Autism: Breaking the Sound Barrier

Autism:  Breaking the Sound Barrier

I don't know why I always think I am the only one experiencing a certain behavior in my life with my son with autism.  Before he was diagnosed, I thought it so peculiar and unique that he liked to rewind video tapes.  I wondered why he did it until I stumbled upon a list of 

"stereotypical" behaviors for autistic children, rewinding video tapes being one of them.  

Last week on Facebook I read of how many other children will have multiple media sources, the TV, the DVD, the CD player, the computer, all running at the same time, which my son does also.  Ok, guess I'm not alone in that one either. 

But today I touch on the subject of "noise". Again, I cannot be alone in this situation with regard to autism and our kids.  I think about the TV commercial where the homemaker answers the door to find a service man outside.  In the background you see two children jumping on the couch, beating each other with "pool noodles" making a good deal of noise.  We can assume this commercial portrays "regular" kids so sometimes I wonder 

"am I just too old for this?"  " do kids actually make this much noise?", "what about a family where they have numerous children of varying ages?" does it get this noisy at their homes?  

At our house we have "good" noise and "bad" noise.  "Good" noise is the type I am experiencing as I write this.  My son is in a good mood.  He's watching a video, and a dvd at the same time.  We have Charlie Brown on the TV and Chicken Little - on the DVD.  He's singing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart".  This "good" noise is accompanied by him rocking the bar stool so that the feet slam against the ground, bam, bam, bam.  As he is doing this he's also vocalizing some new verbal "stim" I guess it would be called "ooh, ooh, em, em, em".   It's driving me nuts.  I know he can't help it, but I cannot tune it out.  As he's doing all this, he's smacking himself on the forehead.  Another new one.  And when time allows, poking his index finger on the counter, tap, tap, tap, tap. There is a ritualistic series to these movements but I can't honestly say I've tracked it yet.  I have to admit though, many times this "good" noise, Spongebob yelling, Scooby Doo and Shaggy screaming all together, is too much for me.  I can honestly say I know what "sensory overload" is.  And I also think, that perhaps I am more sensitive to it than my son, or maybe it's a personalized thing, what bugs me does not bug him and vice versa. 

Bad Noise:  ca·coph·o·ny noun \ka-ˈkä-fə-nē, -ˈkȯ- also -ˈka-\

: unpleasant loud sounds

Best word to describe "bad noise" at our house.  I'm sure I don't have to explain "bad noise" to other autism parents.  The noise that goes with a meltdown, or at very least, an angry moment, a refusal or making no bones about the fact that my son is displeased with something.  LOUD NOISE. 

To the outside world though, all these noises must seem extreme.  I've decided to "classify" them based on the possible thoughts of those who might hear them and not know the full situation inside our house.

GOOD NOISE:

1.  Cartoon noise, Spongebob yelling, Patrick crying, or Squidward screaming "I gotta get out of here". 

As a female TV reporter who came to our house last week said "When we walked on the porch, we figured there was a special needs person living here".  "Oh, how intuitive of you!"

2.  Banging on the counter:  "hey I guess the neighbors must be installing new drywall". 

3.  Jumping on the bed:  "they must feed that kid too much sugar"

BAD NOISE:

1.  "But I Don't Wanna Go to School"....because this is a fully functional sentence most people assume he is just a spoiled brat and the "if that were my kid" thoughts and comments flow.

2.  A sensory meltdown caused by a loud unexpected sound  from either the computer or vhs :  the stray cats run from the porch

3.  A "who knows what caused it" meltdown including hitting and throwing objects:  "the herd of deer crossing the property have jumped the fence to get to the other side of the road."

4.  the combo meltdown:  Mom committed some cardinal sin by saying the wrong word, or the wrong ending to a script, or god forbid the DVD player doesn't work or the gameboy gets stuck, topped off with puberty and a ton of other emotional issues:  the real estate agent contracted to sell the $950,000.00 house built about 100 yards from us is realizing she will probably never sell the joint.  

