Tag Archives: autism spectrum

Is Your Child With Autism Oversensitive to Touch?

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Many children on the Autism Spectrum experience Sensory Processing issues. The best way to describe SPD is from Wikipedia: a neurological disorder causing difficulties with taking in, processing and responding to sensory information about the environment and from within the own body (visual, auditory, tactile, olfaction, gustatory, vestibular and proprioception).

Being oversensitive to touch is a tactile disorder – specifically dealing with input from touch, pressure, temperature, and pain receptors.

Although my son can simultaneously exhibit over- and under sensitivity to all things regarding touch (example: laying a hand on his shoulder to comfort him will cause him to recoil in pain, yet he frequently craves and seeks ‘bear hugs’), these symptoms below are very familiar to us.

Does your child show any of these signs of tactile dysfunction?

__ Becomes fearful or aggressive with light or unexpected touch

__ Did not like to be held or cuddled as a baby; would arch back and pull away

__ Will not let you brush his/her hair, or insist you use a particular brush

__ Resists most affectionate touch, especially kisses

__ Raindrops or water from the shower may feel like being pelted with stones

__ May overreact to minor cuts and scrapes

__ Issues with new or stiff clothes, especially jeans, sweaters, and other rough materials

__ Refuses to wear socks because of seams

__ Can’t stand getting hands dirty or participating in messy play

__ Extremely ticklish

__ Distressed by clothes rubbing on skin; takes clothes off as soon/often as possible

__ Hygiene issues: distressed about having face washed, hair cut, teeth brushed and nails clipped

__ Trips to the dentist are very anxiety-ridden

__ Is an extremely picky eater, only eating certain tastes and textures; avoids hot or cold foods and trying new foods

How do you help your child?

Here are some sensory exercises that can be done at home:

  • Finger painting with shaving cream or pudding (never force your child to touch something “messy” if they are not willing – let them use a paintbrush or utensil)
  • Sandbox play – or make an indoor sandbox with dried beans and rice
  • Playdough or clay (here is a Gluten-free recipe for playdough)
  • Let your child drink plain seltzer to experience bubbles in his mouth
  • Have a costume dress up party to let your child experiment with different material textures
  • Popsicles!
  • Repot some indoor plants or start a small garden
  • Play salon: have your child “groom” their favorite stuffed animal or doll and then trade places
  • Feather tickling
  • Play “guess the letter” by writing on your child’s back with your finger
  • Human tacos – wrap your child in a blanket and leave a small opening to add “toppings” – shredded newspaper for lettuce, bouncy balls for olives, a wet washcloth to apply taco sauce (water only, please!), etc. Bonus: use a yoga ball to press the taco into a quesadilla!

What other sensory activities do you enjoy at home? Let me know by commenting below or posting on the SOA Facebook page – I’d love to hear your successes!

Autism + Puberty = Oh, Crap!

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Got your attention, didn’t I?

We’ve been in a great rhythm for a while now, and it’s been glorious. Rituals and routines: check. Handy sensory tools to take to outings: check. Restricted diet: check. Digestive enzymes: check. Pre-meltdown signs identified and used to head him off at the pass: check.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the pants my 9 year-old son was wearing just a few days earlier were suddenly three inches too short. Did I use the wrong drier setting…? Then I saw acne. Then peach fuzz above his lip.

“Honey? Your voice sounds funny – are you coming down with a cold? Feeling okay?”

Then it hit me like a brick to the back of the head: big P, here we come.

Having a daughter first that went through full puberty at 8 (ACK!) I really didn’t think I had anything to worry about: I thought I had it in the bag. Easy – whiny, emotional, easily irritated, overreacting to things – then a smooth ride until the following month. Of course boys are different, but when you add precocious puberty with a splash of Autism you get an interesting cocktail. The hormones seem to sneak in and reconfigure many of the connections we’ve worked so hard to attain.

What to expect

Unexpected rage over small incidents. Proper magnitude of a situation was always an issue with us. We’ve really come a long way learning appropriate responses, but with some of these reactions it’s as if we’re now starting all over again.

Sleep schedule run amok. There has been a magnified wave of insomnia in our house, followed by 15-16 hour stretches of sleep for no apparent reason. Our old rituals and occasional use of melatonin are now ineffective.

