Blythe, my sweet angel child, has always been what I like to call quirky.
I have no problem with quirky – I mean, we all have our eccentricities. She does seem to be adding to the list pretty rapidly lately, but, hey. Terrible two’s, anyone?
Recently, though, when I took Blythe to work with me and she ended up randomly freaking out *understatement*, one of the other preschool teachers asked if she has sensory integration issues.
My immediate response was, “No,” but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that some of her peculiarities might actually be signs of something more serious.
Some of them include:
She ONLY sleeps through the night when her bed is made with her pink microfiber sheet.
She HAS to wear full-bodied, cotton, footed pajamas. With a zipper. It’s that, or be nu.de.
She potty trained herself because she doesn’t like diapers (certainly not complaining, there)
She needs bottles. NEEDS. They comfort her like nothing else.
She is terrified of costumes: especially wigs and feather boas. TERRIFIED.
She HATES certain colors. Asking her to touch them is like asking her to eat poop and like it.
I called our child psychologist, on a Saturday, no less and set up an appointment to get Blythe evaluated. I wonder if she regrets giving me her cell phone number, yet?
Today, we have some good news. She doesn’t think Blythe has sensory integration problems.
The tentative diagnosis? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – OCD.
Feckity feck feck feck. ~Hey Kia, I hope you know I’m going to be all up in your grill now that both of our kids have been diagnosed. Stealing your signature “feck” is just the beginning.~
Fortunately, we already have a great relationship with our psych because of the amazing work she’s done with Alison, so I think we’re already a step ahead.
Even so, a part of me is just screaming inside, because: DUDE! Like this kid needs more issues to deal with! Aren’t the severe food allergies and the compromised immune system and the asthma and all the other things that go along with those ENOUGH, already?
*Deep breath*
It’s going to be OK. Just another bump in the road.
She’s going to be her own little version of fine.
Yes, she will. We will.