Saturday 30 June 2012

Riding His Bike!

My son has had a bike for several year now, but a few days ago, he did something that I thought he would never manage.

He rode it without his stabilizers!

He has always has quite poor coordination, so this is a major step forward.

It taught me that I should never think that something is unattainable for my son, just because he has autism.

Friday 29 June 2012

School Uniform.

They have just changed our school uniform.

When my son goes back in September, he will have to wear a proper shirt and tie instead of a polo top. Given the fact that he struggle to button the three buttons on his polo top and needs help geting dressed, I really wonder how he will cope in September.

People with autism can be very sensitive when it comes to clothes. When I tried the tie on him, he hated it because he felt like it was choking him. I don't know how he will manage wearing it all day.

Sunday 17 June 2012

Grunting Noises and Throat Clearing

Sometimes, kids with autism can develop tics, or mannerisms. With my son, it used to be tapping. He used to tap his arms and legs, sometimes stopping in the street to tap each part of his body before moving on. It was thankfully a short lived phase that only lasted a few months. I think it was his response to stress and I never made a big deal about it. I just let him do it and it went away on its own.

His new tic is throat clearing and grunting. A lot of the time I don't notice it, but this morning, I was lying in bed and my son crawled in next to me. As he was lying there, he kept clearing his throat and grunting. It actually kept me awake and in the end I had to get up, because I couldn't go back to sleep! During the day, I have kind of gotten used to it as a background noise. I hope it is a phase that passes soon!

Saturday 16 June 2012

He Slept in His Own Room!

Good news! My son now has his own bedroom!

We have finally moved out of our old, 3 bed house and into our new, 4 bed house.

I wondered how my son would cope, as autistic kids tend not to like change, but my son has taken it all in his stride and has really enjoyed the process of moving house.

In our old house, he would not sleep in the room on his own without his brother with him, which meant that my older son had to have an early bedtime every night, which he hated.

We put our son in his new room last night, fearing the worst, but he was so excited about his own room that he stayed there with no fuss and fell asleep within minutes!

I'm so happy! And so is his older brother, who can now stop up a bit longer!

Monday 11 June 2012

Moving House and Autism

We are moving house on Wednesday. My son has been quite excited about it.

I couldn't understand why he wasn't more concerned.

Then, today, he was sitting on my lap and said:

"You know we are moving on Wednesday?"

"Yes".

"Well when can we come back to the old house? Can we have a week there and then come back?"

I think he has confused a house move with a holiday. This could cause problems! I am interested to see how he will come when we do move, as he will have his own bedroom for the first time in his life, and I know he will find it hard, because he hates being on his own.

Sunday 10 June 2012

Crazy Question of the Day

"Mom, why is a fire engine called a fire engine?"

"Eh?"

"...is it because it has got an engine in it? Is it because the engine is made of fire or something?"

"Um....well..."

"Why mom? Why is it called a fire engine?"

"Go and ask your dad."

Friday 8 June 2012

Swimming Trip

I got a nice break today, which was just as well because we are packing up lots of boxes ready for our house move.

My little boy went on a trip with Action For Children to the local leisure centre for an hour and a half of swimming followed by a bouncy castle session and magician.

When my son went in the centre, he was very shy and quiet. It takes him a while before he relaxes and feels comfortable, but once he does, there is no stopping him!

They had assigned a lovely man to look after my son and another boy of a similar age. I liked the fact that there was a high ratio of staff to children.

My son absolutely loved the session and was very animated and chatty when we fetched him. The staff all commented on how talkative he had become.

I think sessions like this are wonderful for kids with poor social skills, as it encourages them to share new experiences and make friendships.

Thursday 7 June 2012

Lying and Dishonesty

One good thing about having a child with autism is that you know they will always tell you the truth.

My little boy has absolutely no concept of lying or dishonesty.

It does not occur to him that someone may not be telling the truth. He always takes everything that is said at face value.

Now this can be quite humorous If I am exaggerating something for comedic effect and he hears what I say and takes it literally.

However, I also find it sad in some ways. If I try to explain to him that someone is not telling the truth, he gets really upset and just can't cope with it. Unfortunately, in this world, there are far more dishonest individuals than honest ones and I worry that people may take advantage of his trusting nature.

As sad as it seems, I need to educate my boy that not everyone is as honest as he is.

Wednesday 6 June 2012

National Autistic Society Brochure

My mom noticed a brochure about autism in her local health centre and passed it on to me. The brochure is published by the National Autistic Society and is available free in health centres in the UK.

I like the brochure, because it gives an easy to understand explanation of what autism is and how it affects people. It gives tips on how to communicate with someone who has autism, things like avoiding metaphors and non-literal phrases and giving the person time to respond.

I also like the way that the brochure uses real-life experiences of both people with autism and their carers to illustrate how autism affects individuals in different ways.

The website for the National Autistic Society is:

www.autism.org.uk

Friday 1 June 2012

Information Cards

It can be really hard when you are out and about with your autistic child and they suddenly decide to have a meltdown in the middle of a busy shopping centre or in the street.

Passers by shake their heads disapprovingly or whisper to one another, making judgements without really understanding the situation. The problem is, that for an autistic child, everything is a big deal and a potential cause for a meltdown. My son had a tantrum in the street not so long ago because he dropped a lolly on the path and I wouldn't let him pick it up. I dread the school run home because I know that he will find something to scream about on the way home, because he expects everything to be a certain way and if there is the slightest change in our routine, there is likely to be a meltdown.

Luckily, although most people stare when this is happening, I have only ever had one person make a nasty comment to me. She was very rude and judgemental and her comments hurt me deeply. I view such people as ignorant, as they have no understanding of autism and how it affects children.

Because of situations like this, the National Autistic Society provide information cards that can fit neatly into a purse or wallet. These can be handed out to members of the public to prevent misunderstandings. they give a brief explanation of autism or asperger syndrome. They are available from NAS at the cost of £2 for a pack of 50 cards + £3.95 P&P.