It's a sad victory!

Does a diagnosis of autism change our current state, I am going to say No, not for us. I suspected Gabby fell on the spectrum for the last few month. When I first suspected this I spoke with my pediatrician which lightly dismissed my concerns. I decided to listen to my own inner voice and contacted Easter Seals (which I was able to receive services from due to Gabby's developmental delays).  Not till a later appointment at the pediatrician's office did his nurse witnessing one of Gabby's massive meltdowns; and only after her dismay he choose to refer us to a neurologist. The neurologist didn't run any tests, didn't take any blood, but rather just watched her lay on the floor and screaming for the majority of our visit... her statement to me was "Gabriella can't be autistic, she is to affectionate toward  you"!!!!!! That one statement proved to me her lack of knowledge! It scares the hell out of me to think of how many children are being misdiagnosed because of ignorance.....  :(   
I decided to take the initiative and make an appointment with a behavioral pediatrician myself! Yesterday, at the autism evaluation with the developmental pediatrician I received a diagnosis for Gabby. She was diagnosed on the spectrum as PDD (pervasive developmental disorder).  She did state that she didn't believe as an over all diet change and herbal supplements helped children with autism, but there is a rare occasion she has seen it help. ( I believe it works for more then what they are aware of). She did validate that she believed Gabby was one of those children that it is working effectively for. She said her suggestion to me was don't fix something that's not broke, the diet changes and intervention of Easter Seals is making positive impacts on Gabriella... continue to do exactly what I have been doing! No one wants their child to be diagnosed with autism, but I am left with nothing but positivity and hope, I will never allow this to defeat us...
 I ask you to ask yourself the same questions I had to ask myself. When do we stop believing doctors know everything? If doctors and the FDA know everything why is there malpractice, and so many recalls from the FDA? When should we follow our intuitions, and use our natural instincts? Is it fair to assume intuitions and instant our are brains own alarm system? When should we stop being followers and think outside of the box? As children we are taught to do as we are told... but at what point in time do we stop needing to be told what to do? Why don't we think of ourselves as the most valuable resource?

I think as a society we are so willing to be "patients" that we lose sight of our own inner voice. Doctors and the medical field have done some extraordinary things, and I am not taking that away from them. I just feel we need to think ourselves as experts also... who really knows you or your child better then you do? Believe in the power of  YOU!!!!!!