There’s been major fallout today and it’s a lot to handle

It's not uncommon for there to be what I refer to as fallout following any type of stimulating event, in regards to an Autistic child. That stimulating event can be positive or negative, it doesn't matter. An example of what could be viewed as negative stimuli would be something like visiting the dentist. That's stressful for most kids but it's often a sensory nightmare for Autistic kids. On the flip side, positive stimuli could be something like a birthday party or exciting holiday. The point is, it's the stimulus that can create the problem. Fallout is simply what I've dubbed the behavioral issues I tend to see following one such event. In this case, it was a parental visit and birthday party. The visits are a positive thing, as is…

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Understanding a devastating #meltdown from start to finish 

My goal with this post is to help you understand the meltdown process from start to finish. I'm hoping to reinforce that meltdowns are not behavioral problems. Meltdowns do not require discipline and aren't indicative or bad parenting or a bad child. I am using an example that happened in our lives recently, to help you better understand meltdowns.  We went to the grocery store in order for Emmett to pick out his birthday cake. It was a momentary lapse in judgment, and believe me, I paid the price for it. In truth, Lizze, Emmett, and I paid a price for it.  The store had tons of ice cream cakes, but the only white or yellow cakes had a graduation theme. The theme was only plastic decorations that could be…

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How Autism related meltdowns impact me as a parent, and how I cope

One of the hardest parts of being an Autism parent for me this week so far, is meltdowns. When it comes to Autism, I always tell people never make assumptions. Having said that, I feel pretty safe saying, if you're an Autism parent, you're probably intimately acquainted with meltdowns.  Meltdowns are exhausting for everyone, not just the person having one.  I mentioned earlier in the week that Emmett was coming into a new fever cycle. When he hits one of these things, he's generally quite miserable, and far more prone to meltdowns.  The fever cycles don't cause the meltdowns directly. They seem to decrease his ability to cope with all the things around him, that would already lead to a meltdown. Things like light, sound, his clothes, and pretty much…

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What it’s like to take my 3 kids with #Autism to the store

I'm hoping this gives some insight into the everyday challenges of being a special needs parent. Everyone's experience will be different but many of you will be able to relate, while others will learn what it's like for the first time. We had to run a few errands this morning and quite frankly, the boys did really well. That being said, really well for me is likely very different from really well for many other families.     I feel my kids did really well because I know the challenges they are coping with and what a sensory nightmare it is for them to be in large, crowded stores. The lights, smells, sounds and just about everything else can prove very overwhelming for kids like mine, especially when sensory processing disorder…

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