Hi Everyone! Kadyn is doing good with Therapy and is making improvements everyday. She had her first field trip last week which was a real trip. The excitement was building up, but sometimes everything can be too much. Her anxiety has been through the roof lately. She gets so anxious to the point of not being able to sleep and sometimes it can even make her physically sick. Well that night she was up all night crying uncontrollably. It was a mixture of the long bus ride and a new place. The problem was eventually solved when Kadyn figured out that she could ride in the car with Mom. Her anxiety gets the best of her sometimes. She continuously bites her fingers when she becomes anxious which leaves them red and swollen, and she will wake up in pain. That same week Kadyn had a dentist appointment. Up until this appointment she has never had her teeth cleaned due to the ongoing fear and her not letting them near her. Well this visit with the help from her sister Brynn, her headphones, and her weighted lap pad she was a real champ! She's progressing and doing more and more. That same day we went to Boo in the Zoo at our local Zoo, and her and Brynn won the costume contest. They were dressed as Cookies and Milk. Behavior and Potty accidents have been a real bump in the road lately, but we will make it through. At therapy on Monday, Kadyn successfully climbed up a hanging ladder! She has always had a fear of heights, and being off the ground, as well as climbing being a task that has always been difficult. She climbed to the top with minimal assistance and was so proud of herself. She faced her fears and kicked them right in the face. We have a huge surprise coming up in a few days. Our whole family of 6 is going to Disney World with the Highschool band for 4 days! The girls have no idea. We've known since May and they have yet to find out. It is going to be so exciting. They've been asking to go a lot lately. It will be overwhelming for K at first, but we have lots of techniques and things that will help this vacation be fun and adventurous. The long bus ride is going to be the most challenging, but we will climb that mountain too. Yesterday was Halloween, and we ended up going trick or treating in the Mall and then ate at Red Robin as a Family. Kadyn went dressed as Cinderella. Well tonight we have a fall festival to go to that we have gone to for the past 3 years. It will be a lot of fun. I hope you guys have a good week and Thank you for being Apart of Kadyns World!!!
Hi there. Kadyn is doing wonderful in school and scored 1st and 2nd grade levels on her standardized testing. She is adapting well and loves her teachers. For the past 3 weeks both girls have been breaking out into hives on and off. They both went for Skin allergy testing last week which was a painful experience, but Kadyn did very well. Turns out she isn't allergic to anything, and anything could be causing the hives. The allergist put them both on allergy meds to keep the hives from coming back. We went back to square one and changing our detergent to a all natural essential oil detergent without harmful chemicals and dyes, and also switched to a body wash for sensitive skin. Kadyn had an appointment with her Developmental Pediatrician last week where we got some helpful tips and tricks to help soothe her anxiety and constant finger biting. We got her a new chewy jewel necklace that she seems to enjoy. Kadyn also learned how to skip and that made her VERY happy. Kadyn is also doing very well in Sparks this year. She has basically a photographic memory so she memorizes bible verses very quickly. Both girls earned their books and vests for memorizing John 3:16. She is also reading Very well and can pick up a random book she has never read and read it clearly. Thursday we went and watched a homecoming parade in our city. She had an awesome time and really enjoyed catching candy. But sometimes with fun comes overstimulation. The mix of all of the sensory input and sugar caused a meltdown in a store parking lot where she was very violent and kicked and thrashed until I was able to strap her into her carseat. She hasn't had a meltdown like this in awhile. We finally heard back from insurance and Kadyn qualified for OT and will go every Monday at 10. Today she had her 1st appointment where we got the results from her initial evaluation. They diagnosed her with Dyspraxia which explains a lot of her developmental delays as a baby and so many of her coordination issues and other things. Their other observations were deficits in visual motor integration, poor proprioceptive and vestibular processing, gravitational insecurities, and impairments with bilateral integration and motor planning. She enjoyed therapy today and loves her new therapist. So excited to finally begin this journey we have been waiting so long for. The first session was exhausting! Well, with that said I hope you guys have a wonderful week and Thanks for being Apart of Kadyn's World!!!
About 8 weeks ago Kadyn planted a sunflower seed and was so excited to watch it grow. As the sunflower grew Kadyn grew. As the sunflower is growing big and tall, she is growing and progressing. This analogy taught me a life lesson. Keep your face towards to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It's what the Sunflowers do. -Helen Keller We should always focus on the positives and not let the negatives bring us down. We were meant for so much more. and God has a plan for us. Put the past behind you and focus on Gods future plans for your life and do it with a smile. Kadyn smiles on some of her roughest days. I will always keep this close to my heart. Yesterday we attended a fall celebration at our church and Kadyn got to go on a hay ride. Her and Brynn are both very excited about Halloween coming up. On our way to the grocery store today we came across a giant pumpkin made out of Hay and just had to take a picture next to it. After a long 3-day weekend Kadyn is happy to go back to school tomorrow. She really thrives on her school year schedule and prefers doing the same schedule everyday. I hope you guys have a good day tomorrow and Thank You for being Apart of Kadyn's World!!
