Horse riding and D2 Immersion Therapy

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My wonderful son, my no.1. In his own world under the water, with Immersion Therapy. The  company is called ‘Determined 2″ or “D2” for short. A place where the sounds are suspended and the only sound to focus on is the sound of your own heartbeat. Under the water. Excited to go and looks forward to it.

I believe. He likes to wear his wetsuit which is tight. A firm pressure sensation for his body. I’m relieved that we found it. A place where we can walk under water. Self confidence is getting better. Great to see. I am glad we found this organisation to  his sensory needs. It has been an. Effort to  start this routine. Hard on me. But I have wanted so much to help him find something that he loves to do. That is his. Something he can relate to and be proud. (Perhaps he just wants to get time off school!) It could turn into an occupational interest down the track.

I am happy. No. 2 Kiddo is finally able to participate in horse riding activities  through another organisation as he loves it. It seems to satisfy the stim that he has. Horseriding addresses the pressure that he needs when seated on a horse. I originally thought satisfying this stim this activity was not possible. It is possible. We have found a way to do it through exploring resources. Although 6 months later he wanted to swim more than ride a horse.

Both boys were riding horses last week. Honestly I think it is one of the best activities to do and learn. I am very pleased. It has been hard work researching to find these activities that are relevant to my children. I am so very pleased that they are doing them.

Horse riding and D2 Immersion Therapy

 

Sub categories list

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53. Autism and Problems at Mainstream school.

52. How did the kid learn to read so early?

51. Autism: Sensory Processing Disorder and Socks!

50. Murphy’s Law! Today: It’s ones of those days!

49. Autism Siblings.

48. Writing for writing’s sake!

47. Car Troubles and Laughter!

46. Comedy Radio, Laughing and walking to school!

45. Mum! Stay still I am putting a chip up your nose!

44. The 5 year old.

43. Let’s take our Xbox controller to school!

42. Autism and the 2 km walk to school!

41. Where is the demarcation line?

40. My son wants an X box!

39. Life in another Language: Auditory Processing Disorder.

38. Drama and the kiddo!

37. Don’t Let The Bastard’s Get You Down!

36. Useful Bedtime techniques for our kids.

35. Laughing and a loving family life.

34. Calming ideas for a stressed out kiddo.

33. Respite for Parents.

32. Feeling Isolated, Parental Depression, Feeling overwhelmed!

31. Autism: Clothes and Socks.

30. We have to trim your nails: “No Way Mum!”

29. “Can we wash your hair?”

28. Autism: Gloves and Bandaids.

27. Autism: Shoes, Socks and Clothes.

26. Cost of Education and Autism.

25. Swimming week 2014.

24. Autistic Meltdown 2014.

23. Diagnosis Days 2014.

22. Autism and School Socialization.

21. Why? Why? Why? Diabetes 2!

20. 9 yr old. I want an X Box.

19. Real life experience in the caravan.

18. Singing lessons? Martial Arts?

17. IPad Parental controls and Daily household chores.

16. 3rd pregnancy: Miracle Baby Jack.

15. 2nd Pregnancy: Miscarriage.

14. “No, I don’t know want to take my shoes off!”

13. Pregnancy no. 1: Birth of a miracle boy.

12. How to Survive on a camp trip with Bear Grylls!

11. Understanding signs and symptoms of Disgraphia.

10. “New Shoes! It’s Groundhog Day!”

9. Useful resources: Autism Support Groups/Reference books/films.

8. I am so proud of my Autistic son.

7. Autism and bedtime techniques.

6. Law mowing and being tired!

5.Writing therapy for parents.

4. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and coordinating therapies.

