Dallas and the new frontier

Today Sean and I met with a Behavioral Specialist for Dallas. Dallas has been toe walking for pretty much since he started walking. I know from researching it that it can be a sign of a type of sensory problem. So last week I took him to see our pediatrician to ask him about it. He checked his feet and said there is nothing physically wrong that he can see. But he wants to have him tested to make sure their aren't any spinal abnormalities as well (he also had a very slight amount of blood in his urine.) So we are going for an ultrasound in a couple of weeks for that.

I asked the doctor about the possibility of a sensory problem and he blew me off staying that he might end up having ADHD, but we will look into that and the possibility of medication later. HOLD ON! He hardly even talked to Dallas, so how in the world is he coming to this conclusion and why in the world would we go right to medication. I felt like I needed a second opinion on it. I have a couple of friends who have had to take their kids to behavioral specialist and recommended one of the top ones that's here in Orlando. The wait time to get into her is months because she's so popular, but when I called on Monday they said they had an opening for Tuesday! Wow, I think God really wanted us to get into this lady!

What a great doctor she is. Sean and I were VERY impressed. Her name is Dr Kojic for anymore interested. She spent about 45 minutes talking with us. We told her all our concerns. She felt like the toe walking is probably a habitual thing, but that is also a sign for sensory disorders. Dallas is an extremely bright child and usually ahead of other children in learning. He met most of his childhood milestones earlier than others, having a large vocabulary at 18 months. So we are now going to do some other tests to rule out anything and know exactly what is going on. It may be nothing, but if it is something we can get him into some therapies and get the problem corrected early before he starts school. I'm so glad for my friend Val for having kept bringing up the toe walking and helping me to get to this specialist. It could mean a world of a difference for Dallas! The doctor mentioned that she thinks it might be Asperger's Syndrome. I'm not too sure of that, so I'm just going to wait until the results from the tests and go from there. She told Sean those kids are usually the very smart, successful ones (its rumored that Bill Gates has Aspergers) She said they usually come from very intelligent, successful families. Sean smiled big on that one. Ha ha ha. Either way, he's going to be such a talented, successful child because he's so smart and determined. And what a fun boy he is!

A word of advice (that a friend Carrie also said to me). YOU are you child's BEST doctor. YOU know them better than anyone else and YOU have to be their biggest voice. If you feel at all like something might not be right, then seek advice from another doctor, especially a specialist. It's so great to know that we will know whether he does having something that can be corrected with therapy, or if he's just a very difficult child. For me, just the thought that it's not just me and my parenting that are failing him, that it could be the WAY I'm parenting him because he learns in a different way, would be a huge weight off my shoulders. I don't know if that makes any since. Basically parenting him at times can be beyond difficult. And he truly is the SWEETEST, GENTLE child.