St. John’s Wort. Vitamin D. Fish oil.
Therapeutic lights. Essential oil diffuser.
Weighted blanket and vest. Medicine ball. Bouncy house. Trampoline. Climbing structure. Yoga ball. Body brush.
Child therapy. Psychiatry. Neuro-psych evaluation. Occupational therapy. Family counseling.
Karate. Basketball. Gardening. Swimming.
Mental health support group for parents. Hours of reading Wright’s Law, a web site dedicated to special education law.
Co-pays and driving commutes ad nauseam.
Teacher, team, and IEP meetings.
Advocacy for hidden disabilities. Intervention for panic attacks.
Afterschool mentoring program. Puppy therapy.
Four years ago, piece by piece, these items started to take over our lives in every way imaginable: calendar, gas mileage, emotional energy, finances, and insurance. They crowded out family fun, play dates, time with my other children, and my work and hobbies. They affected my husband’s ability to travel for work in the short term.
Our youngest son’s (Little Man’s) disabilities and special needs were multilayered. At the end of many specialists and educational meetings, were the following diagnoses:
ADHD, Combined Type
Visual motor delay
Fine motor delay
Weak upper body
Sensory regulation issues