But there was a time when it was quiet here.  About a year ago my son was very ill.  It was very quiet here.  An eery, scary, doom filled quiet.  Without the physical energy or the mental desire to participate, there can be no noise.  I longed for him to have the drive to engage in any of those "noisy" activities he used to.  I swore at that point, that when he recovered, I would not complain about the "noise"....the "autism noise" as long as he was strong enough to produce it.  

So, it's 10pm here and we have both Lilo and Stitch and Spongebob and Patrick on.  Yes, it's getting on my nerves but.....I'll take it!

Autism: A Christmas Kick In The Head

AUTISM:  A CHRISTMAS KICK IN THE HEAD 

Don't get me wrong I HATE AUTISM. I loathe it.  I would give it away, throw it out for the trash, put it in the blender, burn in on the barbeque, well, you get my drift.  I hate it for the moments, the experiences, the joy, it has stolen from my child.  I hate it for the pain, the anguish, the confusion, the tears it has caused my child.  For those who feel otherwise, that is fine.  For those who view it as a blessing, a difference, I applaud you and support you 100%.  I have not reached this level of thinking yet. 

The past two years of our lives, my son's and mine, have been hell.  He has lost his eyesight and his father. (No, his Dad did not die). I cannot explain either to him in terms that he is able to understand yet.  He is so much stronger than I in that he takes on each day without the knowledge that I have, trusting, I suppose, in me.  Through this 2 years I have been drop kicked by every emotion imaginable.  Fear, anger, hatred, betrayal, doubt, mistrust, envy.  I've been on the amusement park log flume ride of emotion and the boat never seems to pull into the starting area.  It just keeps looping and looping around and trust me, I wanna get off. It's the joke about "show me a Mom who has never thought of taking the car keys, driving off and never coming back, and I'll show you a mom who can't drive.  

But I can't drive off.  He needs me.  He needs me now more than ever.  

But this Christmas in an unexpected moment I received a rather strong KICK IN THE HEAD.  I began following a story on Facebook about a little girl in our state, 7 years old, whose days on earth were numbered due to a very rare form of leukemia.  I read how the folks in her town rallied in numbers exceeding 8,000 people, to fulfill one of her last wishes...to hear Christmas carols being sung outside her home.  I jumped on the prayer chain on Facebook for this child.  Her family clung to the slightest hope for a miracle for her to pull through.  She had been through so much in a short period of time, 7 months since her diagnosis.  Christmas Eve, my son with autism and I retired for the night thinking of the gifts he would receive the next morning when Santa visited our house.  

Her parents however spent the night in vigil over their precious child whose life hung in the balance. 

I awoke Christmas Day and checked their Facebook page to find the worst.  Their daughter had passed from this earth at 3:10 am.  My heart sank.  How will this family every have another enjoyable Christmas remembering this as the day they lost their child?  

Like a kick in the head from a size 13 Army boot I realized.  Yes, my child has autism, but I have him.  I have him here on earth.  I'm sure her parents would tolerate any form of loudness, hyperactivity, any meltdown, any repetitive behavior, any negative, annoying, tiring situation for the opportunity to spend time with their child, who is gone. 

I vowed any moment in 2014 when I am feeling sorry for myself, when I'm exhausted from autism, when I'm saying "why my child" I will think of this family and this child.  I'm realizing that sometimes miracles don't always immediately present themselves as such.  You just need a kick in the head. 

Autism: No Leftovers Please

Autism:  - NO LEFTOVERS PLEASE 

With Thanksgiving being just slightly behind us I feel compelled to write this blog.  I've avoided it for a long time.  Reason?  Somewhat to be private about what's going on in my and my son's life, somewhat on legal advice, so I will keep it clean. 

This Thanksgiving was a tad different than the last.  This year my son's health is somewhat better than last year and he was actually able to get out of bed and listen to (not watch) the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.  This is a tradition in our house and for his sake, even though he has lost his eyesight, I continue it.  We wait for our favorite character balloons to come down the street.  I describe them as they appear so he knows what's going on.  I admit I embellish the line up with those characters he wants to be in the parade that are not.  I suppose it gives credit to my creativity to come up with descriptions of "Little Bill", "Charlie Brown" "Barney" and other characters that are not really in the parade.  I'm sure there are some that would disagree with me on this but it's my choice. 

