Gifted or Simply Bright

Words:At 14-17 months:
My son could say a lot of words. He does not simply repeat the words but points at the object he was referring to.

Noun - tree, flower, key, light, milk, water, moon, star, heart, wowo, mommy, daddy, ball, balloon, car, pen, rice
Verb - up (for stand-up), down/baba, open, sleep, swim, get, hug

Alphabet.
At 18 months:
My son completes "A is for ___". Apple.

Between 18 - 20 months:
A is for Apple
B is for Ball
C is for Cat
D is for Dog
E is for Elephant
F is for Fish
G is for Guitar
H is for Hat
I is for Ice cream
J is for Jollibee
K is for Kite/Key

Primary Complex

Last June 24, 2012, a lymph node was felt on my son's left neck. We immediately brought him to his pedia. His pedia then consulted a pedia surgeon regarding this because there were signs of sickness observed on my son. He's active and healthy. He is continually gaining weight, no cough, no colds, no any manifestation of viral infection. We both agreed that my son's lymph node is nothing to worry about. However, to be sure of what is really the cause of that lymph node, my son was given antibiotic, the one stronger than amoxicillin to be taken for 7 days, then the Pedia Surgeon advised for an xray exam to be after he finishes his antibiotic.

He had an xray exam on September 5, 2012, and to our surprise, the result was "Suggestive Primary Koch's Infection." On September 13, a PPD (skin test) was given on him. It was heartmelting to see my son cry so hard because of the pain as the needle penetrates his skin, his doctor even cried to see him in this way for the very first time, since my son has not been crying during his vaccinations. The following day, I saw the injection site grew into a raised red rash, right there and then, without consulting the pedia yet, I knew he is positive for primary complex. On September 8, when the pedia saw and measured the rash, she confirmed it is a positive primary complex.

The Sophisticated Dermatologist

My son's pedia was a bit worried of the red flaky rashes he has on his back , she wasn't sure if it was skin asthma or pulmonary manifestation that's why we were referred to a Dermatologist.

Okay then, that same day we went to the Derma. I showed the photo of my son's back the first day the rashes appeared, like a sun-burnt skin. Then she saw his back already in flakes. That was the time I have learned that it was 'Skin Asthma', never knew about it before.
I was expecting for an explanation, why it happened, what triggered the condition, what should we do, what are the foods he could and could not eat, and a lot more. But to my dismay, she did not say any, even a single thing about skin asthma. She immediately pulled-out a set of products from her drawer - lotion, cream, and liquid soap. The lotion looks like a home-made product labeled "Triamcinolone." - printed in blue 'Times New Roman' font, with edges unevenly cut (so home-made isn't it?). The liquid soap is also home-made labeled "Sorbolene." Lastly, the cream, a big Avene Cream, about 1 and 1/2 size of my whole hand, as if my son would be able to finish it, and it's of foreign language 'Akerat,' I don't know what's that.

Usanimals

After I stopped expressing milk for my son, I noticed that when I shifted him to formula milk, his immune system got weak. He started to get asthma attacks, he's had cold every two weeks, followed by cough, then skin asthma. I have then decided not to follow his pediatrician's prescription but my own instinct. I continued giving him PedCee though, but I bought him a multivitamins made in US. Since it is not yet sold here in the Philippines, I am just buying it from a dealer who's getting his products from Hong Kong. It's pricey, yes, but I get the value for my money. Why? When my son started taking 'Usanimals,' he can finish up to 5 bottles of milk in the whole afternoon, unlike before, lucky if he drinks a bottle. Now, aside from his milk, he also eats very well that he even asks for it, he is very active, and... the season had changed, he never caught a cough or cold.

What made me happier? It's not hard to give him vitamins anymore because it's chewable. The nightmare of giving him vitamins through drops is gone. My parents were telling me that my son was already 'umay' with the vitamins he's taking through drops that he was running, covering his mouth, and doing anything he could just to excape the not-so-good taste of those vitamins. But now, whenever I tell him to take his vitamins, he will be the one to take my hand to walk with him to the fridge. Happy me...I have learned about this product!

My Hypersensitive Son...

Skin Rash. For a first-time mom like me, it's shocking, panicking, and terrifying to see my son's face and body covered with red rashes.
It started with just a small dot which looked like an insect/mosquito bite, then after sun exposure and went in an airconditioned establishment, to my surprise, it grew bigger, and bigger, and bigger as day passed by.
He was prescribed with antihistamine - 'Allerkid', but nothing happened , so we had to rush him to the nearest hospital few days later when the rash almost covered both of his cheeks because I was afraid it might affect his breathing; then, he was given steroid. On the first take of Prednisone10, the spots started to fade.
"Hives", that's what my son's pedia told me. Cause? We did not know. Food? I guess not, because his food allergies easily subsides after taking an antihistamine. Most probably the hot weather because I have noticed that when he is exposed to sunlight, the rash becomes more red, and those fading rashes seem to be coming back to life, gosh!

Back to work...

I just got a job. Oh yes, it's hard, been having separation anxiety attack at times.
Been seeing myself teary-eyed as I hear my baby cries or call "Mama/Mommy" whenever I leave him in the care of his wowo and wowa. I can't help  not to look back; been wanting to run back to him and hug him for the nth time before I go to work, but it will just worsen the pain. But I have to...I want to...go to work.

I realized that I have to grow also as a person. Said my baby's pedia, "Mommy, let go of your baby. Let him learn to depend on others and not on you alone. He might grow weak."Yes, she's right, so I did heed her advice. I don't want my baby to grow-up depending on me only. I want him to grow-up strong and independent and realize that there are other people around him who could help him and not only me. The adjustment period wasn't easy but I know it will all be worth it.

My baby turns 1...

Oh, time flies so fast! Been noticing changes in my baby, indications that he is indeed a toddler.

1. I no longer need to rock him to sleep. Thank God, because he's almost 12 kilos at the age of 1, too heavy for me to carry said my doctor. Good thing he can now sleep on his own, but I should be beside him because he likes to hold my hand as he sleeps. So sweet! I still sing to him a song before he sleep, it's 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star', but now, he sings/hums with me until he fall asleep.

2. He is no longer allergic to chocolates. Yes, at last, he can now digest chocolates, hehe! No more skin rash whenever he eats food with chocolate content, he can now also drink Chuckie. Still, no to nuts, egg, and lemon square cupcake. And ooops, I've learned a new food allergen...Potchi candy, why oh why?

3. He is near to walking. He loves walking, though he still could not do it on his own, with the help of a walking sling, he keeps on walking. But he's been able to make few steps, however, the problem is, he doesn't want to be held or assisted whenever he walks, as if he's an expert, and he doesn't care, he turns around if he wants to, he picks up something like an independent boy...but he just thought he can, at times he still lose his balance and here I am, the over-protective mom won't let him slip-off the floor that's why they said my little boy walks fearlessly because he'd never experience to fall on the ground.