Hayden Victoria our journey has begun...

by Mickey
(Valdosta, GA)

I had my beautiful daughter when I was 40, my first child ever. I was excited. I, in the past, have been around children, I have 4 nephews, 2 of them have SPD. So I should of picked up on it. When Hayden was born, she perfect. She slept through the night by two weeks, she never refused a bottle, she latched wonderful on me. I Breastfed her until 4 months old. I went back to work, We went thru 4 babysitters. I just felt or believed they were not taking care of my child as they should. The last one, I believe she may have force fed her at 8 months old. After that day I got her back, she threw up all night. Crying. We finally got her calmed down. She was fine about a day or so, then she got sick. After this round of sickness, she stopped eating, she would take bottle. I was very concerned. I used the mesh bags and she would feed herself, but she stopped with all puree foods.

Dr at the time, was not concerned, she showed no signs of anything else. I thought it was independence. I could let her crawl, not worry, cause she would not put stuff in her mouth. I thought my daughter was really independent. She fed herself, she woke up never cried, she taught her self to walk early on. She hit her milestones, on time or early on. She was not a sick child. No ear issues, perfectly healthy child.

At 14 mos I noticed, some issues. She stopped babbling mama and dada, she could never point to stuff, and she started this rocking. I was about 7 month pregnant and bed-rested me for the rest of my term. I could not take care of my baby sweet pea. She stayed at family a lot. I was just too concern with her. I finally got her in to be evaluated.

That is when everything clicked, they don't believe she is Autistic, but she does have SPD. She has oral and problems being off the ground. She was a careful child, she didn't climb like average children her age, she was clean when she eat, she don't like things between her toes, she did not talk or communicate to her own parents, certain foods only I get a choice of chicken nuggets, fish sticks, rice, noodles and of course cookies. Only my husband and I can make her food.

Now she is almost two, we have came over some big obstacles for her. She finally ate mashed potatoes, she has applesauce once, she is babbling and trying to sing her abc's. She tries on her own to overcome her obstacles. She is in my book, the smartest and independent child I know of.