Meltdown Helps

Izaiah becoming more social!

Izaiah is feeling so much better with a healing GI system. His immunity has improved remarkably too.

Even so, we still have sensory needs and meltdowns.

Here's some super easy meltdown tips:

Dark room and pressure. We head up to Izaiah's room and I pull all the drapes so it is dark. I put one drop of lavender essential oil on each foot and then we crawl underneath his covers and snuggle. I might just hold him, lay a pillow on him, or use a weighted blanket. It takes about 10 minutes or less for him to be calm- no kidding! Doing it without lavender will work but takes about 30 to 40 minutes for the melties to subside. The lavender speeds it up 3 to 4 times! 

I'm battling environmental allergies with essential oils too. Diffused lemon, lavender, and peppermint have a dramatic impact. They clean the air during the day and aide sleeping at night. Reduced allergy problems make a big difference in the number of meltdowns we have.


We bought this sensory swing from IKEA. Izaiah will swing in it and soothe himself when he feels overcome by a meltdown. Once he settles down, I swing him face to face and this is the best time for eye contact! I also count as I swing him, sing songs, and read books. This great investment helps meltdowns, provides sensory integration, and if you have a kinesthetic learner (as it is becoming apparent that I do!) this is a big help for school.



Sometimes we just need a whole scenery change so we head outdoors and jump on the all important trampoline.

We also found this great trike. It's the closest we could come to a handicap trike without spending hundreds of dollars. It was about $70. We are able to steer and push from behind while Izaiah can practice pedaling and steering. This will last up to 60 lbs.

Fidgets. Izaiah loves fidgets. Thankfully he's not picky. Fabric is his favorite, especially Mommy's silkier type shirts...naturally. 

Izaiah really struggles with barometric pressure. The weather this Spring has been tumultuous including tornado conditions, hot weather, cold weather, drops in barometric pressure; they have all vexed him this season. It has caused pain, irritability and meltdowns; so, if you are wondering what in the world is going on at your house, this could be the culprit.

Two problems that seem to affect almost every autist is hunger and thirst. Always have snacks and drinks set out or packed if you're on the go. 

Izaiah will sometimes have transitional meltdowns, those seem to be the worst. And we seem to just have to ride those out. Often he will allow us to hold him or I put him in the tub with Epsom salts and a couple drops of lavender. to help.

Undergoing testing to uncover food allergies and intolerances and eliminating them has taken the punch out of meltdowns. It doesn't take away autism, but it sure does make it more tolerable.

Of course when it comes to meltdowns no two kids are alike. Even my own 2 autists are very different from each other in this department. These thoughts might resonate with you or get you thinking on your own ideas.

RECIPE:
Garbanzo Bean Brownies - this is for people with severe allergies and/or who are unable to have sugar.

Credit goes to Sheree Welshimer over at Cats in the Kitchen. The recipe is perfect the way she has it outlined and I've tweaked it a bit only for our tastes. If you have severe food allergies or battle yeast and must get sugar/carbs out of your diet then I urge you to follow her blog. Not only is it saving me in the kitchen and keeping my kids fed, it is also keeping me from ripping my hair out! Her recipes are accurate and work exactly as they are supposed to. 

Preheat oven to 480 degrees. It takes awhile, so go ahead and do this first!

2 cups garbanzo bean flour
3 T cocoa powder
1/2  tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 cup organic sugar OR 1/4 cup Truvia blend OR 1 to 2 drops Stevia liquid OR No sugar at all 

Mix the dry ingredients well with a fork.

Add 2 T Grape Seed Oil and mix with the fork - it will be very dry.
Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir again with the fork, it will be very wet. 
Stir in a couple of squirts of Agave syrup (optional)
Set batter for 5 minutes to thicken.

PREPARE PAN

Spray a glass baking dish,  9 X 13, with oil and add 1TBSP Grape Seed Oil to the bottom.
When the oven finally heats up to 480 degrees, put the dish inside to let it and the oil warm up for about 8 minutes. 

Remove and carefully pour in the batter.  The oil will be hot, but it helps to cook the brownies from below. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove. Let it cool for just several minutes and voila! brownies are ready. No waiting!

My 8 year old has classic autism. I'm going through it all again with my 2 year old son. No part of the journey is the same.  Not because my kids are different (which they are), but because I am different. I now have an experienced eye, a patient heart, a whole cache of weapons in my arsenal, aka therapy, and the terms and lingo are part of my common vocabulary.  I am equipped.

InInstead of being befuddled by behaviors, I am prepared. It's like a checklist in my mind: Spinning, check. Tapping, check. No eye contact, check. Non-verbal, check.  Anti-social, check. Lining up toys, check.  Obsessive behaviors, check.  It's like an old song, I remember all the words.

Even so, it's a little breathtaking to see my son's behaviors take shape in public. Yesterday for instance, we went to a Discovery Center in our city.  It's a magical play-place filled with pretend, science, engineering, art; it's a perfect blend of learning and amusement.

