Annual Check-up

On May 2, Tommy went to our local Down Syndrome Center for his annual check up. His first appointment was at 10:00 am with a Genetics-Pediatric Doctor and a nurse practitioner. They checked Tommy's overall health and they concluded he is a healthy boy. After this, he had an appointment around 11:30 am with his the eye doctor. After the vision test, the Dr. concluded that Tommy's vision is perfect. At 2:00 pm he has his hearing test. Tommy did excellent, he followed directions and his test result has been the best he has ever had. He has a great hearing! The last visit was at 2:40 pm. He visited an ENT Dr. who checked Tommy's ears, nose and throat. The ENT was impressed of Tommy's overall health. So this make me feel good! He revised all internal structures of Tommy's ears, nose and throat. the ENT Dr. asked my husband if Tommy gets sick and common colds often, my husband said "No", he just get sick with cold during the cold/flu season. The doctor said this makes sense because Tommy is the first child he has seen with his diagnosis with the ENT well structured. The ducts are a little narrower than a typical person, but no as narrow as it is expected for child with his diagnosis. Tommy doesn't have fluids. I am glad the ENT Doctor found the reason why Tommy doesn't get common colds. When I said it to the doctors last year when he was hospitalized, they were skeptical. I think we all have to learn our kids are unique and different like everybody else. they share the same diagnosis, but the way the the extra genetic material affect them is different because it is a genetic disorder and not a disease. 


A month ago, Tommy also had his check-up with Dr. Davis, who checks Tommy's growth due to the hypothyroidism. She also noticed the grow spurt Tommy had since the last time she saw him. He is taller and heavier. The Dr. also commented that Tommy's grows is very consistent, which is very hard to accomplish with his diagnosis, but some how he is accomplishing it. It may be due to early detection and treatment. I will be calling Dr. Davis because I will like to switch to a natural hormone because the body absorb it better.


There is one more appointment we will schedule as part of his annual check up. He will see the pulmonary doctor and we are very optimistic. I took Tommy out of the medication because there is not  difference on having him on the medicine or not. He doesn't show any symptom of asthma, even he got a few colds during winter and he got two times a virus that make him to throw up. After a good nap, he was perfectly fine, like he never got sick. The symptoms never got worse as we told it would be because of the viral asthma and he never showed any asthma symptom (he was already out of the medication). I called to the Down Syndrome Center and I told them I have him out of the medication and why. They agree if there is not a difference is not worthed keeping him on the mediation, so they advise us to make a test to check how his lungs are working and get a clearance.   


Tommy is one of the most healthy kids they have seen at the center. His good health gives me hope because I just have to focused on helping him to overcome his developmental and neurological challenges.