New food likes / dislikes and  bizarre cravings. Good thing I went to Sam’s Club and bought a giant, industrial-sized box of his favorite snack food… that he suddenly hates :) Ugh. I caught him spreading Nutella on a dog biscuit the other day and slapped it out of his hands in panic! The good news? He’s trying new foods. It’s all about perspective. <Kidding – no child in my house eats dog biscuits!!

Lack of appetite followed by devouring a week’s worth of groceries. I know this one is not unique to children on the Spectrum, it’s part of having a t(w)een boy.  I still found myself quite financially unprepared for living with Garfield. Anyone know a good Gluten-Free lasagna recipe?

Being overly affectionate. This is a sticky-wicket, especially because I’m a single mom. There have been some shockingly inappropriate… acts of curiosity… that I’ve swiftly nipped in the bud! I will probably need some more assistance with this topic, however, as my expertise ends with Judy Blume books and creating the perfect chocolate/salt balance about three days out of the month. Calling all male role models… help! STAT!

Exhibiting desires to control family members and pets. For some reason, my boy is getting some sort of payoff from cornering me or his sister and not letting us pass through a room, blocking us from getting something in the kitchen, and mildly terrorizing the puppy. There is an underlying theme for the sudden desire to be the “capo di famiglia” (head of household). Yeah… that’s not gonna happen. Thank you, drive through!

No desire to keep up hygiene. Both my kids exhibited this strange behavior at the onset of puberty. It takes an Act of Congress to get them into the shower more than once a week. I simply can’t relate… but I have to stick to my guns.

Regression of old behaviors. Some of the old impulsivity is rearing its ugly head, along with stimming, toileting accidents, and blurting out loud noises. It really feels as if he is choosing this behavior; it has a deliberate tone to it. However, when disciplined he is honestly surprised that he is in trouble and is truly not sure what he did. The difference now is that he internalizes it and tells everyone he’s stupid. That’s not good.

What do you do?

Open communication. The number one thing you can do is make sure your child feels safe to talk about anything with you. With Autism, you may hear questions and perspectives you’ve never encountered in this arena. It’s so important to keep an open dialogue about what he is experiencing, this will set a solid foundation that will hold up any future issues and surprises with grace.

Rinse and repeat. It takes time to create new habits. 21 consecutive days, actually. Don’t expect your child to embrace these new hormones and feelings without some confusion and resistance. Remain patient and be prepared to explain, instruct, and remind your child about virtually everything. You will be repeating yourself, so get used to it :)

Gently establish new routines and rituals. Don’t cry over what used to work. Life is meant to be fluid. I used to feel like such a failure when I couldn’t command a successful routine 100% of the time. Now my attitude is, “We’re going to try this for a while and see how it goes.” If it stops working, we make small course changes. It took me almost 40 years to learn that small, consistent adjustments make a much more profound impact than the extreme and rigid ways I would try to enforce a schedule I thought “should” work. Not to mention all the energy expended feeling bad about my “shoulds”. Now that energy is freed and I can focus on our next step. The flow is so much nicer!

Exercise! Physical movement is always a priority, but it’s really critical during puberty. We start off each morning with Superbrain Yoga. Since I work out every morning for my own sanity, my son will sometimes mimic what I’m doing (or his version of it). There are currently no structured sports or activities in our repertoire, so walks with the dog, back yard exploring, and regular trips to the neighborhood bouncy house definitely help. When the weather gets a little less infernal we will be trying some more challenging activities.

Find a creative outlet. If you have a child with Autism, I’m sure you are no stranger to their current obsession. Rather than meeting it with resistance because YOU think the interest is excessive, try expanding on it. For example, my child lives, breathes, and eats Super Mario Brothers. We’ve found a computer program that goes above and beyond playing the various games: he gets to create custom levels. He puts them to music, assigns characters, powers, scenes, dialogue, and criteria to his games like he’s been designing all his life. What an awesome gift!

Establish ‘mommy time’ boundaries. Now more than ever it is imperative that you carve out sacred time for yourself. You may feel selfish and neglectful when you first attempt this, especially if you work. But the benefits are two-fold: you are getting a much needed and deserved break to replenish your spirit, and you are teaching your child how to do the same for himself. Making sure you are balanced and happy is the greatest gift you can give your entire family.

