There’s a storm coming. A cold winter wind is already buffeting my neighborhood, with the promise of rain and snow to come later today. That’s outside. Inside the house, the storm is already here. Our decision to stop Ryan’s stimulant ADHD med has led to dramatic changes in his behavior — both good and bad. […]
Read more "Waffle Free Wednesday"I watched Ryan skate, somewhat aimlessly, in a pair of hockey games this weekend. His usual strength, positional play, was seldom seen. He looked out of sorts on the ice. After the games ended, I observed him for signs of impulsivity and to assess the frequency of his facial tic. I took him home, watched […]
Read more "Another Spin of the Medication Wheel"Ryan’s hockey team finished its regular season last weekend. There are still two weeks of playoffs, plus a weekend tournament to come, but the occasion still had me thinking back to how far he’s come. In October, 2011 I took Ryan to his first evaluations for the house league. This was his first chance to […]
Read more "Hockey Season in Review"Hockey has a unique scoring system, one that fits the ultimate team nature of the sport. The player who scores a goal is credited with one point. The player who passed him the puck is also credited with one point. The player who passed the puck to the player who passed the puck to the […]
Read more "An Assist From an Old Teammate"When you’re in the thick of it with difficult times, it can be helpful to step back, breathe, and appreciate some small — or not so small — success. Sometimes you have to seek out these small triumphs, sometimes they find you. Ryan spent the weekend battling a head cold. The congestion exacerbated his facial […]
Read more "The Stealth Honor Student"
Pucks and Puzzle Pieces 