Focus On Positivity

My newest endeavor has been to find a pediatrician who works on a holistic level. Thanks to iluveeyore, a very helpful reader, I found one who practices at Loma Linda Hosptial. That is only an hour away from where we are. I'm not sure if our insurance would cover an office visit, but I will gladly pay the regular fee for a visit, just to have the chance to get the opinion of a different kind of doctor. I will be calling them today.

Daniel has not had any other withdrawal signs. He has stopped getting dizzy and seems to be a lot more at ease, knowing that what he was experiencing was a normal reaction to the adjustment of the lack of medication. Being on our new diet has helped us focus on making good choices. We talk more often about how the choices we make, effect so many things that we do not realize. We talk about behavior and how controlling our anger can make the outcome of a situation more pleasant and not end in a punishment. We talk about the choice to put only good food into our bodies and how it effects how well our bodies work. I tell them about my grandpa. He was a diabetic for almost sixty years. He never lost a limb and lived to the ripe old age of 80, because he ate well, took vitamins and exercised regularly. He was a shining example of making healthy choices for a long life.

I am reading a book called "The Gift Of ADHD Activity Book," (Lara Honos-Webb, PH.D.) It gives over 100 different activities to do with an ADHD child and reasons why it helps them on a behavioral level. Daniel enjoys doing these activities and the best part is, they can be done with all of the kids. They are designed to help with increased concentration, relaxation, imagery, self control and frontal lobe activity. Today, we are going to do an activity called "Joy, joy and more joy." It teaches the child to create a sense of greater joy by focusing on the things that he/she loves. We are going to do activities that Daniel loves, read about his favorite things and let him pick out what we make for dinner (he loves to cook!) We are going to focus on the positive aspects of ADHD and use them to build more self esteem in Daniel.

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Ditching The Doctor

Deciding whether to trust or credit a person is always an uncertain task. ~Aldrich Ames

I have decided that it is time to choose a new pediatrician. Sometimes, in life, you have to sever ties with people whom you lose trust in. I trusted our pediatrician with the well being of my children for almost ten years. I know that it is ultimately my job to make sure that my children are in good hands, but I honestly trusted his hands. After our visit to his office last week, then talking to other health care professionals, I am very disappointed in the lack of guidance he provided.

We should have been referred to a pediatric neurologist, allergist and ENT, long before my son was put on medication. I will claim ignorance. I was only trying to make the best of a rapidly worsening home life and failed to do enough research to know that he needed to rule out other medical possibilities, before diagnosing him. Now I know. Now I'm speaking up and he is not liking it. He has shot down my request to see the ENT. He shot down my request to see an allergist and gave me an order to do blood work. How can I possibly find the answers I seek if the doctor who is supposed to aid me in my quest, is creating road blocks?

I am sad to have to say goodbye, but it is necessary to find a doctor who will listen to my concerns, keep all options open and communicated and work with us, not against us.