Fearless Folks … autism and beyond …

You are probably waiting to read how the rest of Meghan’s week went after the very first day.  Well, it went well.  She was fine and had no other outbursts.  Typically when she’s home for an entire week (happens 2 to 3 times per year unless we want more time…. More?  Just another measure of guilt thrown my way, let me tell you!), she has about 2 outbursts on average, and 3 per week at school. 

As any good parent and school tries to do is to determine “why” she has these outbursts, next to not getting her way, which is one of the main reasons, but there is also a good amount of recorded data that is “not known,” or for “no reason”—no real antecedent to the outburst.  This is what we see more of at home: the “no antecedent to the outburst,” “not sure what set her off.”  She’s fine one minute, then she’s pulling at her hair and over the edge, then next…  As I mentioned from the Thanksgiving break, she had three outbursts that entire week while she was home, all resulted in having to cut her hair.  She ended up going back to school with no more bangs—kind of a boy’s hair cut in the front, and longer in the back.  Ugh!  But hell, if that’s what she wanted, then she got it.  But, I have a feeling it was a combination of adolescence and sensory issues uniting into one hell of a moment for this 14 year old young woman.  And trust me; I knew this day would come… (I mean, nightmare) and, hence, the welcoming, or respite, of residential school! 

This is reality for some of us, folks. 

So recently her school bought her a hat—a baseball cap, one that advertises her school.  She loved it so much that her teacher went out and bought her 4 more fun girl hats, all with different colors and textures:  white, plaid, wool, cotton, soft, firm… And I bought myself one too, so we could be twins… she laughed!  

Not sure, as of yet, if the hats are helping with her sibs (self-injurious behaviors) and outbursts, but school seems to think so, so far, and so do I.  But we need to give this more time.  And if it is working, then I’m assuming it’s either cutting down on her peripheral vision (less sensory overload), or cutting down on the amount of time she is actually touching and playing with her hair.  Remember being a teen and being aggravated by your hair? Always touching and playing with it? I do.  Same with clothes!  It’s probably one of the reasons why she is ripping her clothes!  Yeah, that happens all the time here… (hey, maybe that’s why I go broke!!)  As you probably can remember, you could drive yourself crazy with your hair and clothes when you’re not kept busy with busy work…

So, do I really need to tell you that when she’s home, the hats are worn from the moment she gets up, to the time she goes to bed.  “Where’s your hat, Kiki (nickname)? I’m getting your hat, silly girl…” is what you’ll hear if you spend any time at my house…

Oh, this journey has only just begun!

Anyone want to come over for some tea !!??

Happy New Year!