After navigating years of challenges and uncertainties, our seven-year-old son, Leo, has undergone a remarkable transformation. He is now thriving and full of joy, and it seems to have happened almost overnight. During his first-grade year, he has achieved straight A’s, developed his reading skills, made new friends, and shown a strong commitment to both karate and soccer—despite being less athletic than his peers.
When Leo was just two years old and we resided in Georgia, we recognized that he was lagging behind in speech and emotional development. We initiated therapy, and soon after the birth of our second son, Noah, Leo faced expulsion from his first preschool for biting and frequent temper tantrums. The staff remarked, “We’ve never encountered a child quite like Leo.”
At the age of four, while living in Miami, he was expelled from another school due to behavioral issues and difficulties with impulse control. Parents exchanged whispers about whether he might be autistic, while some expressed anger, labeling him a bully and demanding that he be sent to a “school for troubled kids.”
In an effort to assist Leo, we hired a child psychologist to address his behavior. Around the same time, he was diagnosed with Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, an anxiety-related condition that led him to vomit in stressful situations, including family vacations and holiday gatherings.
We decided to take a step back and hold him back a year from school. At five, while attending a Montessori school, the director identified that Leo had Sensory Processing Disorder, a condition that affects how his brain organizes sensory input. We added occupational therapy to his existing speech and behavioral therapy. Despite our efforts, Leo continued to experience intense meltdowns at home, school, and in public settings.
One fateful day in May, Leo knocked over a bookshelf and accidentally struck his teacher. He was heartbroken when he learned he wouldn’t be allowed to join the field trip. While he rightfully faced consequences, he was filled with remorse and admitted that he struggled to control the “bad Leo” that sometimes emerged. Throughout this tumultuous time, the school, along with my unwavering friends and family, provided him with continuous love and support.
As we moved from Miami to Louisiana, two private schools indicated that although Leo was one of the brightest kids they interviewed, they were either unwilling or unable to accommodate his needs. This was yet another disheartening setback in a place where I had hoped for a fresh start.
We decided to purchase a home in the best public school district, closing just a day before registration. We sought additional resources for Leo, investing in a detailed psychological evaluation and genetic testing to find the most effective ADHD medication to manage his impulsivity. However, as it turned out, we didn’t end up needing those interventions.
When Leo started first grade, something remarkable clicked. He maintained an A in conduct nearly every day, with only two days where he was noted for “excessively talking” to a new friend—something we couldn’t help but celebrate! After nine weeks, he was rewarded for achieving his reading goal, completing his homework consistently, and demonstrating near-perfect behavior. He progressed from barely reading during the summer to achieving a level D, with aspirations to reach level J to advance to second grade.
In fact, he even approached his teacher to request more challenging books for home reading. One evening, overwhelmed by frustration, he threw the books on the floor in tears. After a brief moment, he picked them up again, declaring, “If I can’t be the best reader in my class, then I’ll at least be the best in my reading group!”
While Leo is not completely out of the woods yet, showing heightened emotions and occasional breakdowns—like at karate when we arrived just after the bell—he is making significant progress. His vocabulary is impressive, and he has a wealth of ideas to share, yet his speech articulation remains at a three-year-old level with 30% intelligibility. There is still work to be done.
I share our story because I know there are many other children like Leo and parents facing similar struggles. Some children, like our five-year-old Noah, seem ready to soar from the start, while others are confined within a cocoon, enduring dark periods of uncertainty. We wait and wait, continuously providing therapy, conducting research, and nurturing our children with boundless love. And eventually, they emerge as beautiful butterflies.
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Summary:
In this heartfelt narrative, Emma Carter shares the journey of her son Leo, who has transformed from a struggling child into a thriving first grader. Through challenges such as behavioral issues and diagnoses like Sensory Processing Disorder, Leo’s family has provided unwavering support. His recent success in school highlights the importance of patience, love, and the belief that every child can eventually emerge as a butterfly.