After the parade I start to work on the turkey and the other food items that only I will eat.  My son has the typical self restricted autism diet.  By the end of the day I am exhausted and wonder why I go to all this trouble for only one person to eat.  Why only one person?  Reason being my husband of 26 years left our household two years ago.  My son, autistic and newly blind and myself are the leftovers. 

Let's check the Wikipedia definition of leftovers:

Leftovers are the uneaten edible remains of a meal after the meal is over, and everyone has finished eating. Food scraps that are not considered edible (such as bones or the skins of some vegetables and fruits) are not regarded as leftovers, but rather as waste material; any remaining edible portions constitute the leftovers.

The ultimate fate of leftovers depends on where the meal was eaten, the preferences of the diner, and the prevailing social culture. Home cooking leftovers are often saved to be eaten later. This is facilitated by being in a private environment, with food preserving facilities such as airtight containers and refrigeration close at hand. Some leftover food can be eaten cold from the refrigerator, while others may be reheated in a microwave or a conventional oven, or mixed with additional ingredients and recooked to make a new dish such as bubble and squeak.

So allow me to compare the definition of "leftovers" with regard to food and that of "leftovers" with regard to a family. 

The "uneaten edible remains after everyone has finished".  The people you promised to love honor and cherish and rear, as in brining up a chid, that you leave remaining after you are "finished" with them. 

The "ultimate fate of the leftovers depends on where the meal was eaten (this might mean if you are surrounded by  extended family to help and support you or if you are left on your own).  "The preferences of the diner" could this refer to how much of a darn the departing party gives to those left behind?  "And the prevailing social culture") to me this means how society views what you have done to your family members and how well you will be accepted in society for having done so.  From our perspective I would say that our society has lost all its morals and holds nothing sacred or honest anymore.  The "it is what it is" motto prevails.  

I spoke with another autism mom prior to Halloween this year.  "You know" she said, " the divorce rate for autism families is 50%".  So of course, I looked it up. Based on a study done by the Kennedy-Krieger Institute of Baltimore, MD, a premier facility serving autism families, the divorce rate for autism families is no higher than that of regular families. 

So, do you blame it on the autism?  Or something else?  I do not know.  I do know however that at the "new location"  there are no meltdowns, no tantrums, no stacks of video tapes, no scripting, no ritualistic behaviors.  There are no barriers to living.  If one wants to jump in to car and take the kids to the movies, go for it.  If one wants to have guests over for a dinner party, go for it.  Wanna plan a long distance vacation, go for it.  Want to have everything neat and tidy, of course we can.  Want everyone to have their best, prettiest, glamorous, fashion conscious appearance.  Yes we can do that, because, remember "people judge you by your appearance".  God help us. 

However, you forgot one thing.  Back at home plate, (yes, pun totally intended)  you left the stove on while you were out (from Lilo and Stitch).  One of the leftovers is not doing well.  Well really both of them are not doing well.  The elder one who supported you until you became successful and self absorbed is alone and tired and stressed and yes, IT SHOWS.  She, or maybe he ( could be both scenarios) is struggling as you cannot imagine to support a child that has his own struggles internally.  A child that does not understand the change; how can he when the "elder" doesn't either? You have left her to explain the unexplainable.  To deal with a broken heart and a child with a broken heart.  You have left her to hear "you have to call Daddy" in the midst of a major meltdown.  She cannot explain the reality of this situation to a child that does not understand anything other than "you are supposed to be there", a child who quotes the Tigger Movie "Why can't we go back and be a family again?".  He speaks in scripts but speaks his heart as best he can.  The pain in him is hard to watch.  The leftovers are trying hard not to spoil. 

