No parent wants their child to need medicine.

With my firstborn, Jackson, I introduced veggies before fruit. Stuck with water over juice. Only used Tylenol when absolutely necessary.

But then he got cancer and all bets were off.

Jackson had chemotherapy along with strong anti-nausea medications and narcotics. Then for radiation, he had anesthesia daily for 12 days straight. Tylenol was the least of my worries when he was in treatment.

When I had my second child, Abby, my mentality had changed. Because she was a micro preemie and I’d already gone through cancer with Jackson, I could see the benefits of some medications. We gave her what she needed in order to make it out of the NICU.

And boy, was it a lot of medicine over those four months.

At a recent neuropsychology appointment with Abby, the doctor recommended ADHD medicine. Normally, I don’t balk at adding medicine if the benefit outweighs the risk. But this time, I hesitated. She wasn’t hyper. She wasn’t bouncing off the walls and acting out. Why in the world would she benefit from this medicine?

Armed with a list of questions, I met with her neurologist a few weeks later. The doctor explained that ADHD medication for kids with Abby’s medical history could provide better focus, limit impulsivity and enhance the ability to discern dangers.

Hmm.

Together we made the choice to give it a try. The next week, Abby started on a new prescription. After a week, there was absolutely no change in her focus.

Disappointed, I called the doctor and voiced my concern. Explaining that it sometimes takes several attempts to get the right medication, Abby’s neurologist gave us a different prescription to try. I filled it and gave it to Abby the next day. I noticed the results almost immediately. When we got to the car, she climbed in all by herself.

Woah. She’s never done that on her own, let alone without prompting. We’d gotten it right with this new medication.

I was able to work with Abby’s doctors to get it right. I was worried that a new medicine might affect Abby negatively or that it wasn’t necessary. But together, the team discovered some pretty awesome results.

Sure, medication might be scary, but it just might be a game changer.

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About Jessica Woolwine

Jessica Woolwine is a native of Hampton Roads and lives in Hampton with her three “miracles” Jackson (9), Abby (5) and Henry (1). As a mother to a childhood cancer survivor and a micro-preemie, she began the blog Mothering Miracles in 2014 to support other families dealing with health issues. Jessica also works as Creative Director for Rubin Communications Group and enjoys mixing her talents for graphic design and creative writing with community relations. She is a past member of both the CHKD Family Advisory Council and the CHKD NICU Family Advisory Council.