Chaotically Busy

This time of year gets busy for us with all the holidays.  From the first week of October to January we stay so busy. But since literally the moment I woke up Friday December 13th, I've been on go go go and its December 17th.
December 13th ran errands for my parents and I. Then Brayden had his Winter Wonderland Dance 2018 at the same time as Ken's work Christmas Party.  Luckily they let us drop Brayden off 20 mins early so we could get to Ken's party. Which by the way was extremely awesome. We won a Keurig, $100, a tape measure, and a few other things.  My sister picked up Ryleigh from my parents, then Brayden from the dance. Once we got home we got the kids ready for bed after letting them tell us about their night. On top Saturday the 14th, Brayden ended up staying up ALL night. If you don't know Brayden has ADHD and Autism, sometimes with the ADHD medicine causes insomnia. So usually on Friday nights we let him go to bed when he wants to even though we still give him melatonin to help him fall asleep.  But this particular night we were out, so he stayed up all night and On Saturday, when I woke up I ran to town to run my mom a few errands, and when I got back to her house he was completely PASSED out. Meaning he missed his schools parade, so once I got home after that, we got ready and went to watch the Christmas parade that Ryleigh was in. It was FREEZING and began getting colder.  We went back to my parents, because not sure if I have really posted this about my dad being sick. But my fiance helps him get out of the bath tub, he can get in and wash himself but has trouble getting out.  So while doing that I had to get stuff from Walmart for my parents so I took Brayden, Cody (Ryleigh's Boyfriend, yes boyfriend), and Ryleigh to walmart with me and let Brayden spend his $4.00, I ended up added money to him getting a tamagotchi. Then once we got home we all got ready for bed, well once we drop Cody off, BECAUSE, the following day, Sunday December 16th, we headed to our family Christmas Party. Which was awesome, just the drive sucked. But it was worth it to get away from home for a little bit. 

Today is the 19th and has been the first time that I have been home since Friday and got to do anything. Mainly because my car won't start. But God has a way of showing us we have to slow down. 

However, I am still working on getting a blog up for my new Instagram name, HOPEANDLIFEAFTERALL but having difficulties. May work on that a little later but now gotta finish this house. 

ADHD and Autism In Children

I have got to looking over some of our blog post and realized I am not sure if I have ever told y'all what Brayden's final diagnosis was, but then again I only looked at the titles. So this may be something you have seen already.

As you already know Brayden was diagnosed almost over a year ago for ADHD, however, he had an un-official diagnosis of Autism. Un-Official only because in the state of missouri and actual psychologist that works strictly in diagnosing Autism has to give him his actual diagnosis.

So, As of January 2017, three months of testing at a local Autistic center, Brayden was diagnosed with Autism. They no longer categorize children as low spectrum, aspergers, or high sprectrum. You are either on the spectrum or you aren't.  Bray's diagnosis was peculiar as the psychologist spoke. His autism only affects one aspect of his life. The only reason they did diagnos him with Autism.  Is the easiest way I can describe it is, he is socially awkard.

Since the diagnosis we have continued with his social therapy, waiting to be seen over the summer for OT. Things are finally falling in place, for him and I. Some things are still rocking with him ( I will get to that in a later post), but as some may know with seasonal depression and finding out your child is specially challenged as I call it. I took a really huge fall into the depression. (Another Post When I am Ready)

Thank You All for wandering how he's doing.

Right now he has a friend over, yes a friend. Watching TV.

Diedra

He Got In Trouble For Exactly What?

The following  is a Facebook post that I made on September 8th, 2016...

 "After running errands today, I got home to realize Braydens folder was left on the table.  On his calender where we have to initial every night there was a very vague script in the previous days box stating, "missed recess for working ahead". Most of the time I'd have no problem with my child missing recess for something he's done wrong. I am all for you get in trouble, you do your punishment. But what I don't understand is Brayden still got in trouble and missed his recess for working ahead. Meaning they were doing a group worksheet. I may be wrong and forgive me if I am but I thought our children are being taught to be independent and work things out on their own. Anyone knows Brayden knows he's has to be moving or doing something. He is my busy body. Even with his AdHD medicine, he gets bored easily. Even some of their second grade work bores him. I feel he worked ahead because one he already knew the answers on top of it gave him something to do. I mean hell hes damned if he doesn't do it and damned if does!"

Yes, you read that right my child was punished for doing his work ahead. If you are a parent that cares about what goes on at school with your child you would have been heated as well with such a vague script of writing.  I would have understood more if the teacher wrote me a small note stating that she was teaching and kept telling him to pay attention but nothing of that was explained.

Well, Bray's weekly therapist is also his IEP therapist at school. When I got to her house a few days later to drop Brayden off for his weekly session she knew before I had even talked to someone at school about it. She said it was already handled.  Well about a week later the principle caught me there while picking up the kids for 8th hour, that she spoke with his teacher. What happened was they were in group. The leader of the group decided to tell everyone to work ahead. Brayden was following the leaders rules therefor, he worked ahead. The principle explained to the teacher not to punish him for working ahead because last we struggled to even get him to do any of his work.  Therefor, he isn't to be punished if he works ahead as long as he got it right. Basically if he worked ahead and he got them wrong then its the teachers discretion if he gets to do it over.

