Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New profile posts
Latest activity
Internet Search
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
Autism Spectrum and Meltdowns
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="WearyWoman" data-source="post: 367516"><p>Terry - Thanks for posting. I'm glad to know I'm not alone. This has been by far the most difficult challenge of my life - raising an Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) child. difficult child is having the most trouble consistently when asked to switch tasks. Usually it happens after he's had his free choice time and then doesn't want to stop what he's doing. If the next task, i.e. drawing, reading or writing, is not enjoyable to him, it's even worse. We will in all likelihood request a meeting with the team sometime soon. Here's my biggest wondering right now - Do we just let him do whatever he wants to do so that he doesn't have a meltdown, or do we keep trying to help him adapt to requests and instructions? Maybe there is a middle ground somewhere, but right now, it is extremely difficult to get him to even get dressed, eat at meal times, or get ready for bed. He resists any attempt to help manage his time, and shifting activities is a very hard thing for him, even if the next activity is something we know he likes doing. I want to keep an open mind about the diet. I just know that in the autism support group I was attending, that I felt so inadequate with the whole thing. All of the other moms were micromanaging their kids' diets and spending a fortune on special foods and DAN doctors, etc. I work full-time+ and so does my hubby. We live in a very rural area, i.e. the nearest grocery store is a 20-minute drive away. I guess we could try to slowly eliminate/change things, but according to the other moms in the autism support network, unless it is done 100%, it won't help. Maybe that's not true, but that's what their position was. As a mom of a newly diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) child a couple of years ago, I now look back and wonder how groups like this can promote a diet as being the gospel truth for treating autism. It hasn't been proven, and celebrities making claims won't convince me either. More research is really needed, and from what I understand, the development of autism is now believed to occur in the 5th to 6th month of pregnancy. Brain overgrowth and then diminished size are noted in early childhood. It's fascinating, and I look forward to the information research will continue to provide.</p><p> </p><p>Valerie - I'm very glad to hear about how well your son is doing. I need that hope for the future, as right now seems pretty bleak. We were surprised at how inexperienced our therapists are, and the worst thing would be for things to get worse - ughh. This was supposed to be a positive thing. I know it's too soon to make judgments, but maybe we should request to have some more experienced people on board. One of the therapists in particular, has zero training, other than being the mom of an asperger's high school teen. She is trying to help, but sometimes I just cringe when she pushes his buttons, telling him she'll take away his toy until he makes eye contact or telling him that she hopes he knows his toys have been taken away while hie is in full meltdown. Let's just pour a little more gas on the fire while we're at it!!! I hope we can figure things out so he can have a bright future like your son.</p><p> </p><p>Midwest Mom - Glad to know I'm not the only one not doing gluten-free, casein-free. I'm not writing it off completely, just choosing not to do it at this point. Maybe I'll change my mind, but I'm just not convinced at this point. Your experience with the other parents is telling. Of course we want to take control and do something - anything to cure our kids, but let's face it, the diet isn't a magic bullet - at least for most people. You're right that Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids cannot be treated as typical. It amazes me how little training is required of classroom teachers, since these kids are mainstreamed in public school classrooms. I wish special training would be required for classroom teachers who have autism spectrum kids in their classes. It would be so much easier than for the families to have to start all over again each year, explaining what autism is and how it affects their child. Our difficult child would not appear obviously autistic to most people. It would take time and some training to really see it, since he doesn't have some of the more overt characteristics. From the outside, he looks like a stubborn, inflexible, hyperactive, naughty boy who has a speech problem. I'm SO tired of trying to educate the school personnel about his sensitivities, need for a routine/schedule, social skills support, etc. He has an IEP and receives speech and occupational therapy through the school. The school autism specialist is very knowledgeable, but it's hit and miss with the classroom teachers.</p><p> </p><p>The ongoing issue is how much to push our difficult child to be more compliant and flexible with home and school responsibilities. Can these things improve with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids, or will it always be like this?