Aspergers/Autism/Sensory Integration Chatter #2

[Lulu]

I feel your stress here

However I would absolutely take the chance and enrol her into the nearest nursery. You may be pleasantly surprised. I felt huge stress when I HAD to put DS into CC. But you know what? The lady in his room really got his number from day one. She took his anxieties very seriously. She reassured him in a way that made my heart sing.
She really loved children and you could see that. I thought full days (5 a week) would be too much, too much activity and overload but it didn't work out like that at all. He loved it.

He is in Kinder this year and the teacher has been at it for 20 years. How many kids has she dealt with in all that time?? She has seen sensory kids plenty of times and has found many and varied ways to deal with them. She does it well and with love.

There is no reason her carers will not understand Smee. There is a chance you wont be comfortable but you can always pull her out.

Go for it xoxoxo

[murraysmum]

im over this im really not coping i want to just lock the front door and leave he hits bites throws himself at me poke sme hard in the belly and bites me ate the locks off on our fridge so now i have to get a metal latch one ripped up nearly all the paper back books in the house he has just been so fullon and i dunno what to do i see my lac on monday she wants to talk respite but i feel like if i take it im a bad mum and failing
i just dont think i can do this on my own anymore dps been away nearly a month and will be away longer with harvest grrrr i think maybe i need so down time sorry for the whinge just so mentaly tired and i dont want to start hating murray

[Lulu]

Hun, GET THE RESPITE. How on earth does that make you a bad mother? Get some rest, recharge etc.
Dp takes DS for a few days at a time when it gets a bit much, sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me going. And I miss him, I have time to think of new strategies....and stare at the wall for a few hours.

It's not failing, it's being human xoxoxo

[murraysmum]

just a few ppl saying crap

i think i need it dpo sometimes takes him for the day and day care gives me a break but hes on half days and its so much stress getting him to and from and blah hope my lac can sort a solution

[christy]

Mate don't worry about other people. Do they have to live in your shoes???

I take respite during school holidays so that I can do grocery shopping. I use Commonwealth Carers and they take Matilda to the park while I go to the shops. It means I can do it during the day and rest at night.... Its easy and helpful. Anyone can access it, and its not like you are taking off to the pub for an hour, and even if you were, it wouldn't be so bad

[murraysmum]

lol i think these preg hormones are adding to the stress

gah how do i stop this when i ask murray to stop something pack up finish or just plain dont touch that he gouges the side of his face with his fingers hes got scratches and skin missing i have no idea why he started it now almost feel like sticking gloves on him

[Lulu]

If I was telling Mitch to stop doing something I would give him something else to do or show him something so facinating he forgot he needed to chuck a tanty over hearing the word stop....

[murraysmum]

ahh i forgot that der me lol i might have to start distracting him with other things his poor face is clawed atm looks like a cats attacked him

[~Saram~]

Murraysmum - hugs hun, hope you get some help!

In all the kurfuffle I forgot to post our news! I have found a new school for Xander - it is absolutely brilliant. Little small school (200 kids) with a special needs teacher, inclusion teacher and a gifted and talented program! they have about 5 kids in y2 on the spectrum and they have allocated classes ased on the kids who share special interests. We had about an hour long meeting about how to introduce him into the school, how they can best cater for him, what hleps - etc. They are very excited about us bringing his senosry tools to school and have some there we can access as well. They have also put me in touch with some of the other mums with kids on the spectrum so we have a little support network already who can recommend OT's etc. I was wondering why this little school in north bris was so ideal... until I visited and saw that it is 3 doors up from AQ early intevention school

Also after over a year I have finally discovered what Xanny's special interest is (background - we have been told by many professionals that he has far too broad a range of special interests to have aspergers) But today while we were watching Tinkerbell I found it! Claasifications, groups and orders of things. He sat there through the movie and classified each fairy But it fits with his pokemon fascination, digimon, bakugan, bugs etc - they all have their elements or types and he like to put them in the groups etc and the order which they evolve and stuff. woohoo - I'm excited! SO next time one of the idiots with lots of letters after their name ask me what his interest is I can tell em

[Lulu]

Wow, I had to go back and read to see where we all were..

Sarah - that is SO BRILLIANT about finding a good school for ds. How much better do you feel?? I can't tell you how much better I am for knowing DS won't be up against...I dunno - you guys get it

Mum was chatting to my uncle on the weekend. He is a teacher and a bloody good one. She was telling him all about Mitch and he wants me to push for a pead/diagnoses. He will pass on the name of one he knows well that has said "anyone you know - pass them onto me" WOW. I haven't pushed the paed thing...cos I just can't afford it and that makes me feel like dirt. I really want him to see this guy purely cos my uncle says so.

I need the extra help and understanding but I gotta say you girls are the best thing I have come across about this . I'm so tired and worn out.
I've totally kicked xp to the curb. I used to welcome him coming here on the weekend for some respite (for me ) but it's not worth it in the end.
DS is doing really well - he manages to pull himself up in the meltdown stakes alot of the time but....there is still so far to go, if it will ever end, which it wont but it takes so much energy.
My ears are sore from screaming and it affects the way I react. I've started to explain how much it hurts my head when he screams, but it doesn't seem to have much effect except for him feeling bad when he settles down again.
But it does really really hurt and melts my own core when he screams like that. I am seriously going to get ear muffs.

*sigh

[~Saram~]

My ears are sore from screaming and it affects the way I react. I've started to explain how much it hurts my head when he screams, but it doesn't seem to have much effect except for him feeling bad when he settles down again.
But it does really really hurt and melts my own core when he screams like that. I am seriously going to get ear muffs.

