Arrr Matey – My Son, the Aspergic Pirate

My son had a follow-up visit with his opthamologist on Friday. The outcome – an eye patch. His vision is still getting worse and since he’s ambylopic we’re afraid that his brain is going to shut off his right eye. Even with the glasses, he’s still over-compensating and using his left eye more. Now he gets to wear an eye patch for three hours a day, every day, and we go back to the doc in two months. I think this will be good for Alexander because he’s been slacking a bit on wearing his glasses (he’ll take them off for something and forget to put them on, etc). This way he knows that this is serious business but he doesn’t have to worry about wearing the patch outside of the house.

I cannot get him to say “arrr” for me though, I’ll do it in my best pirate voice and he just giggles but refuses to say it. I asked him if I should buy a parrot for his shoulder to which he enthusiastically responded “yes!” I forget that rhetorical questions don’t usually work with six year-olds or Aspies. hehe The office gave us a package of four sample patches and recommended a company based out of Tucson, Arizona – Ortopad USA. I ordered the patches yesterday and selected priority UPS next day shipping (as we don’t want to run out). A representative from the company called me back and said UPS doesn’t deliver on Saturday and since I’m also in Arizona the standard priority mail shipping would likely get here by Monday. Guess what arrived on my doorstep today? Yup, 100 fancy boy-themed eyepatches.

As I’ve mentioned (repeatedly, I’m sure) Alexander is tactile defensive. Thankfully the patches only irritate him a little bit. Hopefully when we go back in two months his right eye will have made improvements and we can stop. Until then, I have a happy little Aspergic pirate.

Subscribe to the Mutterings of a Mindless Mommy RSS feed!