Izaiah instinctively made a bee-line for a toy that conveniently fit his perseveration. I guess you could call it a toy - it was a 2ft x 2ft inclined soft ramp.

He enjoys walking and finding uneven surfaces.  He walks them over and over again as if to memorize the uneven parts. Sometimes, for closer inspection, he gets down on his tummy. If it's a serious matter, he gently feels them with his face. It could be linoleum in the kitchen, concrete outside, or a jungle gym at the park; if there are uneven surfaces, he's going to find them! 

He does not enjoy other children in his space. His work is very serious. There happened to be an unsuspecting toddler in his way.  What I thought was going to be a gentle hug turned out to be a calculated shove out of the way! Oh, boy! I was not prepared for that! I apologized profusely to the child's mommy and stepped up my guard. 

He spent the day walking and feeling that ramp. He did play with some other items, but overall, the place was too loud, too big, too many people in his space. He just wanted to hide to get away from it all.

As I nursed him under a blanket ( his safe place), I smiled replaying the song (events) in my head. I know all the verses and the chorus by heart. My eyes followed and adored my 8 year old busily exploring, learning, socializing, pretending, discovering. I laughed to myself recalling how she used to act just like my 2 year old, even worse!  I held my son close and basked in our time together. Yes, I know what's going on. Yes, I know all the hard work ahead; I understand the challenges. The difference is that the worry is gone. Confidence, hope, and victory have filled it's place.

Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  Instead of holding on to worry that leads us into despair, trust in the Lord.  Believe in His plans and His purpose for you and your kids. The worry comes from fear of the unknown, but nothing is unknown to Him. Surround yourself with like-minded people who share your positive outlook.  Release the people who drag you down, refuse to understand, or who only want to be angry.  By focusing on Him instead of our worries, we will not be burdened with worries and fears, we will move forward victoriously with wings like eagles and so will our kids!


Annie Eskeldson writes for parents of very young autists.  She has 3 published children's books about autism that also nurture parents.  Check them out at http://www.authorannie.com   Annie will be speaking at a Homeschooling Convention in Kansas City, April 2012.  For more tips and ideas about autism visit http://www.ashisgift.blogspot.com

Lights and Shadows

IN the simplicity of basic objects kids discover the wheels, hinges, joints, connections, axles, and angles that build our complex world. By encouraging learning using their early perseverations, they can go from tediously studying the simplest toy to navigating the internet by kindergarten. It's just another paradox of autism that reminds me that autists are smarter than I am.  Here's some ways to work with simple 'toys' at your house.



1.) Lines on the floor (above) formed when light shines through blinds. You can line up little toys, animals, letters, words, anything really.  Conveniently,  the light stays in one place about as long as a young child's attention span - so it's perfect!

2.) Pulling a bright fleece blanket over your bodies and heads as you and your child snuggle.  If you do it in bright sunlight, the effect reminds me of stained glass. My little boy is truly intrigued by it.

3.) Dust floating through the air. I used to be mesmorized by this when I was little. It's fun to move your hand through the particles.

4.) You can make shadows by arranging boxes, books, balls, toys; everything has a shadow in the right light! The funnest shadow, of course, is your own and kids love to step on, chase, dance, or even quietly sit with their own.  You just need to show them how.

5.) Flashlights can make light big, little, dance, shimmer, bounce; appear and dissapear - it's very captivating! One flashlight is packed full of therapeutical play for toddlers or preschoolers.

6.) Let him carry it around with him.  There's just something magical about having a flashlight, I don't know what it is, but I try to remember how much fun I had with flashlights and know my kids will have fun too.

7.) Bounce the light on the wall, the floor, the ceiling.  Do it slowly at first to get his attention and then help him track the light. Pointing at it with your finger might help him learn to follow your point.
 

8.) You can teach 'on' and 'off' by clicking the toggle and expressing the terms, 'on' and 'off.'   If you have a non-verbal child, encourage him to say or sign the word 'flashlight' by playfully withholding the flashlight until he says the word or something close to it,  but give into him before he cries, you don't want that!  You can also teach your toddler to sign the word "on" and the sign for the word "off."  Click the highlighted words to see the words signed.

9.) Hide objects in a dark room.  I like the cupboard under the sink in the bathroom. I hide Izaiah's mega-blocks or plastic animals, or maybe a video. He thinks it's exciting. I think of all the eye-hand coordination and comprehension that is happening  

Lights and shadows provide interactive play, sensory integration, comprehension, speech therapy, and socializing all rolled into one very inexpensive ball. The last time I checked, sunlight is still free and so is Mommy!

Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are the works and that my soul knoweth right well.  God knows our kids and has carefully, strategically, made them exactly the way they are supposed to be.  Their interests may be different from the 'norm' but so what?  They know in their souls what delight them. When we accept and validate our kids, behaviors and all, successful futures are being forged.

Annie Eskeldson writes for parents of young autists.  She has 2 at home and provides their therapy and homeschooling.  Other non-typical toys her kids have enjoyed include, faces, hands, water, stairs, and plastic water bottles.   She has 3 published children's books about autism.  You can check them out at www.authorannie.com