Comments on: Changes at the Beach House

By: Forbidden Fruit Syndrome and Getting Your Just Desserts

Forbidden Fruit Syndrome and Getting Your Just Desserts — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:49:38 +0000

[...] then, this summer—-amid various other changes—a most curious thing happened. Charlie (who is definitely an adolescent) must be in the [...]

By: A Rocky Good-bye to the Beach House

A Rocky Good-bye to the Beach House — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:12:26 +0000

[...] internet server so Charlie is able to discover the pleasures and perils of YouTube) and (after a very anxious start) fall into a fine routine of late morning and late afternoon ocean swims, punctuated by plenty of [...]

By: Olympic Musings, Autism Style

Olympic Musings, Autism Style — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:37:41 +0000

[...] vacation got off to a slow start. But we seem to have hit a groove, found our pace, and are moving onward, faster, higher, and [...]

By: YouTube May Be Evil, But Thanks for the Memories

YouTube May Be Evil, But Thanks for the Memories — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:01:22 +0000

[...] Change of scenery, change of routine—-that’s all part of vacation and, as recounted here, why Charlie’s first three days at the beach house were full of more sorrow than smiles. We’re back in the swim (big-time—-Jim’s been calling Charlie “the torpedo” for the way he propels himself through the water, in the moving waves and all). [...]

By: Third Day at the Beach House

Third Day at the Beach House — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:00:22 +0000

[...] the sun shone, we got in two swims in the ocean, and Charlie seemed a bit more, and even much more, relaxed about being at the beach house. He tried the boogie board briefly and smiled when he shoved his feet far underneath the squishy [...]

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:10:17 +0000

@Matt, thank you for the reference and sorry about the bouncing email! I have fixed that, I hope.

@athina, you know, Charlie will often ask to be back at the place we just left, soon as we are back home—–he is looking forward to some friends visiting us today. Will see how each day goes!

By: athina

athina — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:44:55 +0000

Our experience was somewhat similar to yours. My four-year-old son used to be in love with the sea and swimming. We’ve been to the beach several times since the beginning of the summer, but our actual vacation was just last week when we went to a beautiful place by the sea and stayed in the most picturesque hotel. My son loved the hotel from the very first time but was most unwilling to go to the beach and even when we managed to make him follow us there, he refused to get into the water and kept asking to return to the hotel. He was very, very grumpy and started throwing things. I suppose he was scared because one time we went to the beach there were big waves and he wasn’t prepared for something like that. Anyway, we had to leave early because there was no point staying in the hotel room all the time and when we got back to our town he said he didn’t want to go home and asked to go back to the hotel! He never stops to amaze me!

By: In Memoriam Grayson Sherrell

In Memoriam Grayson Sherrell — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:47:13 +0000

[...] here at the beach, water safety is Concern #1, and that goes for Charlie, who’s a good [...]

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:11:34 +0000

Hi. I saw your post on the squinting issue and optometrist. Tried to send this by e-mail, but it bounced. And now the old post has fallen off, so I’m putting this here.

My son Noah has Asperger’s, and had a similar (as far as I can tell) squinting issue. We had our pediatrician check it out, but he didn’t find anything. Ultimately, the occupational therapist at his school told us she saw his eyes drifting outwards, and either she or our pediatrician referred us to Dr. Jay Bernstein (Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates, 509 E Broad St, Westfield, NJ 07090; phone 908-317-9811). He also has an office near Morristown.

Dr. Bernstein was terrific. It turned out Noah had strabismus, in which the eyes wander out, and which can eventually cause vision problems (in fact, he was squinting or covering his eyes, apparently, to block out one of the two conflicting signals). Dr. Bernstein discussed cases in which exercises were appropriate, but said that Noah’s was not such a case. We got a second opinion further away from another doctor who said the same. In March Dr. Bernstein operated on Noah’s eyes, and the problem went away entirely. His eyes now track fine and he has no vision problems, and doesn’t squint anymore.

I don’t know how well his office handles special needs kids in general. But he was very good with Noah, and with us as far as answering all questions and so on.

Of course, your son may have something completely different. But I highly recommend Dr. Bernstein. (For the record, I have no ties to him other than as a satisfied parent of a patient.)

I enjoy your blog.

Regards

By: MJ

MJ — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:02:05 +0000

For the first time this year, my teenage son with autism started saying “go home” and “airport” the day after we arrived to visit my family on vacation. He would even spell the words out for us to get his point across.

I’ve come to the realization that week-long vacations with him will be a thing of the past–three days away plus one day of travel time on each end will pretty much be it for us. We never attempted anything beyond a week because, with school and medical stuff and what have you, we never had enough vacation time. We are all homebodies and are always happy to be back home, so in a way I can’t say I’m all that surprised by this new development.