My Autism Insights

I noticed a couple of new things about using music to help Gus focus when he’s doing his homework.  Typically, we use headphones and some sort of quiet, relaxation music while he’s working to help block out distractions. Monday we tried something different.

He hasn’t been using his headphones consistently, but I offered them to him Monday, and he accepted.  I showed him again how to work his MP3, and as I was scrolling through the albums to get to the one he usually likes, he stopped me.  He wanted to listen to Earth, Wind and Fire.  I wasn’t really surprised, but a little skeptical that he’d be able to work with disco pumping into his ears.  I decided to give it a try - he should be allowed to choose what he listens to - but I made the stipulation that if he didn’t pay attention to his work, we were going back to softer stuff.

Homework was completed in record time with minimal redirection or intervention from me.  Wow.

Yesterday I tried an experiment.  Instead of the headphones, I let him have his Earth, Wind and Fire playing from the computer, out loud.  What a disaster!  He didn’t even stay in his seat half the time.

So, apparently, headphones make a big difference, but so does the ability to choose what music is playing.  It stands to reason.  Adults don’t listen to the same thing all the time; we listen to what we’re in the mood for.  And for as much as Gus needs certain routines to remain fixed, the strategies that tend to work, particularly to help with his lack of focus, on any given day are always changing.  A true enigma, that one.  I’m curious to see what he’ll choose today: the Beatles or Mozart or maybe Weird Al?

  image from Webweaver’s Free Clip Art

Since Gus didn’t have school today, it was a perfect time to get him in to see the doctor to make sure his eyes were all right.  They are fine.  The eye exam says that he has 20/20 vision, although I think I annoyed the assistant when I asked if she wasn’t sure he hadn’t just memorized the line. (Which he did and he proved it by reciting it to me after we were back in the exam room.  Not my fault he has such a good memory.)  The doctor gave me some information on tics and said that we should probably not worry about it, but she gave me the name of a neurologist anyway, in case we were interested.  Gus has an appointment at the end of February to see the neuro.

From what I read on tics, they’re not as uncommon as I had thought.  They are defined as “repetitive, rapid, involuntary muscle contractions or vocal outbursts that usually involve muscles of the face, head, neck, shoulders or respiratory tract.” ~Disneyfamily They can last anywhere from a couple of weeks up to a year  before becoming a serious cause for concern.  The movements are frequently transient, meaning they can start in one part of the body and move to another, and generally end on their own.

The cause of tics is unclear, but has been associated to physical growth, stress and nerve disorders like Tourette’s Syndrome (which can include chronic and severe tics).

Apparently up to about 20% of school-aged children may experience some form of tic, and one study showed that the incidence of these movements increased during the winter months.

The advice for dealing with the tic that we received mostly said to help the child relax and to ignore it as much as possible unless it starts to interfere with daily functioning.   We’re not going to freak out over this.  We’ll try to find out what might be causing stress for Gus and will try to help him relax. Any other information or suggestions are welcome.  Otherwise, we’ll wait to see what the neurologist says next month.

   Now as for our Manic Monday on Snow (prompt from Mo of course), here’s a silly conversation I had with Gus at the bus stop while waiting for MM to get home:

“Did you want to play out in the snow today?”

“Yes.”

“Yes??  What do you mean yes??”

“Can we play in the snow?”

“No!  It’s too cold!”

“Why did you say that?”

“I didn’t expect you to say yes.”

Fortunately, he wasn’t too attached to the idea of going out in 20 degree weather, or else I’d be standing outside cursing my own big mouth.  He actually got a laugh out of it, so it’s all good.  Happy Monday!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers, and a general Happy Day to those outside the U.S.!

I’m taking a break from cooking,  cleaning, and watching Teen Titans Trouble in Tokyo  to record what I’m thankful for today:

I am thankful to have my sister coming to visit for the day because we don’t see her nearly enough.   She’s going to spend the night and we may hit the stores bright and early for Black Friday.  Good times!

I am thankful that Gus is pretty calm today and MM has been incredibly helpful, and things are actually getting done - even with me having an audiobook plugged in my ears for most of the morning while I cleaned.   This has so far been one of the most mellow and relaxed holidays we’ve had in a long time.  Thanksgiving 2008 for the win!

I am thankful that my workload is very close to completion and I haven’t cracked yet!  I believe my novel will be complete by the 30th, and all my deadlines will be met by the 1st barring any unforeseen drama.  It’s a nice sense of accomplishment.  And speaking of accomplishment - I see I’ve been awarded another Lemonade Award, and I’m grateful for that too!  So I’ll choose some new recipients tomorrow!

