Update on Zoë's illness
Well, after she had some pain reliever she had a little nap and after that she started to perk up. I got her to eat finally, and to have a drink (hard to resist chocolate milk). She was even playing a bit, and now she's sitting up watching the movie I put on for her earlier.
The combination of pain relief, Migrastick oil, and food must have helped, because she seems much better now.
It would appear that she does, indeed, suffer from migraines. Poor kid. I can't say it surprises me, as it does run in the family, and it's good that we know now. It would be better if she could talk more and say, "My head hurts," but she did seem to understand when I asked, so next time she's out of sorts I'll just ask again and eventually she'll learn how to say it...
Not a good week
Monday afternoon the little girls went for a two-hour afternoon childcare early education program at the same place where Zoë and I go to her early intervention group and Miranda has childcare. They're signed up for every Monday afternoon, so that Zoë can work on socialization, Miranda can get past her separation anxiety, and I can have a couple hours just to myself.
Afterward, Zoë had a huge tantrum because she wanted to go to playgroup, and of course we couldn't. In the evening, she was very subdued and eventually ended up vomiting. We cleaned her up and got her to bed and kept her home from pre-school on Tuesday.
Tuesday, she was unbelievably irritable. I mean, she was just AWFUL. Drove me nuts! She also wouldn't go to bed, so we kept her home from early intervention Wednesday, and she was in pretty good form (although she did sleep quite late in the morning). Wednesday night (i.e., last night) she was restless and wakeful all night, and we again kept her home from pre-school (and she slept late in the morning).
Today, she's just not herself at all. She won't eat, she just wants to lie down and watch television, and she's quite irritable again. She voluntarily lay down on her little foldout couch and pulled a crochet afghan over herself, which is very unlike her. Normally, you can't keep her in one spot for more than five minutes!
A little earlier she went and lay down on the floor in the little hallway by the bathroom. It's cool there, and reasonably dark. I picked her up and asked her, "Do you have a headache? Does your head hurt?" and she answered, "Yeah," so I gave her some children's Panadol, which she took without argument, and then she went to lie down again. She's asleep now, and the problem I'm having is keeping Miranda from bothering her (usually it's the other way around).
So, I'm starting to suspect that she suffers from migraines, just like her father and grandfather. It would explain the vomiting, certainly, and the lack of appetite, and various other signs. Migraines are pretty individualized things, but I do know that some people get them in "clusters" that come and go for a week or two, or get one big long migraine that lasts for several days.
I might try putting some of my Migrastick (peppermint and lavender essential oils) on her temples and see if it helps. It helps me, but it doesn't seem to do much for Andrew's headaches. It can't hurt, anyway.
Don't look, then!
Earlier today, I was watching Zoë and Miranda, and making the Scowling Mama face periodically. Thankfully, Zoë is starting to understand non-verbal communication like that.
At one point I turned and looked at them both and issued several orders to Zoë, along the lines of, "Don't push your sister!" and "Keep your spit in your mouth!" (a particularly nasty habit of hers is to deliberately dribble spit and suck it back in or play with it on her fingers before putting it back in her mouth, ugh). I made The Face at her, as well.
She finally got fed up and came over to my chair, reached up to my face, and pushed my jaw, trying to turn my head so that I was looking at the computer monitor and not at her.
In Zoë language, I think the message was, "If you don't want to see me doing it, don't look!"
She's my Zoë!
When I tell Zoë I love her, I often add, "because you're my Zoë". I want her to understand that I love her just for herself.
I was having a little cuddle with Zoë just now, and I said to her, "I love you," and she answered, "I'm your Zoë".
I had no idea she was really paying attention all those times I said that, but apparently she was, and she's gotten to where she can actually say it, as well!
Good day today
Zoë's doing very well in therapy and playgroup. She had a good day today. When I said exactly that to her, she repeated, "Good day today."
Her tantrums are becoming much more managable. Instead of shrieking and flinging herself onto the floor and thrashing around, etc., she's now crying in protest but still fairly willing to cooperate with something that was outside of her expectations or plans.
For example, today at playgroup she wanted to go into the playroom after snack, as they usually do, but the therapists had planned outdoor activities for the kids, instead. Zoë was very clear that she wanted to go in the play room (she particularly enjoys the trampoline they have there), and she cried and complained, but she did come outside. Twice she ran to the door of the playroom and tried to get in, and both times she cried when told no and asked to come outside, but the important thing is she did not have a tantrum. She cried and complained, yes, but she still cooperated.
I also discussed Zoë's communication development with the head therapist and she was very pleased with the reports. Zoë's making good progress.
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