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I frequented this site over 4 years ago when we adopted our son who will now be 5 in January. He's an awesome boy with lots of energy. I am curious about long term affects of drug exposure. I've been doing a lot of research on studies done in the past. The main thing I find is the possibility of affect on the prefrontal cortex of the brain resulting in behavior, developmental and cognitive issues. We have very little info on his birth family due to non cooperation by birth parents. Also I did probe her for info regarding use and she did eventually admit to using cocaine, marijuana and we knew because of doctor involvement about opiate exposure which they said could have been due to meds during birth. He was quite high when he came out, barely moved, never cried. I was able to coax him to eat a little though. His withdrawals were able to be controlled with techniques the nurses showed us in neonatal. He had low muscle tone and went to physio for 7 months. He was late in some small areas like walking, holding cups and he never once held his own bottle, he couldn't sit up til 7 months or hold his head up til 4 months. I was wondering what affects long term I should be aware of. What kinds of things have you encountered with your drug exposed children. I love my son dearly and want the best for him. There is not a lot of support where I am and I am not well aware of what I should be concerning the subject. When in discussion with the social workers at his birth they were not overly informative. We knew of severe things like what someone might be dealing with if the child was exposed to LSD or something serious like that but, this is a real grey area for me. I know just by being around my son and other kids at his play group that somethings just a little off. Enough to really notice but, not enough to be alarming. He's hyper that's for sure, and very easily over stimulated. He goes overboard with everything. very dramatic, now some of that is typical boy stuff I realize that but, where's the line here. He will be 5 in January and has yet to potty train. We have an early interventionist meeting with us in a few days. I'm not even sure what to talk to her about. I'm nervous about meeting her and wondering if it will even help. Its like he knows what to do but, for some reason doesn't quite know how to practice what he knows. He sometimes will get it right but, most times just doesn't bother. I am frustrated to say the least but, trying super hard not to show it. Is this kind of potty delay normal? and now I have all my church friends wondering why he's so old and not trained. We've tried EVERYTHING and that's no joke. Even tried ignoring the issue altogether but, he started changing his own pullup and we were going through them every 3 days. I simply can't afford that so we started trying again and hid the pullups. well it's much better but, still quite rocky. Is there some way of helping him understand what he needs to do or some magic trick I'm not aware of. The over stimulation is a concern as well as we are in church a lot and just being around the other kids sends him to heights unknown. He's very hard to bring down and sometimes can be an all day thing. I'm exhausted. Thanking God for a husband who knows when to take over and leave me be for a while but, he's tired too. I adore my son's personality and dramatic flare I'm just concerned I'm missing something here that would help him settle and learn a little better. I will NEVER complain about late potty trainers again that's for sure. You just never know what is really going on when that happens to a family. Wondering about others experiences and how you coped with the bumps in the road. thanks.
Wasn't quite sure where I should post this.
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histears4u
He's hyper that's for sure, and very easily over stimulated. He goes overboard with everything. very dramatic, now some of that is typical boy stuff I realize that but, where's the line here.
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Not fully sure if he does realize when he needs to go. Sometimes it seems like he is aware and other times it just comes out of him. Until August he had serious blockages that hindered his ability to control his bodily functions. We dealt with that through probiotics, stool softeners and minor diet changes. H think he feels defeated since he's so much older and has been working on this for so long. We didn't even realize he had a problem until this summer. One of those why didn't I figure that out situations since his stool has always been extremely soft since birth. The doc said that is a sure sign of blockage. Wasn't absorbing water properly. Anyway we tried all the docs suggestions and honestly nothing worked, We went for prayer one morning at church and his stool has been normal ever since, that was 2 months ago. Now we know he can tell when he is peeing but, his bm's seem to be half out before he realizes what is going on and if he feels it coming he thinks he's already lost so doesn't try and bolt for the toilet. We have tried to encourage him to try and make it even if it's coming cause he might just get it in but, he has yet to grasp that concept. As for the rest, we are still figuring all that out. He panics very easy. Like jumping up and down screaming if his shirt does not just slip off without a hitch, or freaking out if he has to wait a couple minutes for something. Or simple play fighting can turn into a monkeys free for all if not kept in check. If 2 adults are talking in a room he will jump up and down in front of you and talk over everyone if he knows them or not. He talks non stop and has a high pitch excited voice all the time. The only time he is quiet is when he is on his tablet or in bed. Even when he is sick we don't usually realize it until he is due for a doc visit because he just keeps on going like nothing is wrong. He throws himself around a lot and if he gets a bruise or something like that I usually find out because someone sighted will ask me like 2 days later what happened and I have to answer I have no idea because he never flinched when he fell or rammed into something. He is pretty rough on himself playing. I've seen kids that were way more hyper then he is but, the combo of this stuff is what has me wondering about what we are working through here. I am pretty sure it's not ADHD as the aggression is not very prominent here. He's more impulsive and silly then anything. All over the place in a monkeys banana jungle would describe him I think. I can barely get anything done around the house because he is in my face all the time even with all the toys, and things he has available to him. If I do house stuff too long he starts getting into things to get my attention so we have had to place a lock on our bedroom door and put anything in there we don't want hin touching. He only does it to get me frustrated so I have to focus on him instead of my task and this usually happens within minutes of stopping something I was doing with him. He gets plenty of attention from my husband and I both so there's not need to feel neglected that is for sure. I spend every morning with him doing homeschool and it's active, dancing, doing projects, story time and such. His dad comes home and spends hours with him playing and going for long walks and stuff so not really sure what the deal is here. We usually have to have one parent to cook and keep house while the other keeps him on earth. LOL We have also one day a week where we do family stuff like going out somewhere or something. He has a way of picking at you until you either scream or pay attention to him. sigh. He with other kids tends to panic if they do something he doesn't like or has something he wants. We don't spoil him that way so he has been taught to share and doesn't always get what he wants. However he has been known even at 4 to snatch stuff out of a toddlers hands sending her on her butt in the process simply due to his size and strength of pull. He is huge for his age, the size of a 6 or 7 year old. He doesn't use his words very well when agitated or mad or panicky. We are trying to help him with that. I guess he's mainly panicky and overly impulsive and silly. He's what I call on the edge between "normal" and not "Normal." Whatever that is supposed to be. LOL.
histears4u
He throws himself around a lot and if he gets a bruise or something like that I usually find out because someone sighted will ask me like 2 days later what happened and I have to answer I have no idea because he never flinched when he fell or rammed into something. He is pretty rough on himself playing. I've seen kids that were way more hyper then he is but, the combo of this stuff is what has me wondering about what we are working through here.
histears4u
I am pretty sure it's not ADHD as the aggression is not very prominent here. He's more impulsive and silly then anything. All over the place in a monkeys banana jungle would describe him I think.
Yes thats true enough. He doesn't fully display A typical ADHD behavior. Sensory seeker oh yeah for sure. We started making minor changes in how we respond to certain behaviors and that seems to be helping a lot. He has even been getting better with toilet training. Still doing number 2s in his pants but for peeing he has only had 1 minor accident since last Wed. Finally getting somewhere. We had a visit with a behavoir interventionist on Fri and that went very well but the waiting list is long so we have to wait until the new year to start reg visits. She is going to get me info on programs and activities in the area. Possibility funding as well for sports like gymnastics or dance. Right now I'm trying to help the people I interact most to be more understanding of where he is at socially. What my friends once viewed as rebellion and lack of discipline is now becoming more clear to them it is not the case here today at play group people didn't seem so hard on him. I find being special needs myself its so important to be informative and willing to answer questions so people understand rather then assume.