I did the rest of Bub’s intake for the behavioral therapy that we want him to start, although before they can begin providing services he needs to have a psychological assessment on file. So that will get scheduled whenever that can get scheduled. I told the therapy clinic that I would like this to take place in our city if that can at all be arranged, although I am okay with commuting if there is absolutely no way around it and we have exhausted every other option. I try to avoid commuting out of this city whenever possible though, especially now that we know that Bub’s meltdowns have worsened in frequency and severity (which could be, and very likely is, caused by the onset of adolescence). The longer that he has to spend riding in a car, the dicier things can get, even when I bring everything with us that stands a chance at keeping him calm or occupying his mind. And this is even when he’s been sedated as per advice and recommendations from his care team — before it used to be Benadryl and melatonin, which wouldn’t cause him to go to sleep but would calm him down, and now it is Mirtazapine given during the day if that is ever absolutely necessary.

He will be on a wait list for the rest of the services that the county can provide, all except for the behavioral therapy whenever the psychological assessment is done and therapy is able to begin. That much can happen sooner than everything else. However, the wait list for other services that he can be provided with is years long. That much I don’t actually mind at the moment, because the primary service that I want him to begin to get is the behavioral therapy whenever it can start to be scheduled. But whenever those other services can start for him, I mean, that will be nice. And none of them seem like they will hurt matters any.

One of Bub’s therapists — as she should have — made a referral for behavioral therapy because of the bite marks, bruises, and wounds that he leaves on me as a result of meltdowns. A few days ago, during one such meltdown, he managed to score a direct hit on me headbutting me, and he did this so hard that I briefly lost consciousness. As a result, his initial behavioral therapy will be crisis management until things can be gotten under control, and then we are looking at therapy meant to help him better learn to cope with overwhelming feelings (or, in whatever communicative way works best for him, inform an adult that he can not do this so that the help he needs can be gotten for him), as well as to recognize when he is beginning to melt down so that he can take measures such as isolating himself when he does not want or can not safely have comfort.

I did the first part of the intake for the crisis management therapy yesterday over the phone, and I will finish what should be the last part of it today. Obviously I am completely amenable to all of this because I want Bub to be safe, and I want to be safe while providing him care. I am continuing to wait on his developmental pediatrician to increase the dose of the Risperdal that he is on, although that should happen in the coming days without complaint. The Risperdal has been helping out… he just needs a slightly stronger dose of it.