The Time change and Maple Pollen...

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
are an Explosive combination for Duckie. We go through this every year, though usually to a lesser extent because she usually adjusts somewhat to the time change before the maples start pollinating. My itchy eyes tell me they started last weekend because my allergies are kicked up already.

She has been argumentative and... shrill. There's really no other word for it. She is loud and screeching rather than using a normal tone. She was difficult at Brownies and American Girl Club and nearly had a meltdown when I picked her up from school because she couldn't find her math homework.

I tried to discreetly rub her shoulders to calm her down at Brownies tonight but she screamed that I was pinching her.

Ugh.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I'm sorry.

Because as miserable as you are dealing with her behaviors, Duckie is at least as miserable feeling the way she does.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
You're right, she is miserable and jumping out of her skin. She's wound so tight right now that she's been thrashing in her sleep tonight.
 

Andy

Active Member
Has she tried any allergy medications? What other things to you try besides the shoulder rubs?

How long does the pollen season last?
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
What other allergy medications have you tried? 'Cuz those don't sound like they're working too well for her!

Poor Duckie! Poor Mommy! (Passes the tissue box.)
 

timer lady

Queen of Hearts
Poor sweetie. I hate the time change (the tweedles are really affected by this though neither have allergies to speak of).

Is it time, until Duckie's allergies are better controlled, to pull back on Girl Scouts & such? I say this with some consternation as I know that I wanted kt & wm to be in such activities, however their issues would escalate & cause a great deal more anxiety as they tried to hold it together in front of their peers. It became a battle before, during & after each meeting.

Just something to consider.
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Poor Duckie even thrashing in her sleep. Poor you having to deal with all of the effects of this. I think you deserve some "me" time.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
I'll up her Zyrtec if this lasts into Friday... she just doesn't adjust well. One good thing is that the location of our cookie booth has been changed. We will now be in the entrance way of our church rather than in the dining area of the church's fish fry. There will still be lots of traffic but not so much commotion.

I didn't keep her home last night because she managed to hold it together at school. That's a really big deal even if she's barely holding it together. American Girl meets once a month and she missed our last scout meeting two weeks ago when she getting over her asthma attack. We have a field trip and no meeting next week.

She'll have gymnastics tonight and I think that actually helps her a bit. Her coach is good at inspiring her to do what she should and the physical activity may relieve her tension a little.

She's quite grumpy this morning... but at least she's stopped grunted at me.
 

klmno

Active Member
TM- I was doing the same thing with my son until I figured out it WAS the zyrtec triggering him. We switched to a nasal spray- asteril or something like that and he was not triggered. I'm not saying this is the answer for Duckie, but if you increase zyrtec and it gets worse, you might want to consider it as a possibility.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Thanks klmno, she's been better overall on the Zyrtec... she just hits bumps in the road during pollen shifts. I hope this one is short lived and she adjusts quickly.

She was funny this morning. She said she didn't really feel angry but her voice sounded that way anyway. She was in a good mood by the time the bus came.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
Something interesting happened tonight... we talked. What's so important is that Duckie really seemed to listen when I talked about her regaining control of her body and behavior. She was a lot calmer and offered suggestions on how to self-calm. She was still somewhat tense and talkative from yesterday so I asked her if I could give her a massage and she said yes. She's been sleeping a lot better so far tonight.
 

gcvmom

Here we go again!
That's really great that she could participate with her own suggestions! I know when the difficult child's were younger I used to have to rub their backs before they went to sleep, otherwise they were up, up, up for way too long past their bedtime. easy child was this way for a little bit, too.
 

timer lady

Queen of Hearts
TM,

That's wonderful that Duckie is self aware enough & had ideas on her own self calming. Both kt & wm had to be a part of their self calming chart of ideas. It's fun to get those old charts out every now & then to see how their calming methods have changed (or if one or the other uses some of those same srategies).

Tell Duckie this board auntie is very proud of her & to keep up the good work.
 
Top