Celebrate the good choices. No matter how small you think it is, it’s a big deal that your child is able to make a connection, follow a thought, and make a positive choice. You may feel as if your child is too old, but throwing a verbal party when you catch him being good will really shift unwanted behaviors quickly!

What about you? Have you ventured down this path yet? What things helped you tame the beast? Feel free to share by commenting below or posting on the SOA Facebook page – I’d love to hear your stories!

How Important is Digestive Support?

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It’s well documented that many children on the Autism spectrum can have a broad range of digestive struggles.  For some it can manifest as constipation, diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain. Until recently, my child’s bathroom “sessions” would typically last 45 minutes or more, and he would have myriad accidents because he simply did not look forward to the painful experience.

Other children may have no outward appearance of symptoms but within their digestive tract there is disorder in the form of inflammation, leaky gut and food intolerances or sensitivities.

I recently started my son on a digestive enzyme, specifically formulated to aid in the digestion of gluten and casein.  Our bodies already contain enzymes that break down our food when we eat.  It’s imperative that by the time food reaches our intestines it is broken down properly, allowing nutrients to be absorbed into our bloodstream and taken to the cells around the body where they are needed most.  Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are broken down by enzymes, but for many children with Autism they seem to have problems breaking down and digesting their food properly.

Intolerances to certain foods, particularly wheat and dairy, are a common issue.  The proteins in these foods are not broken down properly and can cause damage to the intestinal lining and cross – undigested – into the blood, where they can cause many symptoms including behavioral problems.  Also what happens for many children is that during the process of attempting to break down these proteins, opiate-like substances are formed which can cross into the bloodstream and reach the brain. As a result, children may enter a drug-like state and can experience symptoms such as poor communication, lack of eye contact, drowsiness and exacerbated spatial issues.

Poor Digestion of Sugars and Fats

Many children with Autism have also been found unable to break down sugars, which can feed unwanted gut bacteria. When the digestive tract is overgrown with unwanted bacteria this can increase intestinal inflammation and can lead to a leaky gut, which allows undigested food to pass into the bloodstream and can aggravate many of their symptoms.

In addition to the Gluten Defense, I also began my child on Reuteri powdered probiotic to give him additional support for this bacteria overgrowth. Both of these products have no odor or taste, making it seamless and effortless to hide in his food. Other supplements I have tried have been instantly detected and rejected due to texture, odor, color, or taste, despite my best sneaky efforts. So far, so good!

Poor absorption of fats is also common, and it’s important for health that fats are broken down properly so that essential fatty acids can be used in the body. These essential fats are vital for digestive and immune health, as well as cognitive function.

To top off this super trio of support, I also added Udo’s Oil 3-6-9 Blend, an Omega Fatty Acid DHA supplement. I add this to applesauce, smoothies, and sometimes even in his morning cereal.

It’s important to remember that digestive enzymes are not a substitute for a gluten/casein elimination diet, but should be seen as one tool in a complete strategy.  There are no reported side effects of these natural products; however, as with any treatment, you may first observe worsening behavior, as unwanted gut bacteria may be dying off. Any time toxins are released from the body a small “healing crisis” may be experienced temporarily. It’s important to stick to your supplement plan, unless your child is experiencing an extreme negative symptom. You know your child best.

We just started our supplements, so I will report back our progress each week. I’d love to hear others’ experience with digestive enzymes, probiotics, and omega fatty acid supplements as well! Please comment below, or leave me some feedback on Facebook or Twitter!

TYSA Brings TOPSoccer to the Community Again

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Spring is in the air, and on the TYSA soccer field it is also buzzing with excitement! Young athletes with a spectrum of disabilities – some familiar with each other from the program’s debut in Fall 2010 and some new faces – greeted each other on Sunday, March 13 at Henderson Park.

“We are very excited about the start of the second season of the TOPSoccer Program at TYSA.  The feedback from the parents, players and volunteers from our inaugural season has been tremendous.  We look forward to building upon the initial success of the program and the opportunity it provides to these young athletes.  It is, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding and fulfilling programs the TYSA has been involved with since it’s inception in the late ‘70’s”  says Ken Barnett, the Director of the TOPSoccer Program at TYSA.

TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based soccer training program for young athletes with disabilities, organized by Tucker Youth Soccer Association volunteers. The program is designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, who has a mental or physical disability. Our goal is to share the love of soccer with young athletes with disabilities. Through TYSA’s TOPSoccer program, these special young athletes feel that they are an integral part of Tucker Youth Soccer Association.  This program is open to all kids with any type of physical or mental disability between the ages of 6-18.