Well what can I say, we've been MIA for quite sometime now, and I've decided to start trying harder and getting these blogs up every couple days. Life is busy. Kadyn is 5 1/2 years old and is growing up very quickly. Summer was amazing. We had an awesome time on our vacation to Florida and overcame fear after fear. 2 weeks before vacation we started the Sensory Brushing Protocol which was a tedious task (every 2 hrs) but it was worth it. Kadyn attended VBS at our church and had a GREAT time. Before we started brushing Kadyn didn't like things on her hands and was tactile defensive. When we went on vacation she played in the sand and had the best time. It really helped us. Back in September 2014, Kadyn had 2 seizures and was placed back on an anti-seizure medication (Keppra). As she began to have her dosage raised the medicine started reeking havov in our lives. She was emotional, had major mood swings, severe anxiety, and meltdowns that would last for hours, and she couldn't express why. We decided to try a different medication in May (Lamictal). Lamictal is also used to treat mood swings so we were hoping for the best. It was a long process of weaning off and on. When we were fully done with the weaning process, she was a different child. She still had anxiety and meltdowns every now and then, but her mood was stabilized and it was amazing. She is still currently on this medication today. On August 10th, Kadyn had her initial Occupational Therapy evaluation. We went into the appointment hopeful to start a new journey. During the evaluation Kadyn was very anxious. She was very repetitive with her speech. (which is a everyday occurrence for her but was more intense) The therapist saw a bunch of different things and we found out that she qualifies for services, but we have to wait for Insurance approval. A few things that the OT noticed were gravitational insecurities, visual motor planning issues, motor planning issues, and delays of the central nervous system. Among multiple sensory processing issues. We completed a whole 4 page sensory profile questionnare and should receive the results from that soon. As well as the insurance approval. On August 17th, Kadyn started Kindergarten. She is in a inclusion classroom (separate from her sister Brynn) with an IEP. She is doing extremely well and is making great strides. She is still very soft spoken and has trouble communicating with other children, but has made some friends. Who she calls, "Friend A" and "Friend B". She has yet to find out their real names, but will get there. She rode a school bus for the first time and enjoys school very much. We have good days and bad days. Some days her anxiety gets the best of her and she has started getting herself so worked up that she makes herself sick. She has no gauge on what is Socially acceptable and what is not so we continue to work on good social skills everyday. Also, everything she does has to be perfect. She is the last to finish her work and brings home unfinished work all the time. We are so thankful that our good days now outnumber our bad. Kadyn is a lover of Music, Crosses, Football games, Letters and Numbers, Reading, Dora and Friends, Swimming, Jokes, exploring, all fruits, strict schedules, massages, heavy blankets, movie days, and spending time with her family. Kadyn fears being left, heights, not knowing what is next, unanswered questions, speaking to new people, crowded places, getting hurt, falling, blood, big dogs, bugs, grass touching her feet, yelling, and choking. We have a long weekend with Labor day coming up so we are having fun hanging out at home, and catching up. Kadyn is exhausted by Friday and loves to sleep in on Saturdays. Next weekend we start another adventure. The girls are starting a new year of AWANA and will be Sparks this year. I hope you guys have a wonderful labor day weekend and Thank you for taking the time to be apart of Kadyn's World!!
Today I was observant. I've always wondered just how Kadyn interacts with other children. I watched as she played next to the others. I watched as she was on her own planet and didn't play or even speak with the kids her age. She is playing appropriately, and playing the right games at the right moments so before she just blended right in. She plays with who she's comfortable with and everyone else is not there. I just worry that she won't make friends. I don't want her to be "that kid". I encourage her to participate in their games, but sometimes it's hard. As she enters into kindergarten I hope she blossoms. I hope she finds "new" friends other than Brynn and the class she's been with for 2 years now. I know I should She surprises us with her accomplishments everyday. With her and Brynn being seperate next year, I hope she doesn't become isolated. I've noticed that all of her friends are Brynns friends. On a brighter note, Kadyn has her Valentine's Day party tomorrow, and she's excited for her and Brynn to give their valentines, and also to receive them of course! We have 5 days off of school after tomorrow so that's exciting. I hope you guys have a good Friday and weekend, and Thank you for being Apart of Kadyns World! I know I brag ALOT about how cute, sweet, and smart these kids are. Well today just made me my love for them so much stronger. Kadyn was having a rough day. Cranky and just plain hostile. We had to run to the grocery store to get a few things and she was just not in a good mood. Well, when you first walk in our grocery store they have a display of flowers bouquets. Kadyn told me that she needed to get Mommy some flowers. I said not today. She went ballistic. She was screaming and completely melting. Screaming words like "Mommy deserves these flowers!" and "We don't ever buy her flowers!" Through the whole meltdown all she really cared about was wanting to make her Mommy happy. With lots of stares and strange looks. We decided to buy the flowers. When we got home, her face lit up with more excitement than I've seen in the past few days. She was so happy to get her Mommy the flowers she deserved. I know having a tantrum is not a way to get what you want, but I love her heart. She wants everyone to be happy. I LOVE THIS KID. I can't say that enough times.
