I finally spoke with his autism doctor and we're getting a game plan together. She's going to increase one of his meds. I also told her that he started Singulair a month or two ago for his allergies. Here is a list of behavioral side effects from Singulair's website. J has experienced a good number of them. So, I called his allergist and he said to stop the Singulair immediately.
J doesn't know it, but he's scheduled for allergy testing on Monday. I hope we can figure out what's causing his symptoms so that we can practice avoidance and not have to rely on meds as much!
His doctor also wants to get his eczema under control, but we can't get in to see the dermatologist until September. She wants us to see our family doctor, which I think is somewhat pointless. J's former dermatologist already said that there's nothing more that he can do for him, so I'm not sure what a family doctor can do.
We took J to an ophthalmologist because none of the drops that the allergist prescribed were working. Let's just say that the exam didn't go well. As bad as I felt for J, it was almost amusing watching the doctor, who obviously had little experience dealing with kids on the spectrum, try to figure out what to do next. It seemed that he was stumped. A nurse came hurrying in after hearing the screams, but he didn't even know what to tell her to do! So, Nick and I jumped in and we finally got through the exam, which included rolling J's eyelids back, an unpleasant experience for anyone, but torturous for a kiddo with sensory issues.
J has Allergic Conjunctivitis and has to use a steroid eye drop in addition to his regular eye drops for the next couple of weeks. Thankfully, the new drops don't sting, because I'm just not up for any more battles, especially four times a day!
J's behavior specialist is working with him, too. She's contacted the bus company to see if he can take a test ride next week, as one of his big fears is riding the bus to and from camp. They're not returning her calls. Ugh.
Oh, and J went in to see if he would be approved to see the psychologist. They did a screening and then called me the following day, accusing me of "double dipping." What??? Yep, since he's getting Wraparound and seeing a behavior specialist, it was considered double dipping when we took him to another facility to see if he can see the psychologist there. They haughtily informed me that the screening will probably not be covered by his insurance.
What can I say? They're on to me. Yes, I was trying to double dip. I was thinking that I wasn't spending enough of my spare time making phone calls, filling out paperwork, and running kids to appointments. I just had to have more!
Unbelievable.
I realize that my attitude stinks. It's just been a long, behavior-filled week, compounded by too many headaches brought on by various medical policies. I told Nick that I'm going to pack up my washer and dryer (my essentials) and move everyone to the mountains of Idaho, where we can live the simple life and never deal with any more agencies, therapies, or doctors.
He said that I've had better ideas. :)
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