Doctor appt May '07

We just had your drs appt at the Melmed Center a few days ago. The Melmed center is a place that has pych and developmental pediatricians there. Basically for kids who have brain issues...lol and developmental problems. We go here once ever 3 months for your "therapy" for your autism and ADHD. Well when we went we finally got the official diagnosis for severe ADHD. She told us that you are as bad as they get...you cant get any worse than what you are. It was pretty hard to hear because I really didn't think you were that bad. So we decided to put you on meds. You are only 4 and we really didn't want to do it but she said that its the only thing that's going to help you. And if we don't put you on meds then you wont get any better and we will just hurt you more than putting you on meds. She told me of the side effects and I felt like that was a good decision. The first day that we had you on them, I have noticed a BIG difference. It is making you very sleepy. Which is fine by me, but I dont think you like being on them. When you come off of it you get very cranky and will usually just cry for about 45 min while your coming off of them. And then you will get REALLY hyper. I can usually tell when your coming off of them. I think its too strong for you and so we are supposed to go back in 4 weeks for the follow up and I am going to see if she has anything different we can try on you.

When we had your K transition meeting, we decided to put you in the intergraded kindergarden. Its kinda like normal K but they dont sit at tables...they do centers and learn like that. I had requested to go in and observe the class that is going on now just to make sure that is the class I want you to be in. I know that you can not be in normal K even with his meds. you just cant sit and concentrate that much right now so we had to figure something else out. Plus you are going to have speech and OT during school time and its easier if he is in a class where everyone needs it as well. We had to choose between the Autism class or this IK class. We didnt go with the Autism one because most of the kids that are in that class are severe and we dont want you to start to model those behaviors that the more severe kids do. But with the IK class we can have what you need to help your autism. Like you will have your own picture schedule for the whole day. We use that at home and you also uses that at school right now and that has helped so much! You have to be on a schedule and you do very well with pictures since you can see what it is instead of trying to read it. Also we will have your therapys. I am going to try to get Physical Therapy to start at school too that way we dont have to do any therapy at home and after school. Well I go and observe the class on Thursday! I am excited to go and see what you are going to be doing next year. i am getting kinda sad about you going to all day kindergarden. I am sure you will do fine but its going to be a big adjustment for you . Its probably going to be a rough few days as you adjust to it but im sure in the long run it will be the best for us.