Finally! Some answers

Lately I've been worried about Wyatt (as usual). When I went to pick Wyatt up from preschool last week, his teacher informed me that she was concerned about his posture in class. He laid all over the tables, all over the floor while playing, etc. She wondered if he was getting enough sleep. This was a lightbulb for me. I had noticed this behavior a long time ago in Wyatt, but honestly was hoping that it was another thing that he would outgrow. It wasn't happening. She recommended that I make an appointment with his pediatrician. However, I haven't found a pediatrician that I like and trust since I moved to Gooding and didn't have a clue where to start. I decided to do more background research first and started with the Yahoo! Group that I belong to for parents of children with special needs. They confirmed the two scenarios that I had guessed: either sleep apnea or hypotonia. Don't worry if you don't know what they are- I only know after 4 years of research. I figured either Wyatt really was tired because he wasn't sleeping well (sleep apnea) because he gets 10-12 hours a night and 2-3 hour nap every day, or he was having problems with low muscle tone. I have secretly been dreading this diagnosis since Wyatt was little because he's always struggled with his gross motor skills and fine motor skills. SO- I prayed about what to do and how to go about finding an answer to this new- but old- problem with Wyatt. I decided to call my old pediatrician in Tremonton to consult him on what he thought as he has been with me from the beginning. He returned my call this evening, and after asking me questions for 20 minutes to be sure that he was all caught up on the changes with Wyatt during the last 18 months since we moved here, gave me his thoughts. It suddenly clicked. Wyatt does not have sleep apnea or hypotonia, although those were both the first two things that he discussed with me without me bringing them up, so I must have been on the right track. Dr. Lloyd thinks that Wyatt has a slight sensory processing problem (which I have also suspected) and when he gets overstimulated or overwhelmed, he shuts down and lays down. When things are too loud or too hard for him to do, he lays down. This was probably the way that it started, but then Wyatt has probably noticed that when he does that, people back off. Perhaps his teacher doesn't push him so hard to finish his tracing, or I don't make him finish dressing himself. Now it's probably a bit of learned- behavior issue. So- his recommendations- watch when Wyatt shuts down. Is the environment overstimulating? Then I can be understanding. Is the activity I am asking him to do too hard? Back off a little and take baby steps. Is it within Wyatt's abilities to do it? Then dont' give in and have patience to get him through it. I can't wait for Wyatt's Parent-Teacher conference next week to set some new goals with Wyatt's GREAT preschool teacher and get to work on this problem now that I understand it. I love modern medicine and doctors that actually know what they are talking about. This was so an answer to my prayers with Wyatt and the best way to handle one of the quirks that he has.