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This series highlights parent tested interventions to help special needs parents make informed decisions.
Disclaimer: Been There, Tried it is based upon personal experiences of those who have tried a particular intervention. It is NOT medical advice, nor a substitute for medical advice. It is neither an endorsement or opposition to any intervention. This is an opinion piece.
I am not looking to cure disabilities
Some people get ruffled feathers when the phrase intervention is used, because it implies that I’m trying to cure special needs like Autism. Different, not less – I get it- believe me, I do.
Parent-tested interventions
Perhaps a better word would be solutions — workable solutions to alleviate some of the distress that Natalie feels at times when there’s sensory overload, or for what she struggles with daily. The meltdowns. The inability to sleep. Lord, the inability to sleep – as a baby (and through double-digits) she never slept. We never slept. I’m not talking about your garden variety sleep-starved-new-parent kind of sleeplessness – I’m talking about all out war against sanity. Endless nights where she’d cry herself to sleep around midnight, after 4 hours of screaming – just to wake again at 2 am for the day. The screaming left me with a desperation that I can’t even begin to explain in words.
Desperation will make you search for something- anything- to help. I’ve done my share of online research. Seen the good, the bad and the quackery. I’ve also read some things that make me think, “Well, it can’t hurt…”
Make informed decisions
As a family, we’ve taken the approach that we will try things that are non-invasive, and are easily stopped if they don’t work. Moreover, we share interventions with our Pediatrician, and choose what complements traditional therapies – OT, PT and Speech. In other words, we choose interventions that support Natalie living her best life – not to change or ‘fix’ her.
Our family also wants to find interventions that have some proven success, as not to be taken by a modern-day snake oil salesman. Some interventions make BIG promises and carry a BIG price tag. We understand what works for one won’t necessarily work for us, but reading others’ experiences helps us make informed decisions.
Everyone has an opinion
This brings me to one of the most frequently asked questions, which is “Have you tried…. ” This series will explore all of the products and interventions we’ve tried. Some we’ve kept on with, others not so much.
Have an intervention you’ve tried? Be our Guest!