3. Ok! Let’s talk about Autism, Poo, Toilet training and Sensory Processing Disorder.

2. Ok, let’s talk about Autism: Fixation and Obesessive Compulsive Disorder.

1. A full on Meltdown: I did not expect!

 

Autism and Mainstream school

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It is my understanding there is in 2016 approximately or more 3400 children with Autism in South Australian Schools.  More than 50% of children and students with Autism are enrolled in a school without a  specialist unit or specialist education teacher. The Department of Education policy for a mainstream school is to have  between 21 and up to 36 students per class with one teacher and a school services officer.

I am feeling raw. I feel like I coudn’t organize a chook raffle! Things are fraying around the edges. I’m starting to get cynical.

What is the bigger message here on the grand scheme of things? Is it to learn to fit in, so the societal machine keeps working? Is it that you have to learn how to deal with your sensory processing issues or else? Or is it that you are doing something if anything so you can fit?

My darling 5 year old child having trouble at mainstream school. It’s not the child’s fault. It’s not the teacher’s fault. It’s not the principal’s fault. Class sizes and the price tag associated with educating your child is a systemic problem. 5 years old. Autism Diagnosis. There is a policy of inclusion in mainstream schools but can schools provide if resources are already stretched. If classes are too big. If there is not enough attention given for the child with special needs. Is it because of money! I am Mum and advocate for this little Dude!

Do I park money with a limited budget myself, to start a treadmill of tests which will tell us what? Haven’t I done this before?  I take him to get his hearing checked. Heavens above! What good will that do? It’s all a matter of  perception. A two day suspension disrupts the life of a busy/stressed special needs parent. The little treasure says he gets bored with what the teacher says. So he wanders off. “Be where you are meant to be” is the mantra repeated at school.

I’ve told both of the kiddo’s if there is no school duties for the day/ then there is home duties. As a deterrant! But it seems to be a sweetener!

Each child has a bucket and they put a rocks in bucket for duties completed. A certain number of completed duties. Then they get some free time. Who is familiar with this positive reward training method? Wash the dishes. Wash the clothes.  Mow the Lawn,. Take the rubbish out! Thanks kiddo!

Turning myself upside down and inside out to try and make things fit! They don’t. Trying to do all the different suggestions from respective therapists. I’m worn out! Where is the coffee because I am already tired of this crap!

Occupational therapist ($120/wk) says that his sensory needs are met at home as the house has been turned into a play sensory gym as much as possible. Pay more attention to his emotional needs. Well, kiddo is telling me that he hates going to school. How do you deal with that little pearl?

I feel as though I am walking through quicksand! What to do? I guess, we will find out his hearing level from the audiologist ($80 one off appt). Oh yeah, we have to get an IQ test ($100-300 one of appt). I feel as if I’m sending therapist on a holiday to Accapoco. I’m already doing the $167 Psychology, Speech Pathology and $57/wk Social Skills group. Therapy costs a fortune.

It’s Mum’s taxi, on steroids, driving them to this that and the other. Where’s the money for the petrol coming from! Hold on I’m losing the plot! Driving here, there and everywhere. Co-ordinating school and therapy timetables making sure that therapists all talk and understand the plan of action. I’m not even sure what the Plan Of Action is but I am doing as I am afraid of not doing anything.

The kid is very smart. He is starting to snort like a horse over the last month or two. I have a little trotter running around the house. I wonder if I did assemble a race track around my house if that would do us any good.

I make a booking at Dr’s because maybe he has some difficulty with ears, nose and throat. Knows how to work the teachers. Knows how to not follow the rules of engagement by dancing on the cupboards and table-tops. Knows how to not do what one is told.

Parent: What is the matter child? Kiddo: I don’t want to go to school. How do you tell a 5 year old that they cannot stay at home all day. Chores or else! No problem Mum! It’s a joke! How do you tell kiddo in a way that he understands that as an adult you need to look after yourself/ have time for yourself to exercise/knit/do your thing to stay healthy for them? And also most importantly stand up for yourself.

