The Mystery of PDD

When my son was 7 years old he was officially diagnosed with PDD-NOS. The psychologist explained it as someone having a language delay, social challenges and behavioral challenges. I bet you're thinking what I'm thinking–pretty general huh? Well, being the curious cat that I am, I looked it up on the internet to try and get a better explanation and really couldn't find anything that offered one.

In any case, we have had to live with this diagnosis and over the years figure out what works for us and my son. He can be irritable at times, which takes careful managing. He takes words and expressions very literally, which can make him angry, another delicate area. 

He's extremely rigid about rules, tends to be the "Boss" with other children and also polices the adults when it comes to using inappropriate language. This can actually be quite comical. Impulsivity is another area that keeps us on our toes.   As he has matured, it has definitely gotten easier, but there are still times we have to explain, be a role model and just plain put our foot down about certain things.

He's a quirky guy and it can be exhausting, but we love him and he's so worth it. He has taught me so much about patience, tolerance, kindness, compassion and knowing when to laugh it off. I am grateful for the lessons learned. It is a gift I couldn't see in the beginning, but that is so clear to me now.

I know we aren't alone in this journey based on all the feedback I get from my . It's comforting to know we are not the only family faced with similar challenges. 

If you are a parent dealing with behavioral, emotional and language challenges, I would love to hear what strategies you use daily to help get through your day.  Every bit of advice is a gift!