This morning was the 1st morning I drove this little boy to school without anxiety for what his day would be like...
For anyone who knows him well, knows that when he's feeling like himself, he's sweet & caring, fiercely protective of his family & pets, affectionate & kind.
For the past year & a half though, we've struggled daily with terrible mood swings, behavioral issues, meltdowns & on occasion, downright meanness...
Most days, I couldn't wait to kiss him goodnight & be able to breathe, instead of holding my breath for the next meltdown or tantrum...The struggle was almost daily. I would watch him with tears in my eyes, knowing that this was somehow out of his control, but feeling so helpless, not knowing what he needed, or how to help him.
Getting him ready for school was a daily struggle. It didn't matter how much time we allotted, whether I laid out his clothes the night before...It didn't matter how much we prepared ourselves to avoid a meltdown, it was inevitable. There were even a few mornings I kept him home for the 1st half of the day, cause I knew he was in no state to be sent to school.
Church was a whole other story...If you've sat in front of us at church(or anywhere near us for that matter) at any time, you know that the slightest thing set him off & there would be an outburst.
I would get calls from coaches & teachers, wanting to discuss his behavior...
I'm so thankful though that that is not where his story ends!...
Here is the journey we went on, trying to figure out what we were dealing with...
About a year and a half ago, we started seeing behavior changes.
We tried any number of things to help him. One of them being Valerian root(A natural herb that has a calming affect on a childs nervous system), only to find out that he was allergic to it 😩
We tried Plexus(which helped some) but he hated it & it ended up being too strong for him, no matter how little we gave him.
We tested him for ADHD, The results were negative.
We were told by well-meaning people that maybe we weren't disciplining enough, or in the right way. We were told it's probably just a phase & he'll grow out of it.
We tried fish oil(good for the brain, focus & nervous system) which helps, & he's still using it-it just wasn't enough.
At this point we were weary of trying new things.
We quit everything...
I started researching behavior issues in children & what causes them.
The more I read, the more my gut was telling me we were dealing with Autism.
The behavior issues, the meltdowns, social issues...
I called his pediatrician, only to be told that that is probably the only thing he's not qualified to diagnose. We were given a referral to have him tested at Akron Children's Hospital.
Knowing he would be subjected to any number of tests, my heart was telling me he wouldn't be able to handle the testing emotionally.
We decided to check with our NMD(Natural Medical Dr.) to see if she was able to pick up traits for Autism on the testing that she does...she could!
Within 24 hours, I got the call, saying he tested very low for Autism(Thank you, God!!), but she noticed that his Blood sugar levels were extremely low.
We found out that abnormal blood sugar levels(whether high or low) are a HUGE factor in mood swings & behavior issues! I felt so naive😥
She advised us to make that he gets lots of healthy proteins, & 5-6 smaller meals/snacks throughout the day. She also gave him herbal drops that help him manage his emotions if we do get to a place where hes not able to get a snack in when needed.
In just the last 48 hours, adding a few healthy snacks into his day, & supplementing with the drops, he's an entirely different child.
We were able to attend church yesterday, & Andy and I were able to sit through the entire service(including Sunday school & an extra long service) without taking him out once.
He woke up this morning, calm, sweet & snuggly. He ate a protein-packed breakfast & was able to get dressed without a meltdown(we were even rushed for time, so this was a miracle!)
We had no idea how rotten he was feeling due to his Blood sugar levels being so low, then when he'd eat a meal it would spike & have the opposite affect.
He was all over the place but couldn't explain why he was feeling the way he was.
All that, to say this... We have our sweet little man back.
It took us nearly a year and a half to figure it out, but I thank God for leading us in the right direction & for giving us the wisdom needed to get him the care he needed.
If you have a child thats struggling. If your gut is telling you that it's not normal child behavior, don't let someone tell you that it's just a phase, or that you didn't discipline enough(or the right way), you know your child better than anyone else.
Are there any other moms out there who've had a similar experience-I'd love to hear from you!
