There's a Boy in There

Only a week ago, we were ready to give up. Our sanity, at least. This has been a summer like no other. Sure, The Boy gets antsy during the summer break. He’s off his routine, he misses school. Too much downtime.

But this year is, well … different. Maybe it’s his age, and all the changes going on in his body. Maybe he has built up a tolerance to the Risperidone and it is no longer as effective. Maybe it’s the weather … either too hot and humid to breathe, or too cold to do anything. Whatever the reason, Vic has been off his rocker for a long time. Even before summer vacation began.

As summer progressed, the behaviours worsened and intensified. I’ve seen him literally vibrate. Lots of hand-biting. Non-stop stimming. Repeating himself over and over. Obsessing on dates, food, activities. Always moving. Always chattering.

Then we met with Mental Health. An appointment for The Boy, not us, in case you were wondering. Not to say that we couldn’t use a little help in that department. We went to our appointment, afraid to hope for something that might be of benefit. But we had to try something. Anything. After observing Victor, talking to him, and discussing with us what has been going on, the doctor suggested we try Zoloft. An anti-anxiety medication. Not sure it would be effective, but at this point willing to try almost anything, we agreed to give it a shot.

Fast forward one week. ONE WEEK. He is still chattery and he still stims. But it isn’t constant. He is focused. His ability to concentrate is allowing him to fully engage in activities he loves: Sudoku puzzles. Computer games on PBS kids. Watching movies. Working in his activity book.

And his communication skills! We have, for perhaps the first time, been engaging in actual conversation with him. He is still “fixated” on dates, but now he is talking about them! He told us that his birthday is Saturday, December 30, 2017. We asked him what he would like for his birthday. Open presents. What would he like to open on his birthday? Berenstain Bears books and movies. What would he like eat on his birthday? Chocolate ice cream and vanilla cake.

What? Just “chocolate” ice cream? It’s no longer “chocolate brown,” it is just chocolate! And did he just refer to his beloved “white cake” as … vanilla? Oh my god!

We talked about several other holidays and special occasions, too. He described, in great detail, the feast we will have for Thanksgiving dinner. The red paper Valentine’s he wants to make in February. The Easter eggs the Easter bunny will hide in April. More and more detail all the time.

Today I spent an hour on the floor with him while he worked in his activity book. Dave listened from the other room, and I could hear the amazement in his voice every time he commented on Vic’s work. The Boy asked for help, but he truly did not need it. He simply wanted my attention. He got it! The last time he worked in that book, all he wanted to do was circle words and draw lines to pictures. Didn’t matter what the instructions said, that was what he was going to do. Today, he totally awed us as he circled words that rhymed. Underlined describing words. He described pictures to me (skunk is soft, black and white. Fish is blue, cold and soft).

There were pictures with two images that he had to insert adjectives into the corresponding sentences. He gave very appropriate answers. The next activity he chose in his book had him making lists! Yes, lists!! He made a shopping list, describing each food as he wrote it down. He even told me if it was healthy, or just a treat! The second was a list of toys. Sure, he named all of his stuffies, but also had Leap Frog, Phonics Bus and saxophone!

Last night at the supper table he was telling us about his plan to go to breakfast at the Kingston Legion on Saturday, September 2nd, 2017. He said Grampie would be there. And Nanny. Mom. Dave. Victor. And Nanny …. “Nanny. Tough old bird!” He brought us to tears with that one!

We have always said that he is a smart boy. We have always believed that he was in there, somewhere. We just had to find a way to reach him and bring him out. Zoloft has given us this gift. It has allowed his brain to settle enough to focus on one activity, one thought. This focus is enabling him to think, to make connections, to generalize, make new concepts. And all of that has made him a happier boy. His smile is now sincere, his laughter genuine. And it proves our theory … There IS a boy in there. And we can’t wait to meet him.