Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Learning Curve

You'd think after dealing with this SPD business since early spring, I'd have a handle on it. Nope. Not really.

Today I was making beds when it occurred to me that we just move from one disaster to the next. Early in the summer BabyGirl couldn't stand the feel of her sheets. Before that it was underpants. A few weeks ago the shoe thing started. When school started it was long pants. She phases from one thing to the next. I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever be nothing. Will she ever live without some sort of sensory issue? Will there always be a new issue to deal with?

For the longest time I didn't have a chance to be glad that she was over the last issue because a new one immediately reared it's ugly head. Right now she's sleeping with no problems (it takes a while for her to unwind & stay in bed, but no screaming over her sheets). She gets dressed (most mornings) without a melt down. She wears clothing around the house all the time(at least a night shirt or sundress...until bed time when she has to strip back down). She's been wearing shoes pretty well (Sunday was HORRIBLE, but I think that may have been a passing thing). And I just realized last week that she'll now sit in the kitchen chairs (they're cloth covered & she hated them). So now I'm worried. What's coming up next?

Don't get me wrong. Things are not easy by any chance. She still likes to rotate the same 3 outfits day in and day out, but she has 9 pairs of underpants she'll wear. She's only worn one dress to church for the past 3 months & will only wear it with flip flops, but she does get dressed. The child still has a temper that would scare most people half out of their whits. She can go from delightful to psychotic in 3 seconds flat, but given time to cool off (sometimes an hour or more), she'll come out of her room like nothing ever happened.

She flat out refuses to do her OT now. The brushing she loved, she can't tolerate now. If I suggest joint compression, she freaks. But she will do things she doesn't remember Miss Emily suggesting as long as I don't mention therapy or sensory diet.

She would love to go back & see Miss Emily (and I'd love to take her) but our insurance still has not paid on the first go around of testing & OT she had. I have no idea if it will pay or not and I can't risk racking up thousands of dollars for OT that we can do at home if she'll only cooperate.

*On a side note, why does 45 minutes with an OT cost almost $300?!*

When people ask me how she's doing, I have to answer day by day. Some days she's great. Some days, not so much. And then there are days when I have to answer minute by minute. Those days are tough.

But this is life with my BabyGirl. I won't say I wouldn't have it any other way. What parent would wish this on their child? But I will say she's worth every minute, every struggle, every fight, every victory.

3 comments:

Grace said...

Isn't there some kind of state funded therapy thru the school that she could use? Yes, the amount they charge for therapy and believe it's reasonable is crazy!!

FarmWife said...

Unfortunately she can only get OT at school if her SPD is impacting her learning. Right now I'm not sure that it is. I've been considering calling the school's OT to see because she's struggling a bit, but I'm not sure if they can link it back to her SPD. Since SPD isn't a recognized medical condition, it's a lot harder to get her help in the public schools.

Kork said...

what a mess..stupid insurance...

I'm glad BabyGirl hearted her knew Crocs...

Praying that you'll find the happy medium.

How did the diet help? Any luck with that?