high lead level: tested low
low iron level: tested about once a year, always lower end of normal to average
allergies: tested no gluten, food, animal or common ones. definitely some local environmental ones and is on claritin and/or benedryl for them. chose no further testing on this at this point since the next test is a skin prick and he won't deal well with that. Also it's not like we can keep him indoors when whatever they are are in bloom.
zinc deficiency: Not sure if this has been tested.
side effects of medications: None that we know of. He is often on claritin, benedryl and albuteral. I haven't linked any behaviors to the medicines.
sleep disorders: Due to the allergies he has some snoring, possibly enlarged adnoids. Have chosen not to go farther with this since the snoring isn't severe or often, doesn't disrupt his sleep and surgery for adnoid removal is just not something I want to deal with him with right now.
1. Meals and sleep routine are pretty regular when he's not having a bad day. He stopped taking naps at maybe 18 months, but sleeps 11-12 hours a night. Problem is he doesn't sleep through the night when he's having a bad time.
It's been raining a lot so outdoors hasn't been much of a choice, but they do a lot of running indoors and we have a mini-trampoline he uses when we can convince him too.
We need to get food in him every three hours or the tantrums get worse. Problem is he doesn't eat on command...
2. We're not big TV people. It's normally only on for little kids cartoons for a bit in the morning and then in the late evening on Discovery. Right now or main goal is getting out of the house without a tantrum and getting to bed without a tantrum. I am a STRONG believer in only fighting the big battles!
3. They eat mostly fruit, veggies and whole grains. Protein is mostly cheese, milk, yogurt, nuts. They do get one candy or sweet kiddie treat, 8 oz watered down juice and 8 oz weak chocolate milk a day and chicken nuggets and fries every so often, maybe once a week. Both take a kids multi, pretty balanced one. No fish oil though, he can't swallow pills yet and there is no way I'm going to try to spoon fish oil into him!!! LOL Is there a kid friendly affordable option?
4. My husband takes them in the morning so I can sleep in since I get up with him at night. He also takes the main role in the evenings after work. I've been working very hard on getting some evenings off, joined a knitting group, going to a concert, etc... Mother-in-Law moving down will actually take some pressure off of me when Bear finally adjusts to it. We'll have someone else we can trust to watch him.
Thank you.
Back story is necessary with kids like him, it's just an encyclopedia! I do need reminders to take care of myself on a regular basis.