Therefore with this Thanksgiving passed until next year, I beseech anyone having problems in their family and marriage living with autism.  Do anything, do everything, try it all to salvage what was once the dream.  Forget you ego and go to counseling, get a second outside opinion and guidance.  And STOP THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF SOLELY.  YOU HAVE LIVES IN YOUR HANDS.  People are not disposable like a turkey leg.  You cannot simply scrape them off your plate.  They did not ask to be brought into this world, they are of your making and they deserve so much better.  NO LEFTOVERS PLEASE. 

Autism: All Heart and Innocence

Autism:  All Heart and Innocence 

This week we had a tragic event happen in our neighborhood.  Down the road from us a young lady runs a riding stable and school.  I could walk there from my house.  The barn that houses the horses is very close to the road itself.  Many times you can see the children, some very young, leading the horses out of the pasture to the riding ring next to the barn.  People tend to drive extremely fast on this road, taking into consideration that is is a residential neighborhood.  When you drive up the hill to my house from the horse barn at certain times of the day, you get blinded by the sun.  

This week I heard the sound of the local fire department sirens and could see down the road to a large assembly of emergency vehicles in the area of the barn.  I wondered if one of the horses had escaped and caused an auto accident.  It was the next day that we learned that a young lady, a riding student 15 years old, had been struck by a car. 

I explained this to my son with autism.  He listened quietly as I told him that some folks drive too fast.  That we must never go near the road.  That mom and all other drives must concentrate when they are driving and that it is a serious job. 

Today I made the daily McD's run to get Joey's french fries.  When I returned I saw him make his way to the computer printer in his bedroom.  He extracted a piece of printer paper and brought it to the kitchen. 

"I want to make a card for the girl that got hit by the car", he announced.  

Now, my son loves to make cards for family members around the holidays.  When he was home sick the entire school term last year, he wrote letters and cards to his best friend in class.  The content was usually something related to "Blues Clues".  

I offered to help him with the message for this card:

"Get Well Soon"

Emily, I hope you are riding your horse soon!"

Love, Joey XOXOXO

I am soooo proud of him.  To think of this on his own, to empathize with someone who is in pain, to offer to do something for someone else, is monumental for him.

We made the card.  I inserted a little note with a picture of Joey for the parents to read and understand why it is such a basic piece of artwork.  

I hope the understand that for him it was a great accomplishment and that he hopes that their little girl gets better.  

Another example that our kids are truly full of heart and innocence.  Something to be applauded and copied. 

AUTISM: 30 DAY OF THANKFUL

Autism:  30 Days of Thankful

So I gather there is a challenge going on during this month of November on Facebook wherein on each of the 30 days of this month of Thanksgiving, Facebook users must post each day, a thing they are thankful for. 

I thought I'd put a little extra twist on this and try to come up with 30 things I am thankful for with regard to my son's autism.  As I start here I wonder if I can come up with 30 as I, personally, do not view his autism as a "blessing" as some parents do.  I view it as a curse, a nightmare that has robbed him of his childhood and all the experiences connected with it.  I view it as a burden that he must carry for the rest of his life, a constant struggle to cope and understand that the regular person has no comprehension of.  

Therefore I challenge myself to find 30 things about my son's autism that I should be thankful for. 

1.  I'm thankful that I have the strength to support my son.

2.  I'm thankful that we currently have a superb autism class teacher.

3.  I'm thankful that there are professionals with the patience to

work in this field. 

4.  I'm thankful for the other moms and dads I have met fighting the same fight who offer help to me whenever I need it. 

5.  I'm thankful for my son's ability to speak, although in cryptic 

terms somehow, as there are children who cannot. 

6.  I'm thankful that my son can use the bathroom by himself, freeing me from diapers as there are children and adults who still need them. 

7.  I'm thankful that my son can brush his own teeth. 

8.  I'm thankful that my son can feed himself, although a severely limited diet, but nonetheless he feeds himself. 

9.  I'm thankful for the people who tell me from time to time, 

"you're doing a great job". 

10.  I'm thankful that my son has found a buddy in our Yellow Labrador Retriever and is capable of expressing concern about him. 

