt) and started independently making a card for a friend at school with his art supplies.
Did you put your weighted lizard on your lap?
“NOPE! I don’t need to because I’m fine right now! How do you spell ….”