Progressing Through Autism: The Dentist

I was so proud of my boys today.  It sure seems like I am saying that a lot lately. They did such a good job getting their teeth cleaned at the dentist!

Rewind two years ago.

I was taking Silas and Isaac to the dentist for the second time.  Really, all the dentist did was poke around in their mouths, trying to get them comfortable.  The kids were not comfortable.  Isaac was terrified of the woman once she put on rubber gloves, he refused to open his mouth.  Silas was scared of the chair, the light, the sounds etc.

When we went to leave he seemed ok, once we got into the parking lot, everything went wrong.

I forget exactly what the trigger was, it had something to do with me being in a bit of a hurry and him wanting to see or do something he was obsessed with at the time.

He had the BIGGEST melt down EVVVEERRRR.

I was trying to get him buckled in to his car seat, he was screaming and thrashing so badly, he got my hat off, my ponytail out.  My hair was a mess.  He was a wild child.  All I wanted to do was to get him buckled up so that he couldn’t hurt Isaac.  I think I had Isaac fastened in to an umbrella stroller as it was all carried out.

People were walking by and staring.  I swear if it had gone on any longer, the police would have shown up.  Seriously.  I stood in the very busy parking lot, hair all over, bawling my eyes out.  I could not get that seatbelt done up.  He was too upset…he was just out of control.

I forget exactly what I did to make it all work out in the end.  I know I made a few phone calls to people, asking for advice.  I think I just dove my face in there once more and got it done.

It was horrible though.  Public melt downs are incredibly embarrassing.  This was when Silas was newly diagnosed and I wasn’t as accepting of his autism.  I wanted it gone.  I wanted people to not judge me.  I was rather traumatized.  Funny how a little tiny guy can cause such a fuss.

Fast forward to today.

Silas got in, sat in the chair, let the lady polish his teeth, let the lady apply fluoride (he chose marshmallow flavour), let the lady floss.  He used the spit sucker thingy and his hand that I was holding was so relaxed the entire time.  He didn’t even need me holding it!

I’m sure the assistant cleaning was like “autism?  What autism?”.  He was amazing.  I am so proud of him.

I did get a bit teary thinking about it.  How far we’ve come in such a small amount of time.  He’s gotten to be such an aware boy who wants to things the other kids are doing, he wants to be able to hold himself together in situations like that and he CAN!!!

The wonderful feeling didn’t last long.  Isaac has at least one cavity and we need to get it filled.  They want to use sedation which I think might be a good idea seeing as though he is so little.  I don’t think he’d sit there long enough to get a filling, especially with the rubber dam in his mouth and the drilling and the freezing.  It’s a lot for a little guy like him.  So is having to fast and deal with being groggy all day too but it will make it so he’s not so scared of the doctor next time.

I don’t know HOW that cavity happened.  I can visually see it.  I was like “crap” last night as we were playing dentist in preparation.  How did THAT happen??  I need to be looking in their mouths more often…crap.

I’m just going to look on the bright side, though, and enjoy the fact that Silas has come so far.  He did melt down in the car on the way back a bit and he wasn’t so nice at school after.  That’s kinda how he is working lately.  Hold it together at the time and then lose it after, when it’s just mommy and daddy and Isaac watching.

Just look at those photos.  Up until recently you pretty much had to force him to let you brush his teeth and now he’s laying there with his cute little mouth WIDE open.

I’m such a proud momma.