The Eighth Week

 
Yesterday our sweet little man turned 2 (healthy) months old. He has been doing fabulously - smiling, alert, rolling around and reaching for and grasping toys. However, this celebration of 2 months of great health was tainted by the knowledge that today he would have to get vaccinations - a day I have been dreading.

No mother likes to watch her child get hurt, but the actual moment of needle hitting skin (followed by tears and screaming) was not what I was dreading. Vaccinations have been known to cause seizures in infants with Sturge-Weber syndrome, and while Dominic is currently free from diagnosis, I cannot help but go on high alert and become a nervous wreck whenever he is subjected to something that may cause seizures.

The doctors visit went as well as I could have hoped. Dominic is now 12lbs 8oz and 23.5 inches long - in the words of the doctor "he is thriving". She also commented on how much the stain across his forehead has faded. He is alert, smiling, rolling over, his eyes are tracking and all in all he is very strong. Our pediatrician and I decided to put him on Dr. Bob's alternative vaccine schedule where vaccines are split up instead of being administered all at once. The controversial MMR vaccine is also split up and given as single shots instead of a combined shot. The benefit of this is that it puts less strain on the immune system and he is less likely to get a high fever which could cause a seizure.

Dominic only cried briefly when getting his first shot but he has slept most of the afternoon, which is really unusual for him. He is clearly feeling a bit grim but he still managed to give me several beautiful smiles when he woke up and I even managed to catch some of them on camera.

Little man will be going for shots every month due to the alternative schedule and his next specialist check-up is with the opthalmologist in mid-May. Let's hope he continues to thrive and get good results from all his appointments.