Before anyone says it, NO Brayden doesn't get special treatment because he has ADHD and a form of Autism. We are just scared that if he starts getting in trouble for doing his work even if it is ahead of the class. That he won't do his work at all. Because in first grade before getting his diagnosis we struggled at school and at home to get him to do anything.

Leave a comment below if you feel that any child should be punished for working ahead.

Love Always,

And Please come back,

Diedra

Still feel lost....

Today was Brayden's interview with the local Autism Center.

In case you are nee and may not know exactly what has went on. Let me start out by explaining a brief summary as to  why we have ended up at the Autism Center.

       The most simplest answer of all is that Brayden has always had, have showed, and still shows signs of Autism. He has done this since he was a baby. I was always steered to believe he was a self dependent child at 6 months old.  If course I noticed it but never have been around a child or person that had autism. I had no clue anything about it. Once I got with Ken five years ago. From early on in our relationship he stated he showed signs of Aspergers. That he done similar if not the same things a family member of his does that has been diagnosed with Aspergers. (According to the lady today well that no longer exist.) From Pre- K to 1st grade the began to become more prominent and by the 1st grade we knew there was something. Because he wouldn't do his school work at school and it was a battle to even get him to attempted or even finish it at home. The pediatrician then diagnosed him with ADHD & PDD  (in more depth blog coming soon, because well it's 1:28 am dog tired but can't sleep. So why not get up and smoke right?)

        Anyways there's just a small summary or large summary of what has lead up to the interview from the Autism Center. 

      The appointment in which we have been on a waiting list now for over a year almost a year and half from the initial time we contacted the place.  Our appointment was at 1:30 p.m . and we were out of there by 3 pm. She talked to Brayden a lot but a lot of the focus was geared toward what I could remember. When did I started noticing things and such?  Therefor, the only answer she could really give me is that Autism is NO longer broken up. PDD no longer exist. Asperger's no longer exist. However, I feel that it may very on who you see. Because his pediatrician diagnosed him with PDD. Therefor, I am still lost, I still feel lost and confused if not more than before I went in there. The only thing she could quarentee me right now is that she isn't sure exactly what he has. She believes there is a chance that he is on the spectrum and if he is for sure on the spectrum. Which that confused me considering the sub titles, no longer exist. She kept stating she doesn't know exactly where on the spectrum he is. 

Anyhoo, he does have another appointment coming up in the next couple of weeks.  This appointment is suppose to be a 3 hour window of an appointment. But his IEP for school changed in May at the ending of the school year. Therefor, some of the testing that the Autism Center does, the school does as well, meaning there's a chance the appointment wont be nearly three hours.

Thanks for taking the time out to hear about my baby! :)

Love Always,

Diedra

Brayden's Unfinished Diagnosis

In some of my post and even video's on our You Tube Channel (The Eichhorst Family), I have spoke of Brayden being diagnosed with Autism.  You may be wandering why I have made the title state that it's an unfinished diagnosis. Here's why.....

Brayden every since he was a little boy and when your in the doctor office as new born; first year of life checkup and they go over the "Autism Checklist" signs of Autism in your child. Brayden fit a lot of them to a T.  His doctor always felt he was just an independent child.  Few years go by and I get with Ken and we move in together. Ken has a family member that has Asperger's and I have friends that have family with the same diagnosis.  I have known since he was a little baby that he was my special baby. Well eventually life catches up with you and before you know it your "itty bitty" baby is now in Pre-school. I had spoke with the teachers the findings that Ken and I felt. But in pre-school the signs are almost what you would considered hidden. Because at that age unless the child is what they have called "Full Blown" Autistic. Brayden isn't and that is where the unfinished came from.  Well as a preschooler I had spoke with the speech therapist because I already knew her because of Ryleigh about some of the words he was pronouncing and how he was pronouncing them.  She was able to use some of his speech sounds and get him in speech therapy in preschool which a lot of times is very rare. She too, noticed the signs of "Asperger's". But that is all that was every really spoke of it. Therefor here comes Kindergarten. The signs were there but not as prominent.  There was one time that he felt out of his element and that was a day during a storm. He was so overstimulated by the thunder that he cut up his homework, wouldn't pay attention, couldn't focus, cut his crayons as well as cut his shirt. Later that night at home even cut his hair.  By now you are probably thinking then why is he not diagnosed with Autism if you and the teachers have noticed it.

Well here below I'll explain this year and what pushed us to work with the teachers, therapist, as well as his doctor to get him a diagnosis.