Have a wonderful and safe day, all!  And please share your gratitude in a comment!

After two straight nights of middle-of-the-night wake-ups, I finally decided to do some further research into the use of melatonin for sleep disturbances in children.  Gus falls asleep fine, but wakes up in the middle of the night.  Sunday night, he got some water and went right back to sleep.  Last night he got up about three times and did not want to stay in his room.  He’s not complaining of nightmares.  Last night he was sweating, so he was clearly too warm (don’t know why - it got cold last night) but the night before he wasn’t - he just woke up.  This has been an ongoing problem, and I’m starting to wonder if it’s not just waking up, but if he’s really not getting good quality sleep, which might  effect his performance at school.  Hence the decision to try melatonin.  That and I need to sleep.

There were dozens of articles that came up in my search.  I mainly looked for possible side-effects, appropriate dosages, whether or not age is a factor, and for a general overview of what exactly the stuff does in the body.

Melatonin is a a hormone that occurs naturally in the body, usually secreted by the pineal gland when the brain perceives darkness.  It basically regulates the body’s internal clock, among other functions that are not sleep related.

While the bottle says that it is only to be used for adults, almost everything I’ve read suggested that in very low dosages, it’s fine for children and teens for a short period of time.  I also noted that many of the studies done on its effectiveness/safety in children were done with children having special needs.  In children under 15, the recommended starting dose (according to one site that was the most conservative starting dose) is under .3 mg per day given at bedtime.  More than 1 mg per day may create problems, like seizures, so if you really felt the need to use that amount or more, you should consult a doctor.  Melatonin also interacts with certain medications(for good or ill)  - another reason to consult a doctor before using it.

Some resources for further reading:

University of Maryland Medical Center

USA Today

Keep Kids Healthy.com (2002 article)

Anthony Kane, MD

Andrew Weil, MD

PubMed

These are just a few articles to start you off.  I also wanted to note that we do use behavioral means of helping Gus sleep, which is the main reason he falls asleep fairly easily.  Television goes off an hour before bedtime, and we have a very consistent bedtime routine.  So, we’re going to try a very low dose - about .25 mg for a few days to see how it goes.  The goal is to get him sleeping through the night again to see if his body will regulate itself.  I doubt we’d use the supplement for more than a couple of weeks at most.

If there’s anything I’ve missed or gotten wrong, or if you’d like to share any additional advice/thoughts on melatonin use, please feel free to comment!  And wish us luck (or sleep even)!

To answer Gus’s question, he does apparently.

It wasn’t pouring, but it was that gross, misty, cold rain coming down when we got to the soccer field yesterday morning.  I was expecting for the coach to say they were canceling, but no such luck.  Shortened practice/game schedule.  Fortunately, the rain stopped, but it remained cold and damp.  Gus wasn’t fazed; for me it was just shy of torture.  A few degrees colder and I would have been huddled up somewhere trying not to cry.  Cold is bad.  Wet is bad.  Together…ugh.

The game was a little different.  Instead of splitting the more experienced players from the younger, less experienced ones, everyone played a game together.  Gus got a new mentor, a girl this week named C.  He had a great time following the ball from one end of the field to the other.  He wasn’t aggressive enough to get anywhere near handling the ball, though, except for one time toward the end of the game.  Then he sort of ran it in the wrong direction.  I think all the players on the field threw him for a loop; he often ran to the sidelines to get away from the crowd. No matter, it was a good time for him and that’s what counts.

Today we went for an early morning bike ride.  There probably won’t be many more of those in near future.  We may attempt some pumpkin carving this afternoon.

On the sleep front, I’ve added something new to the bedtime routine.  First, we have these mats, not exactly exercise mats because they’re thicker (just over an inch thick) and not slip resistant.  I came by these mats because my ex-boss was giving them back to the hospital after the yoga studio closed down and she knew that Gus liked sandwiching himself between them.  So she gave me a couple for him.    At night, after therapeutic brushing and joint compressions, I let him curl up in a ball, and then I roll him up in the mat like a big burrito, and roll him back & forth on the floor.  He loves it!  Deep pressure sensory input before bed seems to be working better than the brushing, which he is resisting, at this point.

So that’s our weekend.  Hope you are having a great one too!