11.  I'm thankful for my sister in law who is caring enough to come running over to my house when a meltdown is something I cannot control and am worried about.  A fresh pair of hands is appreciated. 

12.   I'm thankful that my son can attend a regular school and get some exposure to the neurotypical kids in some situations. 

13.  I'm thankful for the new gym teacher who is a drill sergeant with the regular ed kids, but a gentle kind soul with our adaptive PE kids. 

14.  I'm thankful for people who do not criticize but are open to learning more about autism. 

15.  I'm thankful when a meltdown onlooker sticks up for my child amidst criticism. 

16.  I'm thankful that a class aide would actually seek out a job placement working specifically with my son. 

17.  I'm thankful that my son sleeps through the night and does not have any sleep issues like some folks with autism. 

18.  I'm thankful for our local Autism Society who provides support 

and events and activities for our kids. 

19.  I'm thankful for our local therapeutic riding center, CATRA which provides our kids with horseback riding opportunities. 

20.  I'm thankful for the Special Olympics Area M, Cent. PA who gave my son the chance to win the 50 yard dash. 

21.  I'm thankful that I've made some adult friends with autism who enjoy writing as I do and I thank them for sharing their personal experiences with us all. 

22.  I'm thankful when my son participates in an event and comes home and says "That was fun!".

23.  I'm thankful that I was able to create a small book for our kids with autism called "Curvy Herbie and Straight Nate" and that it is used by teachers, parents and professionals in the field and that it is able to help kids be more flexible.  It was a labor of love. 

24.  I'm thankful that my son is finally working on being able to express his emotions.  A long way to go but a start. 

25.  I'm thankful that this autism journey has shown me to be thankful for the little things we have and share, not clothing, not cars, not prestigious colleges, not soccer teams, just being needed and loved. 

26.  I'm thankful that as bad as my days with autism are I know that there are loving parents who deal with much worse as they care for their children. 

27.  I'm thankful for my mom who worked so hard to bring up two children by herself and by doing so taught me to never give up, it never hurts to ask and to believe in your own abilities.  It carries me every day. 

28.  I'm thankful that my son is sitting here in the kitchen singing.

29.  I'm thankful that I've had the opportunity to meet a group of people who honestly have no prejudice and treat people as they are treated.  They harbor no preconceived notions or biases about people regardless of race, color, creed or physical capabilities. 

30  I'm thankful that at bedtime, my son says, without being asked, 

"I Love you, you are my best friend". 

I'm thankful I made it to No. 30 but I realized it wasn't that difficult.  

Autism: Bad Luck or No Luck At All

Autism:  Bad Luck or No Luck At All

Ok so this week was Halloween and Trick or Treat.  My son missed this event last year due to horrible health issues that caused him to lose his sight.

So this year, we had to tough it out, autism or not.  Vision or not. We were not missing out on another Halloween.  Each year my son dictates what costumes we, as a team, will wear.  They are usually costumes that are not readily available on the retail market.  Mom ends up making them to the best of my ability.  This year we were Spike and Tyke, Dad and Son Bulldogs from "Tom and Jerry".  I used grey sweatpants and hoodies.  I made ears and mounted them to headbands.

My son made a new friend this past week at school,a little girl that also attends his school who was born without sight.  Her Mom very nicely invited us to come to their house for Trick or Treat.
Since we don't get many social invitations I wanted to take advantage of this offer.  She warned me they usually take a group picture then head out down the street.

We arrived on time amazingly and there were a lot of kids and adults.  The little girl greeted Joey and they announced they were going to take the group picture.  Our host came over and asked if this would bother my son.  I said "No, as long as you don't say the traditional "Say cheese" phrase.  He hates that and it will drive him to meltdown.  "Ok, we won't" she said.  Instead we got a very loud "SMILE".  This did not go over well with my son.  He stuck his fingers in his ears and was starting to become aggitated.  The photographer's cell phone flash was not working so we had to endure this about 3 times.  Argggh.