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WearyWoman, post: 367516"] Terry - Thanks for posting. I'm glad to know I'm not alone. This has been by far the most difficult challenge of my life - raising an Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) child. difficult child is having the most trouble consistently when asked to switch tasks. Usually it happens after he's had his free choice time and then doesn't want to stop what he's doing. If the next task, i.e. drawing, reading or writing, is not enjoyable to him, it's even worse. We will in all likelihood request a meeting with the team sometime soon. Here's my biggest wondering right now - Do we just let him do whatever he wants to do so that he doesn't have a meltdown, or do we keep trying to help him adapt to requests and instructions? Maybe there is a middle ground somewhere, but right now, it is extremely difficult to get him to even get dressed, eat at meal times, or get ready for bed. He resists any attempt to help manage his time, and shifting activities is a very hard thing for him, even if the next activity is something we know he likes doing. I want to keep an open mind about the diet. I just know that in the autism support group I was attending, that I felt so inadequate with the whole thing. All of the other moms were micromanaging their kids' diets and spending a fortune on special foods and DAN doctors, etc. I work full-time+ and so does my hubby. We live in a very rural area, i.e. the nearest grocery store is a 20-minute drive away. I guess we could try to slowly eliminate/change things, but according to the other moms in the autism support network, unless it is done 100%, it won't help. Maybe that's not true, but that's what their position was. As a mom of a newly diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) child a couple of years ago, I now look back and wonder how groups like this can promote a diet as being the gospel truth for treating autism. It hasn't been proven, and celebrities making claims won't convince me either. More research is really needed, and from what I understand, the development of autism is now believed to occur in the 5th to 6th month of pregnancy. Brain overgrowth and then diminished size are noted in early childhood. It's fascinating, and I look forward to the information research will continue to provide. Valerie - I'm very glad to hear about how well your son is doing. I need that hope for the future, as right now seems pretty bleak. We were surprised at how inexperienced our therapists are, and the worst thing would be for things to get worse - ughh. This was supposed to be a positive thing. I know it's too soon to make judgments, but maybe we should request to have some more experienced people on board. One of the therapists in particular, has zero training, other than being the mom of an asperger's high school teen. She is trying to help, but sometimes I just cringe when she pushes his buttons, telling him she'll take away his toy until he makes eye contact or telling him that she hopes he knows his toys have been taken away while hie is in full meltdown. Let's just pour a little more gas on the fire while we're at it!!! I hope we can figure things out so he can have a bright future like your son. Midwest Mom - Glad to know I'm not the only one not doing gluten-free, casein-free. I'm not writing it off completely, just choosing not to do it at this point. Maybe I'll change my mind, but I'm just not convinced at this point. Your experience with the other parents is telling. Of course we want to take control and do something - anything to cure our kids, but let's face it, the diet isn't a magic bullet - at least for most people. You're right that Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids cannot be treated as typical. It amazes me how little training is required of classroom teachers, since these kids are mainstreamed in public school classrooms. I wish special training would be required for classroom teachers who have autism spectrum kids in their classes. It would be so much easier than for the families to have to start all over again each year, explaining what autism is and how it affects their child. Our difficult child would not appear obviously autistic to most people. It would take time and some training to really see it, since he doesn't have some of the more overt characteristics. From the outside, he looks like a stubborn, inflexible, hyperactive, naughty boy who has a speech problem. I'm SO tired of trying to educate the school personnel about his sensitivities, need for a routine/schedule, social skills support, etc. He has an IEP and receives speech and occupational therapy through the school. The school autism specialist is very knowledgeable, but it's hit and miss with the classroom teachers. The ongoing issue is how much to push our difficult child to be more compliant and flexible with home and school responsibilities. Can these things improve with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) kids, or will it always be like this? [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Parent Support Forums
General Parenting
Autism Spectrum and Meltdowns
Top