Now that we’re well into autumn, here are a few things that could be fun to try with your special needs child:

Apples and pumpkins are in season!  Take a trip to an orchard if one is accessible to you.  Then, after the fun of picking fruit, you might be able to use that sense of accomplishment to entice your sensory defensive child to touch…pumpkin guts!  Eww!  Seriously, if your child has tactile sensory issues, touching something gross that he/she actually picked and worked to obtain might help get past the hump.  If not, it’s okay, you do the scooping then use one of those carving kits to work with the outside of the pumpkin.  Poking holes around an outline can be great for fine motor skills.  I’d avoid the sharp instruments, though.  If carving is still not an option, how about painting faces on little pumpkins?  That could be appropriate for children who have trouble differentiating emotions.  Let’s not forget about the apples!  How about making an apple pie with a homemade pie crust?  For a child who can tolerate the sensation and needs to strengthen fine motor muscles, kneading dough is fun and the end result is delicious.  Cooking is also an essential life skill.

Autumn is also a nice time for outdoor sports like cycling, hiking, or running.It’s neither too hot nor too cold, and in many places, the scenery is pretty breathtaking.  If you’re in an environment where the seasons don’t change, you can still enjoy being outdoors.

Finally, one of our favorite Halloween season movies is Spookley the Square Pumpkin.  The first time we watched it, I noticed that Gus became very quiet and serious.  It’s about a pumpkin that is different and is shunned by most of the inhabitants of his farm.  He has a hard time fitting in, but in the end he finds acceptance.  It’s a sweet movie with a nice message (in my opinion) for typical and special needs kids alike.

Is there something special you do with your kids during the month of October?

image from Jannaverse

This week’s Manic Monday meme from It’s a Blog Eat Blog World is about Iron.

We just got back from a camping trip with the kids, sister-in-law and brother-in-law. The grandparents came up during the day, but didn’t stay over night. SIL and BIL are in training for a half iron-man race next month. From the amount of physical exertion that went into this weekend, I feel like I’ve actually run that race. I’m exhausted! There were hikes - several - up and down hills, wood-hunting, wood-cutting, constructing and deconstructing tents, grilling, eating (loads of eating)…This is what we do for relaxation!

Gus and his sister had a magnificent time. I’m very pleased with the way he worked at staying within the boundaries of our campsite. When he started getting tired he had less self-control, but otherwise, he did really well staying with us. He and MM were both great helpers in between running circles around the grownups. I wonder how they’d fare at the half iron-man?

What did you do for this Labor Day weekend?

Because I’m multitasking at the moment (and just realized I put my pj’s on inside-out) I’ll have to be quick today.

1. I am thankful for Claritin-D 24 hour allergy medication. It’s that time of year when the change of seasons is bringing eczema, sneezing, and sleep disturbances for Gus. Claritin makes a big difference and is much less expensive than Zyrtec.

2. I am thankful for bedtime. Did I mention I just put my pj’s on inside-out? Some days are like that and I am just happy when they end.

3. I am thankful for long weekends and camping. It gets the kids away from electronics for a few days, we spend some fun family time together and sleeping in a tent (on an air mattress and as long as it’s not raining) is just awesome!

I may be scarce this weekend because of said camping. So if I’m not around, have a great weekend & Labor Day, and please share your thankfulness in a comment!

One week to go.  All the neighborhood kids are getting their last ya-yas out before they are put back on lockdown until the winter holidays.  These last couple of days have seen nearly every neighborhood kid playing in one big, mostly happy, group.  Even Gus was in the mix for a little while yesterday.  Today, he wasn’t very interested.  He chose to come in to play on the computer.  There wasn’t a problem, and no one was bothering him.  He just wanted to chill out with some peace and quiet.  Should I have made him come out, get some more exercise, enjoy the fresh air while he can?  Probably.  But it’s the last week of his vacation.  Maybe it’s okay for him to enjoy it any way he wants.

 It’s a Blog Eat Blog World

Gus has only seen the ocean twice in his life.  During one of those trips, he was initially afraid and then completely fascinated by what became known as the “Big Boomba Waaaaaaves!”  He would only go in about as far as his thighs, but he loved the feel of them crashing into him and knocking him down.  It was a big sensory thing, but we didn’t know it at the time. 

He likes the water, but he also needs to feel grounded, so we can’t get him to go in deep water, even with swimmies on. 

Keeping all this in mind, I am questioning my own judgement about agreeing to take him to a water park when he finishes with summer school.  There’s a ginormous water slide and of course a wave pool.   Is it possible that the attraction of the waves will outweigh his fear?  We’ll see.

*wave image by Saundra Newkirk