In a previous post, I applauded the virtues of the games console as a great way to occupy autistic kids. They are fascinated with the games and the freedom that they offer.
However, I have noticed the downside and it was made all too clear to me today.
Slowly, over time, I have been using the games as a "babysitter". It was never my intention, but I am a busy mom with 3 kids and the games console is an easy way to entertain them. Plug it in and you have peace for a couple of hours, right?
School holidays have had me relying on the console more and more, especially as the weather has been so bad and we haven't been able to go outside much. The problems start when I try to get the kids off the thing.
My son screams as if his world as ended. The console seems to make the kids hyper and they have trouble entertaining themselves without it, as few things seem to offer the same brain-buzzing levels of stimulation. High on games, they start fighting each other and becoming aggressive, with poor levels of concentration. I don't buy violent games, but any game seems to make the kids aggressive due to the competitive element and frustration of completing a level. They seem desperate for their next games "fix" and after coming off one console, grab for the handhelds like addicts.
I have decided to limit the games consoles and only allow them for a short time period after school, with a bit longer on weekends. Hopefully this strategy will calm the kids down a bit and prevent all the aggression build up.
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Saturday, 7 April 2012
Action For Children
I managed to get a referral from my son's school so that he can access the facilities at the local Action For Children resource centre.
The centre caters for disabled children from birth to 18, offering respite, support groups, playschemes and days out for disabled youngsters.
A lovely lady came to visit me at home and talk me through the options that were best for my son. They also offer a siblings group, where they take siblings of disabled children for an evening out once a month, which I think is a great idea for my older two, as they can sometimes get a bit resentful of the amount of attention that their little brother gets.
It also means that I will get a bit of a break from having to constantly supervise him and I will be able to do more with the family when he is on his trips ot playschemes. I am thankful that this service, and those like it exist. It will enable my son to gain confidence and a measure of independence, reinforcing and building on his social skills.
The centre caters for disabled children from birth to 18, offering respite, support groups, playschemes and days out for disabled youngsters.
A lovely lady came to visit me at home and talk me through the options that were best for my son. They also offer a siblings group, where they take siblings of disabled children for an evening out once a month, which I think is a great idea for my older two, as they can sometimes get a bit resentful of the amount of attention that their little brother gets.
It also means that I will get a bit of a break from having to constantly supervise him and I will be able to do more with the family when he is on his trips ot playschemes. I am thankful that this service, and those like it exist. It will enable my son to gain confidence and a measure of independence, reinforcing and building on his social skills.
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Compulsive Behaviour
My son has had a variety of compulsive behavious over the years. A behaviour may be something like tapping parts of the body, or shutting doors. The autistic person feels that they HAVE to complete these actions.
My son has started chewing his clothes. I think it is a nervous habit. He chews the sleeves and collars so badly that they get holes in them.
I have told him off a few times, but I'm not sure whether I should because he may not be able to help what he is doing.
I phoned Autism West Midlands and the lady on the helpline suggested that I buy him some special jewelry called "chewelry", which are rubber necklaces and bracelets for children to chew on. She also suggested trying baby teething rings or making him something out of fabric to chew.
She said that maybe the reason he chews is because he is finding it painful now his big teeth are coming through, or maybe it is to do with anxiety.
I am going to try and get some of those fabric sweat bands from the sports shop and some teething rings. I don't want to encourage the behaviour, but i would rather channel it elsewhere than have him chewing holes in his jumpers.
My son has started chewing his clothes. I think it is a nervous habit. He chews the sleeves and collars so badly that they get holes in them.
I have told him off a few times, but I'm not sure whether I should because he may not be able to help what he is doing.
I phoned Autism West Midlands and the lady on the helpline suggested that I buy him some special jewelry called "chewelry", which are rubber necklaces and bracelets for children to chew on. She also suggested trying baby teething rings or making him something out of fabric to chew.
She said that maybe the reason he chews is because he is finding it painful now his big teeth are coming through, or maybe it is to do with anxiety.
I am going to try and get some of those fabric sweat bands from the sports shop and some teething rings. I don't want to encourage the behaviour, but i would rather channel it elsewhere than have him chewing holes in his jumpers.
Monday, 26 March 2012
Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome
I have quite a lot of friends who have kids with AS, ranging from very young kids right through to young adults. One of my friends gave me a book to borrow. It is called "Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome".
The book is written by a 13 year old boy who has Aspergers. He is articulate, humerous and intelligent, and writes in a conversational style to the reader. He writes to give the perspective of a person with AS and explains how it affects him and his family in day to day life, as well as the trials of teenage life.
I found the book really useful, because it gave me an insight on what is going on in the mind of an AS child, why they have compulsions and obsessions and how they feel when people bully them or treat them badly. It also explained why they like video games so much. I loved the part where the boy explains various phrases that we use in everyday life that may confuse an AS child, who will take things literally (e.g. "pull your socks up").
I hope my son can grow up to be like the young author of this book, as I found him engaging and interesting to read about and he must be a real credit to his family.
The book is written by a 13 year old boy who has Aspergers. He is articulate, humerous and intelligent, and writes in a conversational style to the reader. He writes to give the perspective of a person with AS and explains how it affects him and his family in day to day life, as well as the trials of teenage life.
I found the book really useful, because it gave me an insight on what is going on in the mind of an AS child, why they have compulsions and obsessions and how they feel when people bully them or treat them badly. It also explained why they like video games so much. I loved the part where the boy explains various phrases that we use in everyday life that may confuse an AS child, who will take things literally (e.g. "pull your socks up").
I hope my son can grow up to be like the young author of this book, as I found him engaging and interesting to read about and he must be a real credit to his family.
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Bike Ride
I took my little boy on a bike ride yesterday.
He still has stabilizers on the bike, but was riding it really well. Coordination can be a problem in AS children, so I think this activity helps him, and it is a lot of fun.
I hope that maybe this summer, we will be able to try the bike without the stabilizers. Although his fine motor skills are quite limited, his gross motor skills are getting better and riding the bike well would give him a big confidence boost.
He still has stabilizers on the bike, but was riding it really well. Coordination can be a problem in AS children, so I think this activity helps him, and it is a lot of fun.
I hope that maybe this summer, we will be able to try the bike without the stabilizers. Although his fine motor skills are quite limited, his gross motor skills are getting better and riding the bike well would give him a big confidence boost.
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
The Term "ASD"
Since I started this blog, I have been using the term ASD to describe my son.
However, when I attended a conference on autusm a couple of weeks ago, it changed my perception about the term Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Apparently, many adults with autism do not like the term, as it implies they have a disorder of some sort. To them, autism is not a disorder, just another way of thinking.
Therefore, I have changed the title of my blog to "My child has autism", rather than "My child has ASD", and I will no longer be referring to autism or Aspergers as a disorder out of respect to those who find the term offensive.
However, when I attended a conference on autusm a couple of weeks ago, it changed my perception about the term Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Apparently, many adults with autism do not like the term, as it implies they have a disorder of some sort. To them, autism is not a disorder, just another way of thinking.
Therefore, I have changed the title of my blog to "My child has autism", rather than "My child has ASD", and I will no longer be referring to autism or Aspergers as a disorder out of respect to those who find the term offensive.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Stress Bucket
I went to a conference about Autism and they explained why kids with autism get so worked up about trivial things.
They explained that we all have a "stress bucket", the amount of stress we can handle. With autistic kids, their stress bucket is already full, so anything can tip them over the edge, even tiny amounts of stress.
They explained that we all have a "stress bucket", the amount of stress we can handle. With autistic kids, their stress bucket is already full, so anything can tip them over the edge, even tiny amounts of stress.
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