I went in Monday for the parent meeting to go over the eval. It was hard. The woman was slow getting to the point. She beat around the bush and hemmed and hawed the entire way through. She interviewed me AGAIN. Asking me questions that should have been covered already in the reports from the school and our hospital. Made me feel like she hadn’t read any of it – but she had and she was making sure. She was reluctant to tell me her findings.
The two days she worked with Little Bear she said she saw a mixed state episode in him. She saw him once in December and once in January. Her interview with him, without me present, had him scored high on the depression scale. I wasn’t prepared for that. I don’t know how I could have missed that. It hurts to know my baby hates himself that much right now and that I didn’t see it. If I had I could have done something sooner.
They ruled out Juvenile On-Set Schizophrenia (thank God!). They ruled out Autism. He refused to complete the Dyslexia screening but the other tests he did complete is clearly showing a reading deficit. So it’s a matter of figuring out what’s causing it. They can’t rule out ADHD Hyperactive Type until the Bipolar is stabilized first.
Yeah, that’s right. Bipolar. She said he’s consistent with Bipolar and his current trajectory points to Bipolar Type 1. The problem is a child this young presenting this early and this severely is exceptionally rare. This illness usually doesn’t kick in before the teens. So I have no idea if his diagnoses will change right now. They’ll be sending all the paperwork to the school and the hospital. I’m supposed to get a copy as well to put in his Diagnostic Portfolio.
Little Bear has a med clinic appointment next week. I’ll be discussing with them the findings and what our options are. I’m expecting an increase in the Lamictal. They may or may not want to add something to it.
One would think that I would be relieved. One would think that I would be happy to hear that we’re on the right track and to keep doing what we’re doing. One would think that I would be reassured being told that there is a treatment plan for Bipolar with ADHD that doesn’t involve stimulants. She wrote down IEP recommendations and said it should help in getting that in place for him.
I don’t feel relieved. I’m not happy. I don’t find comfort in her reassurance.
I’m grieving instead.