Our beautiful, sunny Rachel girl has a yucky side to her. It's something we've been battling for a while but within these last 6 months it just progressively gotten worse. She first began crying when other babies would cry. Then when other babies would cry or squeal. Now it's when any child cries, squeals or otherwise makes a noise she doesn't like. And it's not a little cry that stops after a minute. No. It can go on for thirty minutes to an hour. Back arching, rolling on the ground, snotty crying. If we are home when it happens, I usually have to take her upstairs to her crib where she promptly falls asleep from exhaustion.
As if this wasn't enough to deal with and try to figure out, a couple weeks before her tonsil surgery, she started waking up from naps crying uncontrollably which was so not like her. I thought it was a phase. We try just letting her be. We try rocking her but most of the time I can't do that because I have Charlie to take care of. Sometimes the rocking calms her down but then as soon as you go to put her down she starts all over again. I usually end up having to just leave her screaming and crying for up to an hour and a half sometimes because there is nothing else I can do. TV doesn't work. Snacks or drinks don't work. Nothing I have thought of works. And I am done. Rachel has to be able to get along with other kids without breaking down. She is going to start preschool in September and I am dreading it because I just know how she will act. She has to be able to nap and wake up normally. She has to be able to play along other kids.
I put in a call to a pediatric behavior therapist. While they do not treat children as young as Rachel, she directed me to call our pediatrician to get a referral to an OT who can help us get some tools to help Rachel. I hope to hear something from them tomorrow about who we are to meet and when. I am past ready to learn how to deal with these issues and how to help Rachel overcome something that will hinder her progress in life. They are not night terrors. It is not reflux. It is something behavior wise that I have not been able to figure out how to get her to work past. If anyone has ever dealt with something like this, please let me know.
I think an OT would really help, it sounds a lot like sensory issues, especially the sensitivity to sounds. An Ot can give you guys techniques but ask them about therapuetic listening, I've had several parents of kids I work with swear by it. I hope you can figure out a solution soon!!
ReplyDeleteHope you guys can find something that will help her with that. That potty is called a Peter Potty!!
ReplyDeletegood on you for reaching out! Poor Rachel! Nava wakes up crying in the night sometimes and it takes a minute or two to stop and I just can't imagine the pain on your heart to see her cry so much and for so long.
ReplyDeleteThinking positive the OT has some good ideas.
Don't beat yourself up over her behavior she has gone through a lot lately a new brother and surgery are huge changes. Help is always good but too bad a behavioral consultant can't help too. An OT will hopefully help with teaching her ways to self regulate. Elizabeth is 7 and she cries or says bad things when the baby screams so I would say that is pretty normal.
ReplyDeleteCharlie looks so much happier now and of course cute.