Recently, I took my three-year-old son to the dentist for his very first check-up, only to discover that he had a cavity. It quickly became apparent that he would need some extra assistance to get the filling done, so we scheduled another appointment where he would receive a mild sedative combined with nitrous oxide to help him relax. The night before, I was a bundle of nerves. What if something went wrong?
When we arrived at the dental office, my son was greeted with tiny cups labeled “1” and “2.” I imagined them saying “Drink Me,” just like in Alice in Wonderland, but he downed them without fuss. Next, we were ushered into a cozy room with a couch and a softly playing TV, the lights dimmed for comfort. The dental assistant assured me that he would start to become less active, and if he fell asleep, that was perfectly normal.
But as we spent the hour waiting, I watched my son bounce between the bookshelf and the couch, using it like a trampoline before returning to grab more books until the shelf was empty. I stepped outside to ask if this hyperactivity was typical, and the answer was a firm “no.” By the time the dentist was ready, my little boy was practically a whirlwind.
In the dentist’s chair, he chose bubble gum as his “nose” scent for the nitrous oxide, but the laughing gas didn’t have the intended calming effect. In fact, he was in the 10% of kids who react oppositely to the sedative. He even bit the dentist’s finger and yanked off the bubble gum nose! My immediate thought? Of course he’s in the 10%.
The dentist suggested he might crash when we got home, but that didn’t happen either. He was full of energy until 8:30 PM when he finally fell asleep, only to rise bright and early at 6 AM.
On top of all that, the previous year during some testing, they flagged him for potential ADHD signs. Part of me thinks he’s just an energetic little boy, while another part knows how challenging it can be to keep him seated at the dinner table. It often feels like there’s an invisible string pulling him from his chair.
I recognize that he struggles with waiting, managing his anger, and staying focused. Even when I’m talking to him directly, his mind seems to drift elsewhere. He’s a dreamer, a wanderer, and while these behaviors might suggest ADHD, I’m not ready to label him just yet. He’s overcome so much, and I want to see the full picture before fitting him into any category.
For now, I choose to view my son as a budding superhero. At the dentist, he simply didn’t realize he was supposed to pretend the sedative worked. He wasn’t meant to reveal his extraordinary strength and unmatched energy. I can’t help but think that when he sleeps, he’s practicing his flying skills around the house. Everything feels different in the morning.
Maybe all spirited children are superheroes in training, unaware of how to harness their powers just yet. Perhaps being in that 10% means there are other hidden heroes out there. Maybe my little one is a superhero, or maybe I’m just seeing things through a whimsical lens.
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In summary, my son’s energetic escapades and unique reactions at the dentist may hint at something more, but for now, I prefer to think of him as a superhero discovering his own abilities.