Ok, he kept it together.  All the kids started to scatter and head up the street to start Trick or Treating.  Off to the left a blasting chorus erupts with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU".
Now I'm thinking "why doesn't someone just shoot me?".  We are two for two now with the photo op and the most dreaded meltdown producer in our household "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU".  Can I not get a break here this evening?  I quickly turned his attention to the fact that the other kids were way ahead of us and we needed to go in the opposite direction of the singing.  THANK GOD IT WORKED AND OFF WE WENT.

We made our way down the street and around the corner in this neighborhood I know nothing about.  The group had long since passed us and proceeded onward.  We were on our own.

As we walked I'm vocally telling him about the bumps in the sidewalk and the cracks in the pavement so he doesnt stumble.  He has a hold of my arm and folks are probably wondering why I'm hanging onto a 15 year old kid.  At some houses I had to offer explanation as to his lack of sight when he did not readily reach into the candy bowl presented in front of him.  Most folks were nice and happy to help us.  We stopped to pet a doggy dressed in a super hero costume.  At one house that had a mega sized set of steps I asked one child to bring a piece of candy down for my son which he did.  Nice kid.

As we turned to try to make our way back to the car a lady stopped us at the intersection. This is honestly one of the very few times in my life I have been "Speechless".  I know if video taped it would have shown my mouth actually hanging open, no speech being produced.  This was brought about by her comment, out of nowhere:

"Oh, where is the other Three Blind Mice?"
"Uhhh, Excuse me?"  I replied
"Well there are two of you, so where is the other mouse of the three blind mice?"
Ok, at this point I'm frozen.  Thoughts are racing through my head. She could not possibly be that rude, I think.  Is she aware of the fact that our friend who invited us, is also not sighted.  Is she referring to her as the "Third" mouse?  Is she confusing our costumes to be that of "mice" and not "dogs"?  I want to grab her by the collar and scream " he is blind you stupid idiot".  But I didnt want to upset my son.

Calmly I replied :"We are supposed to be dogs, not mice".  We walked away.  I thinking my god, what other autism and social obstacles can we encounter tonite?  I thinking, my poor son, has held it together so well tonite despite the triggers he loathes the most.

After returning home, he said to me "I like the old trick or treat better" referring to the old neighborhood we usually frequent.  But I was proud of him for venturing into new territory and coming out the winner.

Autism: What Is It Like to Be an Autism Parent: The Blog Challenge

Autism: Being an Autism Mom/The Blog Challenge
I have an adult friend on the autism spectrum. He has recently expanded on his enjoyment of writing through, I hope, my prodding him to do so, and to use this medium to educate the world about autism as he lives it.
I challenged him to write a blog the other day, which he did and then, challenged me back. His request of me write: What is it like to be a parent of a child with autism? So Tom, this blog's for you.
What is it like to be the parent of a child with autism?
Best way to attack this is with a series of "one liners". In no particular order, neither ranked by positive or negative just as they flow from my frazzled brain.
Being a parent of a child on the spectrum means:
You haven't gone out to dinner in 15 years.
You can recite videos as well as your child because he scripts them so much.
You understand cryptic language such as "fireworks poops"
You haven't watched a full tv show in 15 years.
You read through every line of your child's IEP to make sure it includes what he needs.
You begin to talk in acronyms: IEP, BSC, TSS, ASD, PDD,
SDI, ISPT and IDEA.
You are thankful that your child is able to use the bathroom finally, whenever (finally) is because some children cannot.
For you there is no such thing as just "jumping in the car and going to the mall".
You know that all tags must be removed from clothing.
You know that socks cannot be lumpy.
You want to grab that onlooker that during a meltdown comments "If that were my kid ......"
You want to hug the cashier that sticks up for your child during a meltdown by telling the onlooker to shut up.
Almost all your friends are parents of kids with autism.
You end up educating everyone you talk with about autism not on purpose just because it's your life.
You don't mind that your child calls you "parent" instead of mom.
You are thrilled when another child in school inquires about your child when they are absent.
Finding and having a good school teacher is better than winning the lottery.

You have found more patience and strength within yourself than you ever knew you had.