Sophie's Journey (so far)

Okay, I hope this isn't too much information, but I use this blog as my journal so I want to remember this about our sweet Sophie.

Sophie has been called many things over the years - shy, reserved, introverted, slow to warm up, you get the picture. For me, this has been heart breaking. When we signed her up for soccer, she would stand in the middle of the field, frozen like a statue. She would remain this way throughout the game. Afterward, she would cry because she was so disappointed in herself for not playing. At school, she was known as "the girl who doesn't talk". She would only participate in activities at school about half the time and was completely nonverbal at school for about the last half of the year. When someone asks her how old she is or what her name is, she freezes like a deer in the headlights. While I am shy by nature, I've always been able to make friends and function in the world. Sophie took shyness to a whole new level. She couldn't function in her world.

For awhile, I just figured she'd grow out of it. I thought she would learn how to cope with it and eventually come out of her shell. But she seemed to be getting worse instead of better. My dad mentioned that he'd seen a clip on the Today Show about Selective Mutism and suggested I look into it. I'd never heard of this but after a few months decided to look it up on the internet. I was shocked to discover that Sophie fit the description EXACTLY. It's an anxiety disorder where kids are extremely verbal at home but become mute in almost all other settings due to extreme, paralyzing, anxiety. Her kindergarten teacher mentioned the same diagnosis.

After a lot of discussion and thought, we decided to have her evaluated by a child psychiatrist. He agreed with the diagnosis and recommended we start her on an anti-anxiety medication. We're also motivating her with small prizes for communicating with people. I am here to tell you that this medication has made a huge difference in our life! I was worried that Sophie might become a different person or "lose" her personality. Actually, I feel the opposite has happened. She seems like she can relax enough now to be herself. Her primary teacher called to tell me today that she's noticed a big change in her. She said she volunteered for the prayer and even befriended a visitor in the class. Her teacher had no idea we had started her on medication.

I understand that medication is not a "fix all" and I even think it tends to be over-used in our society. However, so far, it has given Sophie those little chemicals in her brain that she was missing. It has helped her relax enough to talk to a cousin she wouldn't talk to before, and even answer someone's question on the playground. I'm so glad we live in a time where science and medicine can help improve the quality of our lives.

Now wish her luck with 1st grade! This will be the true test.