My husband and I have been though a lot in our eight years together, almost everything a couple can face. We joke that at least we know we’ll make it to our golden years because if we stayed together through all that’s happened, then nothing can tear us apart. Then came our sensational children.

When I first began writing this piece, we were not in a good place, and I finally understood how having a sick child could separate a couple. I never could wrap my brain around it before because I had not experienced anything like it. It seemed like you would need each other more than ever. Our children are not sick, but they are different and it is challenge we did not expect.

Initially, my husband did not support my feeling that something was wrong with our son. I felt it for a while, but when you have your child’s father telling you “he is fine” or “you just worry too much,” it casts doubt on an otherwise confident mama bear. Hubby accused me of being a hypochondriac. I reminded him that just because I like to read the big Mayo Clinic medical book for fun does not mean I am a hypochondriac. OK, I realize that may not help my case, but the fact remains that I knew something was off was with my son, something not in my head. I am forever grateful I followed my instinct.

After I learned more about SPD and realized that what we thought were emotional issues in our daughter (6) could all be explained perfectly by SPD, he resisted me on this as well. I refused to doubt myself again. I made an appointment for her to be evaluated by an OT. I encouraged hubby to read some of the books I conspicuously left laying around the house and try out new techniques for dealing with her meltdowns. I ping-ponged between being patient with his slow processing of our new life and being mad because I really needed some support from him. …continue reading