Two Year Checkup

We just went to Z's 2-year doctor checkup. Overall, it was great. I was able to talk to the doctor about some concerns I had and I felt like we addressed everything.

First, Z has still had problems with constipation (see The Straight Poop). It's been a challenge every single day to make sure I'm getting him vegetables (but not cooked carrots apparently) and juice and not too many carbohydrates. I started counting grams of fiber (a real eye-opener I would recommend to everyone) in what he was eating. I cut back on how much milk he was drinking (from 24 to 18-20 ounces). I've called the doctor's office in the past and talked to the nurse who suggested more juice. Really? I didn't want to give him more the 4 ounces a day and it didn't seem to help that much.

After talking to my doctor (whose daughter also has a similar problem), she suggested I use Miralax. It's a mild laxative that dissolves in any liquid. I can tailor the dose to what Z will need to help him along. I so appreciated my doctor's response that eating can be enough of a struggle with toddlers so she didn't see any reason to not help things along in the poop department. I am so relieved to be able to feed Z a balanced diet but not freak out when he's had a little more bread or cheese one day. We've only been on it for a day, but there has already been an improvement. I just have to find the right balance of just enough and not too much. Hallelujah! I can't tell you how much better I feel knowing that his screaming and crying with a poop won't be a weekly (if not twice weekly) occurrence.

Second, I talked to my doctor about Z's speech development. Since my last post (Word to Yo Motha), I talked to a friend who is a child speech therapist and changed my outlook on things. I told her how many words Z uses regularly and she said that she thought we should get him evaluated. She explained how there is so much they can do to help things along and that they learn so quickly at this age. She said the evaluation would be very casual and not scary for Z. Bottom line: what could it hurt? And the possible benefits are big if we do find something major or minor that we can work on.

I realized that it was a selfish pride that made me shy away from it. Of course we want to think our children are perfect. Admitting that Z has a speech delay was a hard thing for me. It still is, honestly. Also, as a parent, It's always easy to think you messed something up. I realized my true feelings about it more when I brought it up with my Mom and John mentioned it to his parents. I was very cautious and worried about what they would think or say. I don't know what I was thinking. All the grandparents are completely on board that it will be a good thing for Z. And, going into it, I have the blessing of being very confident that we aren't dealing with a autism spectrum disorder. My doctor reassured me that Z had really great eye contact and normal social interaction. That helps me to not fear the potential results of Z's evaluation.

I'm also encouraged that just in the last couple of weeks, with my focus on his words, I have encouraged Z to try more words and I have seen a big jump in the sounds he tries to make and repeat. And that is without me really knowing what to teach him. Think what we'll be able to do when we know what a speech therapist recommends! I think he has realized the importance and power of words more now. He definitely understands that a well-repeated phrase can be hilarious. At the store, I said, "Oh, man!" because of something. He started repeating it and it is the funniest thing. It sounds like, "ah, maaa," but he imitates the same intonation. I'll have to get it on video. We've had a lot of laughs about it.

So, all in all, an excellent checkup. I'm so, so happy about the easier pooping. And I'm really excited for what we're going to learn with Z's speech evaluation. I'll be sure to post about it when we go (not for a couple of weeks).

P.S. On a side note related to the checkup, Z had to get three shots (in the arm? does that start when they turn two?) and then have his blood drawn. The shots were bad, but we got through it. But the blood draw... oh, maaa.... it was terrible. It took me and two big guy technicians to hold him down. And they had a hard time getting the vein so you can imagine.... Surprisingly, I handled it all very calmly- and I can't even look when my own blood is drawn. Anyway, I have even MORE sympathy for those parents who have to go through a child's sickness or surgery. God grants courage to parents.