The first quarter of first grade Brayden was a straight A distinctive student.  By the first few weeks of second quarter EVERYTHING changed. Brayden begin not wanting to do his work. Not wanting any part of school, not wanting to do anything to do with school. He was what you would considered flunking the first grade because he wouldn't do his work but he knew all the answers.  Finally speaking with the speech therapist who also does other therapies such as working with Autistic children, finally voiced to me something needed to be done. And basically if his doctor wasn't going to take the time out to help us help him. That as a mother I needed to find a new one. Well at this point and seeing how at the time Brayden's issue was affecting school. That's when the doctor got on board. Especially after I told him that Brayden voiced to us that it isn't that he doesn't want to do his work, but sometimes his brain won't let his fingers right.  Finally on February 5th, 2016 Brayden was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper Disorder)  and PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder) Is that even Autism related? Yes it is! Well in our case it is.  It's basically a way for the pediatrician to give him an Autistic diagnosis without giving it an Autistic name. Basically because in most states an Autistic child has to be diagnosis officially by psychologist that specializes with Autism.    That is why his diagnosis is unfinished because we are waiting for the near by Autistic center to get him in. He is 39  on the list and the problem we have encountered is he more than likely with only one psychologist and the lengthiness of this test won't be seen before school starts back in August which is what we are aiming for. Just so he can start second grade fresh.  That's where his speech therapist comes into play this summer because she is going to be helping him with his language and social aspects over the summer. Just so he can start second grade with better socialization skills and in general start the year off better.


Now you may ask, As parents how have Ken and I dealt with this?  I haven't dealt with it easy. I have broke down and cried on extremely hard days. The days where I am with him all day and he has what is considered complete Autistic breakdowns.  He cries all day long, nothing makes him happy. As a mother you want to console him and he won't let you. Then when he does he is laying in your arms crying because he's trying to explain to you what is wrong but then says he doesn't know what is wrong.  His brain won't slow down long enough for him to know what is really making him cry.  Ken has dealt with it as in he has been supportive.  He has coped with it with me. Where ken works all day and if Brayden is home from school and it's just me and him (Brayden) I deal with everything by myself until Ken gets home. By then, I am on the verge of a breakdown. Ken is taking the load off of me trying to calm Brayden down. And as a father he hurts to not to be able to console his son. It's just been a difficult time for us. A trying journey as I call it.

Is Brayden being medicated? My thoughts? The first thing that I told the doctor is I understand that he needs something for the ADHD to help him focus. Help him stay on track. BUT, i'll be damned if in one day he is taking at 7 years old 15 different medications. I don't want my child a zombie. His doctor had to explain to me that BRAYDEN BRAIN is going 90 to nothing. I knew that. I also know that I don't want Brayden to turn out like his biological father. Basically meaning as a grown man his father didn't or couldn't function without some kind of medication.  In all honesty he was use to the HIGH of it. He was use to feeling numb to his surroundings. However, after trial and error twice. Brayden  found well we found a medication that WORKS. It helps him calm down as well as work with him to focus during school. I also don't have to give it to him on the weekends nor do I have to give it to him every day during the summer! That's a plus and helps the medication not to become addictive. Because it does have an addictive additive in it!

Anyways, if anyone has ANY questions please comment below and we will do our best to answer them. I am a busy mommy this time of year as my last blogged explained what would be going on! :)

Although this was quite a detailed blog post about Bray's unfinished diagnosis. It explains and gives and insight on him. If you would like to hear a shorter version of his unfinished diagnosis, head on over to our family you tube channel, THE EICHHORST FAMILY, and subscribe it's FREE.  As well as here is the video about Brayden's unfinished diagnosis spoken in my words.

Catch Y'all later! :)

Hope You All Enjoy!
Diedra

The Month Of Love

The month of love has been a rough month for us as well as a January. In the beginning of December she twisted her ankle during GYM. Well as a mother of a child who complains often about being in pain. I took it up that she just sprained it. During Christmas we went and seen the in laws over in Chicago Area, my mother bought her what I like to call hooker boots. She was walking in my in laws house and turned the corner and there she went. She folded her ankle. That Monday when we got home she had actually as well as folding her ankle developed a cold over there. So Monday was such a busy day of unpacking and getting things finished. Well, my mother took her to the doctor for me and they ran X Ray's on her foot.  There was a crack in her ankle. Well 2 weeks with a boot on we went and seen the foot doctor. He said that she did crack her foot but what she cracked was an extra bone. That as she has gotten bigger she was born with an extra bone on the side of her foot that as she grew didn't fuse into her foot. Instead it's like a floating piece of bone.  So between the doctor appointments for her. Brayden has been in and out of the doctors for trial and error on medicine because he has been diagnosed with ADHD and PDD. We are now waiting for the autistic center in our area to call and have him fully evaluated. During all these evaluations, I wanted to document things. Because I want to be able to look back on everything we have went through. Watch videos and watch and see my children as well as myself and Ken grow individually as well as a family.

If you would like to go SUBSCRIBE TO our CHANNEL on YOUTUBE.

The Eichhorst Family

Here is yesterdays video.

If you would like to do collabs please contact me at diedra2015@gmail.com