Thursday, March 13, 2008

My Perfect Child

One year ago at Kyra's 18 month well baby check up I was sick with worry that my petite peanut wasn't gaining the weight she should be. Taller and taller she was growing but no substantial weight did she gaining from the prior 9 months.

I was told to stuff as much "healthy fat" down her throat as she would tolerate to make up for the dairy fat her body seemed to reject in the form of never ending spit up and severe, blistering, diaper rashes.

Six months ago at Kyra's 24 month well baby check up I received more keep an eye on this news. My perfect child, who still didn't give hugs and kisses without a physical prompt, who only played beside other children but not with them. My perfect child who picked and chose what few people she would let into her inner circle, who wouldn't look a perfect stranger in the eye, who ignored simple commands and prompts of her mother. My perfect child just might be showing signs of "possible Autism."

I was told it might be due to her crazy summer. Daddy on a 6 month deployment, an unhealthy living situation in the Bible Belt, an overnight relocation to the Sunshine State, a visit to the Land of the CornHuskers, a mother who flies away for a week to Scotland, and a final relocation back to New England. All this could explain why she was much delayed in her social skills.

But just in case, keep a close eye on her progress when her Daddy returns and the months that follow. If she doesn't improve within 6 months, please return for a follow up.

As of late November she will play with other children and not just beside them. As of January she showers me with kisses every day, with never a prompt. Her ability to look a stranger in the eye, smile and ham it up has improved by leaps and bounds in the last 4 months.

Today, she is 2 1/2. Today she is 6 pounds heavier then she was one year ago. Today she shows no more signs of "possible Autism". Today, I have no worries.

My perfect child is still just as perfect as the day she was born and I'm slightly saddened that at 2 1/2 we don't get to have a well baby check to show her pediatrician how well she's improved. Even still, I hope in the next 6 months she continues to gain weight and continues to improve on her social skills.

No matter what, she will always remain my perfect child.

3 comments:

  1. yep, yep ... perfect as can be [smiling while reading/typing]

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  2. Yay! Glad she is improving drastically- and gaining weight! Those healthy fats must be working..

    Slightly on topic. I totally believe autism is overly and often misdiagnosed- Seems for any sort of delay these days the first thought is autism(not that your pedi thought that). Oi!

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  3. SHE IS PERFECT :) :)

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