I'm thankful God gave us Mother's Intuition. Without it, Molly Grace wouldn't be about to get the help she needs! I guess I should backtrack a little so that makes sense. I've written about the hair pulling before. It has stressed me out for the longest time. No mom wants to think that there's something "wrong" with her baby. The thought of her having Trichtillomania was heart-wrenching and terrifying - especially after I did what no mother should do...I googled it! So sometime at the end of the school year (around April I guess), I really just was at my wits end. I was stressed, I was sick, I needed help. I had done all the research I could and tried everything with no success. So, here comes the part where God steps in and gives me the nudge in the right direction...my favorite part!
I called around to places checking into Play Therapy. If she had this disorder called "Trich" I needed to get her help asap. I didn't want her to be one of those horror stories I found on google about 16 year olds with bald spots and no eye lashes. Everywhere I called about therapy was OUTRAGEOUS!! Of course if I was a single parent and my kid was on Medicaid, it would've been fine. Then I could've gotten any therapy I wanted at a preschool the government paid for and they'd even come pick her up. But that's a totally different frustration! Since my husband and I are both hardworking citizens and have chosen to raise our daughter in a loving family, it's nearly impossible to get services. It was going to cost us over $1000 just for the initial evaluations and testing before ever even getting any therapy. So...I was at my wits end and just dropped down on my knees one day and cried out to God. I needed help and He was the only one who could give it to me! I simply told Him that I couldn't handle it anymore, I needed Him to take control. And you know what? He did! Just like He always does when I finally give up my stubborness and listen. I don't even really remember exactly how it happened. But in my heart I just knew that this "Trich" wasn't her issue. That little voice inside me kept telling me to dig deeper, so I did. And that night I found an article linking finger sucking and hair pulling to Sensory Processing Disorder. Wow! So I dug a even deeper. When I found a description of SPD, it was MG to a tee. It was like someone had come in and written a detailed list of all my child's quirks. I can't explain the feeling I got...relief, joy, and a little sadness. All of these emotions because "it" finally had a name.
Now I had a starting place. She needed OT. From here things moved pretty quickly. I contacted our local educational co-op who provides state funded services to preschoolers. The nicest young girl was in charge of MG's age group and she has been the biggest help. I truly feel like we would still be waiting and searching if I hadn't gotten in touch with her. We spent weeks getting different evaluations done and having meetings. They tested her for speech, worked with her a little at school, did some observations and I took her for an OT evaluation.
Yesterday we had her IEP/placement meeting. I got to see the results of all of her testing, find out her diagnosis and sign her IEP. As a teacher, I have signed lots of IEPs; sat in countless evaluation conferences; comforted parents who didn't like the findings and urged parents to think of the best interest of their child. Sitting in that seat as a parent was a surreal experience for me. I felt blessed because I knew the lingo, I knew the tests, I knew what an IEP was. But I also felt a little numb. Don't get me wrong, I am so thankful to know that MG is going to get the help she so needs. I'm also relieved to know that these fits and anxieties are normal for her...the normal of having an SPD child. But I was numb because now there is a label on my child. A diagnosis. An IEP. My heart and mind are still so full of mixed feelings. Thankfully, I have a partner in life who sees things in a completely opposite way than me. He simply said...there's nothing wrong with her, this just is her. And that's why I love him! In such a simple statement, he summed it all up.
Mother's Day Out starts back next week. She will get 60 minutes a week of OT and 30 minutes a week from a behavioral therapist to help with social anxieties. She's also moving up into a different classroom with a new teacher...not her Granny! Since the day she was born she has either been in my care of my mom's. This is a whole new experience for us. I'm really excited for her, though, because this is a great step. She will be in the MDO program where she's comfortable, Granny will be in the classroom next door, she'll be with her sweet little friends, but getting some of the preparation she needs to go off to Pre-K (for real) next year. I'm hoping with these changes plus her therapies, we'll see a big difference in her shyness. I so want others to be able to see the spunky, funny, smart little girl I have!
No comments:
Post a Comment