The 5 yr old kiddo is a bit easier to get out the door than his brother. Both anxious when they leave the sanctity of the house. He does not pick up on the rules of engagement. He doesn’t see the social cues. He finds it difficult to understand that the things he does at home, generally, he can’t take transition objects to school. He doesn’t have any emotional attachments to kids or the teachers to make him want to go to school and want to be there.

 

 

Autism and SensoryProcessingDisorder with socks!

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Having issues with socks: I recommend only giving a choice of two spare socks in bag or else its overwhelming/too many choices and heading towards meltdown territory.

Pick your battles

Mum: “Put your socks on!”

Son: “I can’t, they don’t feel right!”

Mum: “Ok, well you can get another pair of socks from your room.”

Kiddo: “No I can’t.”

Mum: “Why.”

Kiddo: “Because the others don’t feel right

Mum.” What to do in this situation?  I have to get this kid to school (or so methinks). When he finally decides to put a pair of socks on,

Kiddo says “Mum, which sock is for the left foot and which sock is for the right foot?”

Mum: Oh for Goodness sakes! Are you kidding with me? (for want of a better word!)  “Honey you have 20 pairs of socks and they are all exactly the same.”

Kiddo:”No, they aren’t Mum! I know my socks!” , can we make friends with the two black socks, and give them names.  (I remember my Nanna saying, “You would not read about it!” and I can’t help smiling because the socks just got animated in my brain, the socks have the power to  make my child’s life  suck! You wouldn’t read about it!)

😄 I love you son. (To me  they are 20 pairs of exactly the same socks but little do I know  that the fibres in these socks, do these socks have names?  How do you tell which sock is  the left and right sock  if both saocks are black, the answer is ……Drum roll please! and this is a son has a self regulated solution!

One black sock is slightly longer than the other! Tadaaaaa!

Who would of thought because I thought the difference was how worn out and tired the socks were and that is how you could work out which pair of sock actually were the one’s that felt right !

They were also the only socks that could be worn for all eternity!

 

 

 

Lawn mowing therapy and being tired!

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Patience is a virtue when trying to get the kiddo undressed and into the pool when he doesn’t want to. I explain to him that this is the set time to do the swimming class. Kiddo does not want to take his clothes off! He doesn’t want to follow time schedules as it doesn’t fit”, the boy needs time to get used to the idea of getting changed. Kind of like starting up a pull string lawn mower, he has to do it a few times to get the mojo started. Alla get motivated to do something. Heavens to betsy! Hello world – we had allot of fun in the pool. Mum playing sharks with the kids in the water. Great for sensory! Please feel free to leave constructive useful ideas as its a place to share. Lawn mowing therapy and being tired!

 

Useful bedtime techniques/Autism

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After the teeth are brushed. Pop a David Attenborough nature video on if the kids want to watch something and they can’t shut their eyes. They are visual learners. The music is serene. We have used David Attenborough video’s ever since the boys were very young and it has 100 % success rate. David Attenborough we love you.

The 9 year old protests “Oh no! not David Attenborough!”. Parents: LOL. And now even when the kiddo is stressed anxious he says to us, “I need to watch David Attenborough!” LOL.

 

 

 

