Sexyhusbandomine and I went to a very crunchy birthing class, and at one meeting, while we sat around in a circle over which hung a cloud of patrouli, we were asked to describe our birthing plans. The first woman talked about how she wanted to have a home birth, the second wanted a natural water birth,and the third wanted to just squat right down in the woods. When it was finally my turn I put my non-Berkenstock wearing foot in my mouth and said that what I most wanted was... DRUGS. DRUGS DRUGS and oh... LOTS OF DRUGS. And so CBoy began life with Mommy tripped out, and humming Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds in the delivery room. For a brief moment, I considered naming him Chet, after my dear, dear friend perco-chet. I still miss him.
When Cboy was a baby and had colic, we discovered after we got it home that we had bought a homeopathic remedy that contained Belladonna--a known posion. Like a good Mommy and Daddy, we tossed it into the trash bin...where six hours later, Sexyhusbandomine dug around trying to find it while I screamed over the screaming baby: BRING. ME. THE. POISON. NOW.
I have been known to hang out in the bathroom offering free samples of Benedryl during cold season to runny nosed children. "Just a toot to get you through the night" I say to The Spawn. "it's not like you'll end up doing Robutussin..."
Bananna was born with carsickness and let me tell you: when your child pukes EVERY SINGLE TIME you start a road trip and your pediatrician tells you you can't give Dramamine until they are two years old--you would celebrate that birthday at CVS pharmacy too.
Last week CBoy was diagnosed with ADHD. When we originally went in for testing, we were all: There is No Way we would EVAH consider medication. I went so far as to google "glutin free diet"before I came to my senses.
A LOT of people will have A LOT of opinions about medicating a child. As for me: I am so grateful that medication exists that may help ComplicatedBoy become..well... a little less complicated.
21 comments:
Tough choice. I'm sure you'll make the right one.
One of my BFF's here just upped the dosage today for her kindergartner. Since last week was week one and he was in La Principals office by Friday. We knew this was coming,he is actually like one of my own, and we have done alot of reading up on this decision, which isn't made lightly. Don't worry about what people say, when it is negative, because THEY DON"T LIVE WITH your child, day in and day out. You know as HIS mom what to do. Don't let other people cloud that Mom Gut Feeling.
Big Hugs for a difficult decision with possibly an incredibly great outcome. As in CB is focused and slower on those impulses.
doing the same dance in Texas...
LYG
Lorrie, you know what my Dad told me once (and my husband too)? Opinions are like A-holes -- everybody has one.
The decision you make is yours alone to make (well, along with Kip). You two are smart enough to know what is right for your son, and strike me as the kind of people who will constantly check to see if it's still the right thing as he gets older.
Good for you & good for CBoy. He's on his way!!
hey- I also got M2 "Teething Tablets"when her little teeth were RIPPING through her gums. It contained Belladona
and I asked Super D about that and she said in small doses it was ok, that pre modern dentistry used it as a numbing agent.
So she got Belladona and I got Chardonnay, which in MODERN times is also a numming agent for the crying!!! (I meant for me)
The way I see it is, they're your kids so it's your call.
Whatever helps, whether it be meds, relaxation methods or herbal teas...
It is very easy to criticize other people's decisions. BJ is right, if they don't live with your child they do not know what they are talking about.
WV: baimig - person whose opinion is based on ignorance.
Reading this made me crack up laughing and then I turned into a teary mess! You know what is best for your child. Childrearing is NOT a compition with other parents but a compition to be the best you can be and turn out kids that are productive! If giving your kiddo medicine to help calm him down is what you have to do, do it. From this parent of 2 to you, I support your decision(whatever it may be) and will not judge you! Take care of your little one... I am sure when you are old and gray and he is taking care of you he won't hesitate to give you the medicine that you need! :)
I'd like to add something to the "opinions are like aholes" bit... "and some people's stink" :)
I was a very hyper child and the doctors said I had ADD. My mom didn't put me on medication... and we argued constantly through my early teens because of the way I acted. Would the medication have helped and made for a argument free teenhood? I'm not sure. Maybe.
YOU and only YOU knows what's right for your child. Do what you feel in your gut and don't feel bad about it.
Here's my two bits: medications exist for a reason. We live in a day and age where we know so much more than the generations before us. Taking medication for ANYTHING is no longer frowned upon. I say if it helps, go for it.
Everything will be good.
My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD, coupled with anxiety almost two years ago. I jumped on the I-am-too-good-for-medication train and tried just about everything. Diet. Schedules. Excercise. Then I realized I was stupid, and got the kid some meds.
Life is good now. And with a lot less screaming.
Good luck!
Re: Puking Banana's,
For some reason, and I'm not sure exactly why, but if you go buy lamb's wool from the drug store (Dr. Scholl's brand, IIRC) and have banana put a little wad in her ear like an ear plug, it will keep her from getting car sick.
I'm not even making this up. I am DEATHLY car sick. Looking at a car makes me sick. Boats? FORGET IT. Unless I cram my ears full of grandpaesque ear hair.
I vaguely recall that it has to do with confusing the inner ear. But that part I could be making up.
Also, then you can move your mouth like you're talking but not make any noise and then when she pulls the fuzz out start talking REALLY REALLY loud. Then she puts in back in...no sound, repeat until she's ready to beat you to death with her shoe. It's funny. every. time. Just ask my sisters. Who are assholes. But that's probably unrelated.
WV:mently
I look mently challenged when I have lambs wool in my ears.
Your kid, your choice.
Whatever you choose is RIGHT.
Hope he's less complicated very soon.
This comes from someone at least one and maybe two generations removed from most of you.
I congratulate you for your sensitivity and support for Lorrie. I, too, am fully in her corner. These drugs are not fun. If you have a kid on one of them, you know. There will be one that will work for CBoy, and we will all be patient until it is found.
Now, y'all go back to being smart mouths!
Latte: A tradition
I'm a natural-birthing, homeopathic-remedying, diet-adjusting kind of person for the most part, but I also have ADD, and so does my 6yo. The medication decision is not an easy one, but neither is living with ADD.
Finding the combination of proper drug and dosage can be a tedious process, but it's often worth it!
Good luck to the both of you!
Lorrie, you and Kip are wonderful, loving, caring, amazing parents. He's your boy, you know him better than anyone else. I support whatever you think is best for C-boy and your family. Keep us posted on how he's doing, he's such a great kid which is a testament to his great parents!
And the medications may not be needed for very long. Keep your eyes and options open, use medication however long it helps your lovely boy and care not a whit what anyone else thinks. It would be stupid not to use all the tools the job requires, including medication.
i'm grateful for your writing about this. it's helping me consider things from a different angle for my own, darling, complicated boy. ♥
My youngest is home sick. I just gave him a whole handful of pills and told him if he was still hungry after all those, I might make him some breakfast. 'Nuf said.
I'm squarely in the 'Your child-your decision' corner. I've never been good at letting my kids suffer.
Thank god for chemistry.
My mother has been a school teacher for over 20 years and has seen first hand the positive impact that such medication can have on a child's day to day life. She medicated my brother, and credits the medicine with helping him graduate from high school.
Just do what you think is best, but don't be scared of the medication. It's there for a reason, and if it helps, there's nothing to be ashamed about.
First time parents may seem to get weary especially if they have a colic baby but there are some ways to learn in order get adjusted with crying babies. Such as proper way of feeding the baby, the right position of the pillow, kind of mattress used and others.
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