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Jun. 23rd, 2010 02:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sethrakAs predicted, Jack was an angel, and Mark was a bear.
The first hiccup came when I discovered the office was on the upper floor, and we had to use an elevator to go up one level. Mark freaked, but calmed down (briefly) when he got into the hall.
He ran amuck a bit in the waiting room, examining everything, and playing with the toy bears and figurine bears that were all over. Jack toddled about solemnly, hugged the bears, and watched Playhouse Disney on the little tv.
I had them walk, holding my hands, into the exam room. Jack was very cooperative about that, and seemed to think not being in the stroller was pretty awesome.
Jack was completely placid about sitting on the padded exam bench. (Looks nothing like an adult's dentist chair. Shaped kinda like a Gorton's fish fillet, and roughly the same color.) Mark freaked out before he got within touching distance of the bench. >_<
He ran around the long exam room, screeching periodically, and looking out the windows. The hygienists had a hard time catching him. In fact, while Dr. Kohl was introducing himself, and cooing at Jack, Mark made a break from the waiting room. Two hygienists pursued him.
I left Jack with a hygienist and went with Dr. K to look for Mark. He was in full freakout, despite efforts on everyone's part to soothe him. So, with my permission, Dr. K went back to perform Jack's exam while we gave Mark a chance to adjust. He promised to have someone come get me if needed.
Didn't hear a peep from the exam room. Mark eventually calmed down.
A little later Jack came toddling out, holding a hygienist's hand, looking calm but a little sad. He perked up when he saw me. The hygienist said he was very cooperative. They were able to do a full manual exam, clean his teeth, and apply a fluoride film. He has no visible cavities, and all his teeth are erupted where they should be for his age. :D
There was another patient, getting a cavity filled, so we had to wait a little for Mark's second turn. Jack was great. He cuddled me a bit, and toddled around playing very quietly.
Mark was fine until I made him stop climbing on a shelf. >_< Then he freaked again for a bit. Then he was (mostly) calm until we re-entered the exam room. (This time Jack was in the stroller, to reduce the number of free-roaming Zodlings.)
It eventually took two hygienists and myself to hold Mark down on the exam bench. >_< It was pretty awful.
But, Dr. K was able to get a really good look at all Mark's teeth, brush them, apply a tooth polisher to his front teeth, AND apply fluoride film. That was more than I'd dreamed he could do.
Mark has no visible cavities. He has a few easily seen tender spots on his gumline, and his gums bled a bit when brushed, all in areas I have the most trouble getting a brush to when I clean his teeth.
Dr. K says his teeth are exactly where they should be for his age. The chip on his incisor is just a superficial one, and will not cause the rest of the tooth to split, or anything like that. He should be fine, barring injuries, until it falls out in a few years.
For the gums, he recommends doing a few techniques he had to do with his own autistic daughter when she was this age. Basically, give him the choice between standing at the sink and getting brushed, or laying him down in the hallway and gently pinning him so he can get brushed. It took Dr. K a few years, but now his daughter gets brushed every day at the sink, and is starting to do it a little on her own.
Mark's teeth are still naturally far enough apart that we don't need to floss yet, but next visit Dr. K says he may need to give us instructions in flossing.
During all this Jack was hanging out in the stroller, occasionally giving Mark the side-eye for all the commotion being made. ^_^;
I really liked Dr. K. He was very patient when we were trying to calm Mark down, talked soothingly to Mark, and in general really understood what was going on with Mark. I think it really helps having a dentist who has personal experience with autistic kids. :D
We didn't get home til after one o'clock. I made a few wrong turns on the way home, up near the dentist office, and we made a side trip to Culver's for lunch.
Mark's a lot calmer now that he's home and can romp in the yard. Jack was only briefly cranky when I left him in the high chair - without lunch on his tray - while i got Mark out of the car. Since then he's been the same as usual.
Now I just have tomorrow's contacts appt. to worry about. ^_^;;
The first hiccup came when I discovered the office was on the upper floor, and we had to use an elevator to go up one level. Mark freaked, but calmed down (briefly) when he got into the hall.
He ran amuck a bit in the waiting room, examining everything, and playing with the toy bears and figurine bears that were all over. Jack toddled about solemnly, hugged the bears, and watched Playhouse Disney on the little tv.
I had them walk, holding my hands, into the exam room. Jack was very cooperative about that, and seemed to think not being in the stroller was pretty awesome.
Jack was completely placid about sitting on the padded exam bench. (Looks nothing like an adult's dentist chair. Shaped kinda like a Gorton's fish fillet, and roughly the same color.) Mark freaked out before he got within touching distance of the bench. >_<
He ran around the long exam room, screeching periodically, and looking out the windows. The hygienists had a hard time catching him. In fact, while Dr. Kohl was introducing himself, and cooing at Jack, Mark made a break from the waiting room. Two hygienists pursued him.
I left Jack with a hygienist and went with Dr. K to look for Mark. He was in full freakout, despite efforts on everyone's part to soothe him. So, with my permission, Dr. K went back to perform Jack's exam while we gave Mark a chance to adjust. He promised to have someone come get me if needed.
Didn't hear a peep from the exam room. Mark eventually calmed down.
A little later Jack came toddling out, holding a hygienist's hand, looking calm but a little sad. He perked up when he saw me. The hygienist said he was very cooperative. They were able to do a full manual exam, clean his teeth, and apply a fluoride film. He has no visible cavities, and all his teeth are erupted where they should be for his age. :D
There was another patient, getting a cavity filled, so we had to wait a little for Mark's second turn. Jack was great. He cuddled me a bit, and toddled around playing very quietly.
Mark was fine until I made him stop climbing on a shelf. >_< Then he freaked again for a bit. Then he was (mostly) calm until we re-entered the exam room. (This time Jack was in the stroller, to reduce the number of free-roaming Zodlings.)
It eventually took two hygienists and myself to hold Mark down on the exam bench. >_< It was pretty awful.
But, Dr. K was able to get a really good look at all Mark's teeth, brush them, apply a tooth polisher to his front teeth, AND apply fluoride film. That was more than I'd dreamed he could do.
Mark has no visible cavities. He has a few easily seen tender spots on his gumline, and his gums bled a bit when brushed, all in areas I have the most trouble getting a brush to when I clean his teeth.
Dr. K says his teeth are exactly where they should be for his age. The chip on his incisor is just a superficial one, and will not cause the rest of the tooth to split, or anything like that. He should be fine, barring injuries, until it falls out in a few years.
For the gums, he recommends doing a few techniques he had to do with his own autistic daughter when she was this age. Basically, give him the choice between standing at the sink and getting brushed, or laying him down in the hallway and gently pinning him so he can get brushed. It took Dr. K a few years, but now his daughter gets brushed every day at the sink, and is starting to do it a little on her own.
Mark's teeth are still naturally far enough apart that we don't need to floss yet, but next visit Dr. K says he may need to give us instructions in flossing.
During all this Jack was hanging out in the stroller, occasionally giving Mark the side-eye for all the commotion being made. ^_^;
I really liked Dr. K. He was very patient when we were trying to calm Mark down, talked soothingly to Mark, and in general really understood what was going on with Mark. I think it really helps having a dentist who has personal experience with autistic kids. :D
We didn't get home til after one o'clock. I made a few wrong turns on the way home, up near the dentist office, and we made a side trip to Culver's for lunch.
Mark's a lot calmer now that he's home and can romp in the yard. Jack was only briefly cranky when I left him in the high chair - without lunch on his tray - while i got Mark out of the car. Since then he's been the same as usual.
Now I just have tomorrow's contacts appt. to worry about. ^_^;;