I am right there with you! We are getting a lot of screaming here at the moment. Meltdown yelling as well as just plan screaming cause it feels good and he is frustrated. I tell DS to scream into his pillow cause it's just too much. His OT suggested we get HIM some headphones and let him play loud music - which I am yet to do but golly gosh it's on my do - to list and gettingout weighted blanket soon too!

Good luck with the paed if you go down that route. I really am so pleased we got Xanny diagnoised it is possibly the best thing I have ever done for him is give it a name which shields us all from some of the hurt.

[Lulu]

Hun, I told the checkout bloke Mitch had Tourette's the other day cos he kept saying you suck you suck over and over....it worked!

Mitch has an electronic keyboard which he loves to play in his room (again I need headphones!), maybe the fat man might like to put one under the tree?

xoxox

[~Saram~]

LOL at tourettes -I want a shirt for Xander (and the rest of the family :-) that says I have autism so get over it - well actually after the week we've had there could be a few more expletives in there for those well meaning endearing old (and young) ladies who have been peering my way. And can I just say a big thank you to my gorgeous neighbours who have completely ignored the sounds coming from my house in the past week - Has it really only been a week of holidays - and still speak to me over the fence and haven't called child services on me ... yet

And yes! there is a keyboard bound for Townsville courtesy of my gorgeous mum! Hmm headphones that plug into this could be an answer! thanks

[murraysmum]

we are haing sleep issues and screaming omg its starting to wear me thin the other day i was tempted to go outside lock the door and walk away he just sat in the corner and screamed and screamed and bounced his head off the wall when i was at group on thursday there sa woman there that brang her 3 daughters with her non autistic fair enough u couldnt get a sitter her son has autisim tho and she left early cause muz was getting rough poor kid was in sensory overload new place new souroundings new ppl i find it hard to conect with ppl like that and shes allways so derogitive about early intervention and special schools

im one thats verry excited by murray starting this i have so far gotten him to say " im hungry " ," i want up/ or hug",No i want this or that " but thats as far as i can get him efore he starts gettig antzy and does the face claw grrr i think its cause he knows we are going away for xmas and he hates traveling its going to be a long 9 hr trip

dp was beeing an a hole the other week and told me i was making stuff up he was home 24 hrs and appoligised i have no idea where all murrays anger is coming from and at night he wont sleep alone i have to trick him to sleep in his own bed via tight snuggle blanket teddy and rocking which caines my back but hey so does sleeping next to him

if anyone has any advice over early intervention with other kids ild gladly soak it up as we are starting mid january and ill be due april so i dont want to push too much in those months after bub

[christy]

I found a t-shirt that said "I have Autism, my mum needs chocolate not advice" and I nearly, nearly bought it.

I had to take Matilda to the shops today. My helpful friend wasn't able to help today to no fault of her own, but I was counting on it to get the last of the Christmas shopping done (I work Sat 12 hours). So.... I took her. It was the first time to the shops in.... nearly a year for her. She was good!!! She had issues with listening and not running off, but in retrospect it was amazing compared to her last year when I had to leave the trolley behind constantly. I mean in other people's eyes, Matilda was behaving like a naughty 5 year old, but in my eyes she was absolutely amazing.

I went into 5 shops in the hour we were there!!!!

She's still sick and has a slight temp, so that may have helped us. She's got another urinary tract infection which sucks, but at least its not contagious, and the slight temp makes her behave as a "normal" child would.

This time of year sucks for the lack of routine, but I have bought Matilda a clock and a calender for her room to keep track of what is happening next for herself. I hope it helps her!!

[maz]

ive got so much to catch up on

Ive been trying to concentrate on someone big time. Sunday night he lite tissues over a candle I had put in the boys room cause he wanted to see what flames looked like. My nerves are a bit raw atm with this, him wetting the bed again and his continuous pushing the buttons with poor V. She absolutely loves him to death and he keeps pushing her away.

Blahhh enough of my crap. There is so much more but I kind of leave it behind cause I dont have the energy anymore to think about it.

I just read over the last few posts...I LOVE the t-shirt . W has one that says

Someday I'll be your boss - which suits him to a t.

Will make more of an effort not to be an unsocial cow

look at the time of this post....and he's still awake

[Lulu]

Just a quick one -

had the parent info session at the school last night - I'm thrilled to pieces again.
They have a program run by 2 volunteer parents (1 is a teacher there too) called the Movement Program. Both parents have sensory kids and one has a parent who was very involved as an OT.
They have developed this program to integrate the primitive reflexes and replace them with postural reflexes - these movements help integrate the sensory system and therefore the sensory responses

The teacher noticed over the years the preps (due to their age, sensory or not) had trouble tracking things with their eyes and this was making reading etc UNFUN and a source of frustration. They both brought together their knowledge and understanding of sensory integration/the nervous systems and how we learn, researched their head off and within 3 weeks of starting the program this year found a noticeable difference with the children!

In another year or so they are looking at broadening the program to include other schools etc. Amazing stuff and I've volunteered to help next year.

Cried on the way home though, sheer relief.

[~Saram~]

Lulu - yep had a school in Mt Isa doing a similar program and it was FANTASTIC!!! Made a big difference to all the kids and from prep to grade 3 did it. I was so dissapointed to find it wasn't operating in all schools already. Great to hear your parent info night went well!!!

Maz - hope your having a better day today! Xan is the same with Ari! It's so sad cause she just loves him to death. I really hope she can hang in there and not give up on him cause he really does love her and when he is having a good day they play so well together. Unfortunately she is only 2 1/2 and he is hitting and punching a lot so what does she do back... eeek trying to keep them seperated at the moment

Christy - woohoo on the good trip to the shops! I still keep DS in the trolly most times - looks ridiculous but I seriously don't care. He reads or plays DS and I get the shopping done faster