Another Autism Every Day Moment: Struggle & Triumph
May 30, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Out of the blue, Charlie—-sitting on his bed after working on his reading program with his ABA therapist—starts a high-pitched wail. And does not stop. She asks him what is wrong; calls him back to his desk (”No” says Charlie); is standing beside him when I walk in. “Charlie, Charlie,” she says; we both stand and listen. Minutes pass.
I remember this post about Nik and a nocturnal stomachache and how Niksmom rubbed his stomach with the “sun and moon technique.”
I remember that Charlie has just eaten a half-container of soy ice cream and topped it off with some soybeans.
“Charlie! Is your stomach ok?” asks the therapist. She and I remember another time Charlie was crying, out of the blue and inconsolably, and how later on in the day it had been clear, it was his stomach. Charlie lies on the bed, I rub his stomach. The therapist waits a moment and calls him to finish playing Zingo.
I go into the next room and when I look up, Charlie is running out into the hallway to see what is next on his activity schedule posted on the wall, and grinning.
Autism might be still a mystery to some and there are more than a few daily struggles (and, too, triumphs). And every day, those who know, Charlie included, help me understand a little more.
Poor Charlie! Hope he’s feeling better. Glad Nik & I were able to help in some way. That’s what it’s all about, right? Sweet Dreams to you and your angel.
One of the things abotu Joey, even when he was knee-high to a grasshopper- he never cried without a reason- and not just any reason, but a damn GOOD reason.
Glad your little guy got up and moving fast- hope he stays well!!!
You know they could have filmed all the bad behavior for that video by following me and Tiger around town once. We have plenty of those moments. I aint whining, I’m just telling the truth.
The important thing is to focus on the triumphs. Follow the good old count your blessing approach to a good attitude.
It was a fast-passing moment of difficulty—I’ve thought, more and more, that other such moments might have more quickly ended but I, or a teacher, reacted excessively and in an extreme fashion. Certainly there have been far more difficult moments in the past——–always helps to know one is cheered on!
We’ve been having some of those moments from allergies. Comforting and then finding antihistimine helps S. (He hates the medication but he understands it will help. It can be a struggle sometimes; I just do my best to encourage him to take the entire dose appropriate for his weight, and it usually goes OK.)
(C. had a bad time from thunder last night, but that’s a different sort of thing altogether.)