Kaylie
Our little girl was diagnosed with PDD at 2.5. Like other parents, we were not given a whole lot of hope. They told us there was no “cure”—it was a “developmental disorder— and that she would never be like other children. Our best option would be to get her into the best behavioral program we could find. That was it. They did no medical work up whatsoever. These were top Boston Doctors in top Boston hospitals. When I asked about special diets or immune system problems or anything that may have been metabolic or biological, they dismissed every bit of it. Pretty soon we dismissed them. We tried a DAN Dr, but still didn’t get the answers we were seeking. Other parents around the web were raving about Dr Goldberg. After pouring over his website, I knew he was the one for our Kaylie. His science made a lot of sense. “Are you crazy?” was my husband’s first reaction. “He is in California. We are in Massachusetts. He sounds great, but it’s just not possible.” Then I learned that Dr. Goldberg came to the east coast a couple times a year. So when Kaylie was in kindergarten and 6 years old, she met Dr Goldberg for the first time.
Kaylie was progressing nicely with her behavioral/educational component before she started with Dr Goldberg. As she started the medications, we noticed her progress markedly sped up. It was easier for her to focus and remain calm. The lingering problem behaviors all went away and she seemed happier. She went on to regular first grade on her own and did great. By the end of grade one, she no longer qualified for any special education services and was considered a “typical” child. I remember crying a lot that year. It is hard to explain the overwhelming appreciation and joy a parent of a special needs child feels when they see their child accomplish something that once seemed impossible. We of course still saw little things that needed work. And her blood work still showed that there were problems. Over the years, her blood work slowly improved, and Kaylie socially matured.
Today Kay is 14 and is about to graduate from eighth grade. She is an honor student who is super excited about the big 8th grade dinner dance that’s coming up. She spends a good deal of time either listening to her iPod, texting on her cell phone, or talking to friends on the computer. I guess you could say she is a typical teen. She understands what happened to her and that her body was sick. She hates the “A” word; in fact she leaves the room if it comes on T.V. She’s such a good girl. Life has not been easy for her, but she doesn’t complain. Even when she has to endure a painful shot, she doesn’t flinch. When she knows I will be talking to Dr G, she sometimes asks when he is going to get the medicine that lets her eat pizza and “normal” food. I guess that would be her one complaint. She wants to eat the junk she sees her pals eating.
If not for Dr Goldberg, Kaylie would not be where she is today. What if we had listened to the Boston specialists? They didn’t draw blood. They didn’t look at her brain. How much damage would have been done to my daughter’s brain and body by now if we had done what the Boston Doctors recommended? I doubt she would be taking honors algebra right now. It is scary and sad. Those Boston waiting rooms were full of kids just like Kaylie. Not all parents question doctors. How many of those kids could have been with my daughter right now if their parents had been given the right information and the right treatment? We are so appreciative for all Dr Goldberg has done for Kaylie and how hard he has worked for our kids. We only hope that soon there will be a lot more support for NIDS. In a couple of weeks, we will be attending Kaylie’s 8th grade graduation. We are so proud of Kaylie for all she has overcome, and full of tremendous gratitude for Dr Goldberg, for giving Kaylie the means to a healthy, normal life. She is on her way to high school and then off to fulfill wherever her dreams take her. She has done all they said could never be done.