Parentlife

from 2021 spring airdrielife

by airdrielife magazine

Period poverty

parentlife

WITH STACIE GAETZ

Advocating for answers

Parenting is hard. H-A-R-D.

There are the tough aspects of parenting that you expect to navigate, like skinned knees and the silent treatment, and then there is the stuff that you need to reach out for help with.

But what do you do when no one can answer “What’s wrong?”

My son was a very vocal baby who didn’t sleep much, was sensitive to his environment and let it be known when he wanted attention. He grew into an incredibly active toddler who wanted his way and had a short temper.

He just always seemed different.

I brought these concerns to our pediatrician. As an infant, she diagnosed him with colic and then as he grew, chalked it up to him being “strong-willed” or “spirited.”

We saw several specialists over the years including the professionals at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Pediatric Eating, Feeding and Swallowing Clinic; a sleep consultant; a sleep physician; a psychiatrist; two occupational therapists; a speech therapist and more.

Finally, it was determined that he had Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses.

Although we have put a name to his challenges, we are only at the start of our journey. We are learning everything we can about this disorder, but I am proud to say that I never gave up.

I didn’t take no for an answer and I advocated for my boy even after a number of professionals told me they couldn’t help us or that nothing was wrong.

A diagnosis is not a “cure,” but it is a place to start.

If you feel like there is something not quite right with your child, don’t quit, don’t stop, speak up.

You and your child deserve help. Never stop being their voice. life

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