fMRI

I have been very remiss in keeping this blog updated over the past few days. I guess the main reason is because things have been INSANE at work, and also because the day-to-day life with the boys hasn’t quite got in to full swing yet, since they aren’t back to school until Monday. That, however, doesn’t mean there haven’t been all kinds of things going on!
Wednesday was “back to work” day for Hubby and I. That afternoon, S had a doctor’s appointment with his specialist. I was surprised that it was so late in the day – 4:45 pm – but it actually worked out better for me, so I wasn’t complaining. The appointment was about a full hour, and it was in anticipation of the upcoming fMRI that will be happening at the end of the month. I was very happy to have this meeting, as I really didn’t have much information about what this test was, or what it was hoping to achieve. Now I know.

An fMRI is a functional MRI. As you know, an MRI is basically a ‘brain scan’ that lets the doctors look at the brain. This test is actually going to monitor how S’s brain ‘fires’ its signals. Although S won’t be able to speak or move for the hour he is being scanned, the doctors will talk to him, flash various pictures, etc., across a screen on his eyes, and ask him to think about certain things. As he thinks about what they ask, they will be able to see how his brain sends the signals. How cool is that?

After they have this base-line ‘test’, the doctors will then create a specialized therapy to assist with any deficits (or mis-firings) they may find. Of course, the doctor wasn’t able to say what type of therapies they may use, because they don’t currently know where his signals are lacking, but it could be a chemical imbalance that could benefit with medication, or they may find that treating with this therapy and that therapy could assist his thought patterns, that sort of thing. Then, after about 6 months or so of following a treatment plan, S will under go another test, to see if the various therapies have been beneficial to him.

This is all very new. S’s doctor, and the doctor’s at the University hospital are going to be doing this with about 50 or 60 patients, only. S’s results will be compared to those of average twelve year olds, so this will also let us know what are typical actions/reactions/behaviour of a child this age, and what is a direct result of his brain’s ‘hard wiring.’ They are then going to see if various therapies will assist with certain deficiets, etc.

Yeah, S is going to be a bit of guinea pig, with respect to this testing, but Hubby and I figure that if we have a better understanding of how S’s brain fires, we can only benefit, right? If the therapies, etc., work, all the better. If not, no harm done. There are no chemical injections, or radiation, etc. It is a very harmless test, and it will actually help us, and the specialist, have a stronger foothold when we approach things. Right now we are only going on ‘theories’ – after this test, we will be going on an actual brain scan.
I, personally, am glad we are on the entry level of this new testing. I am looking forward to learning more about this. Google it – it’s quite fascinating!