Calming Idea’s that may be useful for Anxiety or Anxious kiddo

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  1. Singing Lessons and singing, lying on the floor and hums. Feeling the vibration of the voice which is self calming. It is preferable to lye on floor boards to feel the vibration of humming through the floorboards and associated effects felt through body.
  2. Martial Art  – a routinized sequence of self defence movements the kid can resort to when feeling overstimulated.
  3. Dancing
  4. Movement based activity
  5. Massage the kiddo to remind kiddo that he has a sensory body and tends to distract him from his distress.
  6. Books
  7. Sunglasses – to shade eyes
  8. Put the child in room and tone down light stimulation.
  9. Jumping and rolling around in heaped up pillows or old mattress on the floor.
  10. Go walking/running.
  11. Ball pit
  12. Trampoline
  13. Cooking
  14. Piano or guitar, instrument where kiddo is moving his hands or fingers
  15. knitting
  16. White board on wall with morning routine and afternoon routine on it to refer to, it is so helpful for me to track morning procedures and be on time.
  17. Laminated routine sequences instructions are written down, where you can just show your kiddo instead of you having to repeat things one hundred times.
  18. Structured time on the computer, if they insist that they like the computer then use it as a reward based system. You do a household task and you can have 20 mins computer time. Great technique for helping out with housework. That’s all I can think of at moment.
  19. Set tasks such as mowing the lawn, wash dishes, cleaning, washing cars is a way to earn points or money towards something he wants to purchase. This is a great way to encourage writing practice.
  20. Butcher’s paper roll, use it as a table cloth. While you are eating at table you can leave some pens lying around on table. While you are eating or talking or just sitting you can use your hands and draw/write or play a game like O’s and X’s on the table cloth. It’s fun and interactive also exercising manual dexterity of hands and encouraging writing/maths.
  21. Playing Rock/Paper/Scissors with hands
  22. Search and find games
  23. Get a wall full length body mirror so the kiddo’s can self check their own skin and cleaniness when going to loo. As the visual information input will challenge the other sensory feelings that he may have. Helps to instill a sense of self confidence in child and independance. Very helpful strategy for a stressed out parent.
  24. Get a paper bag from Coles (easy to leave some at school or pop some in schoolbag) which are there for him to use as a calming devices, as my son can get so distressed in a meltdown that he feels he is  blowing out too much air, blow into a paperbag to help stabilize breathing. Pulling one out at times when a meltdown is triggered can also be a visual emotional soother which can help as well. (100 paper bags at Coles is a few dollers). Also can be turned into a fun thing by blowing them up and popping them/drawing faces on them.
  25. Swim
  26. Pop a David Attenborough nature video on which  are very good for getting kids to sleep, wonderful soothing nature music

 

Are you an Autism Parent and feeling Isolated, or Depressed, or Overwhelmed?

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Do you hate it when you get up in the morning? You did not sleep that great!? And there is this piercing/jabbing pain by your right shoulder? When you raise your shoulder blade to test it out ouch! Oh I need to do some movement exercises I need to get a wheat bag on that. I need to take a Panadol for that. And you don’t because you forgot because you get up and do the regular motions and all the time there is this niggling pain in your shoulder.  You have to go through the action sequences of morning routine w/time management skills too! I’m thinking maybe my shoulder is linked to Tennis elbow, hell! I don’t even play tennis! But you know I had the same thing before when I was only carrying my baby so ……yeah! Chew on that!

Wow! I have been down in the dumps about  how hard it is  being a mother of two kids with Autism.

I have felt like a robot.

I was just going through the motions of daily life because I had to keep things going. While I wanted to fall apart and just stop! Trying to keep my ship afloat with all my family in it.

Trying to keep the bills paid and buy the food as well as get the petrol for the car.

Trying to encourage my children to actually be social and play with other children. It has taken some time.

Or even quite possibly be on time to school, which much to the kids credit they do try hard to do what I say and we are at school, on time, allot of the time.

There just does not seem to be enough time. Does this cycle ever stop!

And it is nobodys fault there is no-one to blame or thank for my hardship! I decided to have two children and was lucky enough to be able to.

It’s just bloody well hard.

Rushing out to the shops to buy groceries or  trying to fit in picking up wood from the woodshop for the fire inbetween drop off or picking the kids up from school and something else! Always having  one million things that could be done. Being tired, needing a rest but not being able or feeling able to. I prefer to do the shopping by myself as when I take the kids they always want something. I don’t have enough money to buy anything in the shop for them.

Not being able to get a goood nights sleep because the boys Nanna or Grandpa are having health issues and hospitalizations or clinic appointments. Or Hubby has gone to hospital for something. The support base is crumbling away from me at times. What to do? Well I recognize that we all need to take care of ourselves so I got respite care services in to help.