Update on Alaric

Some of you have asked how Alaric is doing and I am so pleased to tell you HE IS WONDERFUL!!!!! He is really doing great and we are so impressed with his progress.

We are really making huge strides with pooping on the potty, and not in his pull-up during naps and overnights. A few weeks ago he tried and he went and we went 13 days straight with poops on the potty!!! Then we went to Spain and we was way less consistant at other people's homes but since we've been back he's gone right back to his poops and we are overjoyed! He still is on a full dose of Miralax everyday and because of that, he still doesn't have complete control of his bowels that way we would or another almost 4-year-old. His stools aren't ever firm so he doesn't feel pressure to push therefore encouraging him to try is harder and the realization that once he falls asleep and his body takes over, he often times fully relaxes and poops. Once we are pooping on the potty full time, we'll will ask about the Miralax, but for now- we are pleased with his progress.

Alaric's iron counts have come in!!!!! Again, SO happy! 3 months ago he had an iron count done and found that his was at a 13. The normal range is 24-240 and anemic is 10. The doctor was very concerned about his deficiency and we were too. For 3 months he has been taking an iron supplement 3 times a day and it has worked. His iron count is up to a 42!!!!!! First of all, he didn't even cry when he got his blood drawn. Secondly, the nurse was very impressed but how fast the numbers increased and said that was not common. I had asked Dr. Hatch what our goal was for iron and his first response was "lets just get him into the normal range first". So, at our next visit will talk about it furthur. For now, we are continuing the same dose of iron. Thank goodness the terrible tasting and smelling and sticky stuff doesn't seem to bother Al the way it does me!

In January, under the advicement of Dr. Hatch, we removed Al from Prevacid after a two month trial that made incredible changes overnight. We were nervous. Since his stomach cramps and fits of his bottom hurting stopped overnight with the new medicine, we assumed the symptoms would come back as soon as we took him off the meds. if they did, we would have a clear diagnosis of acid reflux, be able to return the medicine, and move on. Interestingly, no symptoms have returns WHAT-SO-EVER! Weird but we are counting our blessings daily! No stomach cramps, no constipation, no compaints of his bottom or tummy hurting, no crying and lying in the fetal postion, nothing. We don't know yet what this means. If perhaps the core problem was with his iron deficiency or if it was a terrible 8 month case of constipation or if his body and bowels just needed to mature or what. We are adding it to our list of conversations with Dr. Hatch but again, we are so overjoyed that he isn't on another medicine and he's doing great.

His color is better, his distended tummy seems better, and his overall happiness and demeanor has improved. We have our little Alaric back after some pretty significant struggles for over a year.

Now, if they just had a treatment plan and a pill for stubborness, defiance, and whining......