The TOPSoccer program at TYSA has been partially funded through grants from US Youth Soccer and adidas®.  These initial grants are helping to support the cost associated with starting this special program by allowing TYSA to provide TOPSoccer player with the basic equipment they need to participate in the program.

As the parent of a child on the Autism Spectrum, I am delighted to see the return of the amazing program, and so is my son! He greeted old teammates and welcomed new faces as he ran onto the field last week to start some drills.

I am really grateful for TOPSoccer; he hasn’t been able to participate in any type of organized sports in the past. It was also a great measure for me to see all the coordination and movement work I’ve been doing with him at home pay off in a safe environment!

TOPSoccer will meet in Henderson Park on Field 4 Sundays from 1 – 2 pm. Players and parents will meet on five Sunday afternoons for practice and then culminate in a Jamboree on the sixth Sunday.

Registration Fee: $25, which includes a Jersey, Socks, Shin Guards, a Ball, and a Carrying Bag.

Doctor’s approval required.

For further questions please contact Nancy Marsden, at admin@tysa.com or 404.219.3752.

What’s So Familiar About Cheese?

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Image from dvdverdict.com

I’m going to take a short break this week from the scientific philosophies, the tips and tools, the family stories, and the therapy program discussions and simply share an amusing correlation I made about Autism and a beloved, lesser-known cartoon character. Please note that by no means am I undermining, making fun of, or minimizing anything about my child or any of the brilliant angels on the Autism Spectrum. This is just something I found entertaining and a wee bit insightful about perspective.

My children used to religiously watch Cartoon Network’s “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.” This cute and creative show is about imaginary friends being left to fend for themselves after the children that created them outgrew them and the elderly woman that founded a home for them to be re-adopted one day.

Somewhat mid-season, a character was introduced named Cheese. Wikipedia describes him as “a simple, pale-yellow-colored friend who debuted in “Mac Daddy”. He appears to be somewhat madcap and dim-witted, often saying incoherent or non-sequitur phrases, and breaking into sudden bouts of screaming when frightened or when he doesn’t get his way. Cheese likes goldfish crackers, cereal, juice, chocolate milk (although he is lactose-intolerant), and so on..”

Here are some other things I noted about Cheese:

  • He is never actually mischievous, he just does things in the moment that please him
  • The other characters see him as annoying to be around
  • He is unable to understand anyone else’s viewpoint or perception
  • He tries to do things himself and gets frustrated when he can’t
  • He tries to fit in with the other friends but is very socially awkward
  • He is addicted to cereal and milk, though his body can’t tolerate them (gluten and casein!)
  • He is perceived as “slow” yet he is actually quite brilliant, especially in the episode where the Headmaster punched in a random code on the new alarm system and locked everyone out of the house. Cheese actually remembered the entire (ridiculously long) sequence by tone and could repeat it verbatim; however, he would only agree to help if they made a game out of it and EVERYONE played along.
  • He repeats phrases and gets “stuck” on one or two topics of choice
  • He is a “space invader”: he often crashes into Bloo while playing or follows him around within an inch or two of him
  • He has no regard for danger and needs to be watched carefully
  • He is prone to wandering, and even took a bus through town by himself because of an innocent, unexplained thought he was compelled to follow
  • He is very loud, but he can’t tell that it’s not a normal volume
  • Some typical sensory experiences that other kids would enjoy frighten or bother him

By now, I’m sure you’re starting to see where I’m going with this :)

Maybe some viewers initially see Cheese as “that annoying kid with behavior issues who lacks discipline from his creator” (sound familiar?). I see this character as the quintessential snapshot of a high-functioning Autistic child. In fact, he’s a lot like my son. A lot.

His recurring appearances sprinkled throughout the show illustrate a journey with the other characters that really hits home for me. It’s a journey that goes from avoidance and rejection to an eventual understanding of him.  Ultimately the characters move into compassion and acceptance of Cheese into their community… and even offer their friendship.

Whether that was the creator’s intention or not, that’s my takeaway! Bravo, Craig McCracken.

Here are a couple of short videos to enjoy if you’re not familiar with the character!

Tribute to Cheese

Cheese Alarm Code