This weekend has just been one of those weekends. Kadyn has been off her rocker. She is behaving like she never has before. Really anxiously, using poor judgement, and is whining a lot. Could this be because of the new medicine. Possibly. Because of this behaivor we are starting fresh. A new essential oil regimen and a new visual schedule. We are hoping that we see improvements in the next couple days. Kadyn is trying really hard to learn how to ride her bike, right now we are at the stage where she is just now comfortable with sitting with no movement. Like every new task it is gonna take practice. We had family come from out of town to bring them some birthday presents, because they were not able to make it to the party. I think this schedule change kind of contributed to this. She did not like opening the presents and a lot of anxiety was involved. When she finally got them open she really enjoyed what she got. We also found a new go to technique when Kadyn is overstimulated or can't sleep. We use the Wilbarger Brushing Technique and Joint compressions, and then a fully body slowly moving rock. Within 10 minutes she is fully calm and even sound asleep. The past few days she has fallen asleep mid rock. Today was MLK day so we didn't have school which Kadyn was not used to but I think she did pretty well. She has a new fascination with building towers with mega blocks. That has been her non stop entertainment for the last few days. We are hoping to get her back in Awana Cubbies this week and to start going back regularly. We hope you guys have a good Tuesday, and Thank you for Being Apart of Kadyn's World! On January 7th 2010 Kadyn Sarah was born at 3lbs 9oz. 5 years later she is healthy, happy, and thriving. Kadyn weighs 33 pounds and is 40 inches tall. Her favorite foods include spaghetti, strawberries, tacos, and fries dipped in milkshake (lol). She loves school and is super smart. She loves reading, playing with play-dough, dancing, Frozen, and the Despicable Me Minions. In 2014, we have good times and not so good times. We can no successfully go up and down slides with little to no fear, (we are still working on the swngs, but we'll get there), Kadyn listened to fireworks for the first time, she swam without floaties for the first time, We built a snowman and went sledding for the first time, We take baths now no problem, and we can spend time with people we love without fear. This year has been the year of improvements. On Thursday, Kadyn went to see her neurologist. In September and October Kadyn had 2 possible seizures. The neurologist decided at first that we would wait and see if she had another one, before we entered the world of anti-seizures meds for the 2nd time. Well on Thursday her neurologist informed us that the seizures that she was having were called Complex Partial seizures, and possible partial seizures that she had had when she was younger. The doctor said our safest plan is to wean her back on Keppra. (she had been off for almost 3 years). So far since we started the medication we haven't noticed any worrisome symptoms. We have to keep a close eye on her, because we will be slowly increasing her Dosage. Even the simplest stare off in space (partial seizure) could cause brain damage. Kadyn's anxiety has been under control these past few weeks. Shes only had one meltdown since last week, and she was in sensory overload at the time. When she gets overstimulated she acts crazy. Tonight we had to do body brushing, and joint compressions. And rocking to get her to come down. We are looking into getting a new pressure vest for her to help relieve some anxiety when we are out. Especially with her starting Kindergarten soon it would be very beneficial. We are hoping 2015 will be just as rewarding. I hope you guys have a great year, and had a great 2014. Thank you for being Apart of Kadyns World! Yesterday we decided to take a trip to The Childrens museum for a couple hours. KAdyn was having a good day before we went. In a good mood and cheerful. What happened while we were there just breaks my heart. Her anxiety is higher than its ever been right now. She freaked out 4 times in 2 hours. Things that we used to love are too stressful right now. Even with Brynn playing with her (which is usually her crutch) if she lost sight of me. She lost it. Anxiety is a mean monster. One thing she really enjoyed was the science show. She loved learning about winter weather. Today we have a day of Christmas shopping to do. I hope you guys have a wonderful rest of the weekend and Thank You for being Apart of Kadyns World! You guys were probably wondering where we have been for so long. Well, we have been so busy lately. I didnt realize how long its been since I blogged last. Kadyn is doing wonderful she is getting so big and so smart! She is so excited about Christmas and her 5th Birthday coming up soon. (January 7th) Back in October Kadyn had an appointment with a developmental pediatritian, They evaluated her and she was diagnosed with Anxiety and a Sensory Disorder. She has most of the red flags for High Functioning Autism, but a few of the social areas she is ahead in. So a diagnosis is not what we are looking for right now. Also, in the last past couple months she was diagnosed with Microcephaly. (Below Average Head Circumfrence) Lately her Anxiety has been higher than usual. Instead of Crying and Screaming when she becomes stressed she has started to go into a panic. If she is in a unfamiliar place and she doesn't have Brynn or Mom or Dad in her view she panics. Hyperventilates and freaks out. This is what the doctor is worried about. At School we are trying to make her more independant. At this point she is dependent on Brynn. When she starts Kindergarten we plan to seperate. Kadyn is sooooooo smart. She is doing addition and is really starting to read. Today Kadyn got to shop at the Santa Shop at school and buy Mom and Dad christmas presents. On Thursday, We are going to the Zoo for Dreamnight with Santa. Which is a sensory friendly visit with Santa w/ food and crafts. Well, I hope to start blogging again every day or every other day. Hopefully. Well I hope you guys have a wonderful night and Thank you for being apart of Kadyn's World!
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