BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!!

I THINK I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS BEFORE BUT FELT COMPELLED TO WRITE AGAIN-- THERE IS AN OLD SAYING "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR"   IF YOU ARE A PARENT OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD THIS SAYING HAS PROFOUND MEANING---

OUR KIDS HAVE WHAT THEY CALL "STEMMING" OR "STIMMING" WHICH EVER SPELLING YOU USE IT IS ENUF TO DRIVE YOU RIGHT OUT OF YOUR MIND SOMETIMES--

IT IS A REPETITUOS BEHAVIOR THAT  HELPS THE CHILD "HANDLE" A SITUATION  OR CALMS THEM WHEN THEIR BRAINS ARE OVERLOADED. FOR THE MOST PART THIS PERSEVERATION CONTINUES SOMETIMES FOR HOURS ANDTHERE IS FINE LINE BETWEEN  STIMMING AND  HABIT. THE MOST WONDERUOS QUALITY OF THIS BEHAVIOR IS THAT WHEN ONE ISSUE GOES AWAY ANOTHER WILL REPLACE IT  AND FOR THE MOST PART ITS IS EVEN MORE AGRAVATING THAN THE LAST ONE

HENCE "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR"                                         EXAMPLE: CHEWING FINGERS  IS REPLACED WITH  TWISTING HAIR    OR MEOWING LIKE A CAT IS REPLACED WITH BARKING LIKE A DOG  - - THERE ARE SO MANY MORE BUT I THINK YOU GET THE PICTURE

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THESE BEHAVIORS IS THAT THEY ARE A COPING MECHANISM FOR THE AUTISTIC TO DEAL WITH A WORLD THAT DOESNT OFFER TYPICAL PEOPLE THE SAME CHALLENGES. MOST PEOPLE INCLUDING THE GENERAL PUBLIC --DONT GET IT; DONT UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR AND  OFTEN RE-ACT  IN APPROPRIATELY  WHEN THEY WITNESS THESE BEHAVIORS. I KNOW THAT EVERYONE CANT BE AN EXPERT ON AUTISM BUT I THINK THIS IS A COMMENT ON HOW PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY MEAN AND JUDGEMENTAL TO THOSE WHO DONT LOOK AND THINK THE WAY THAT THEY DO. WE AS PARENTS FIND OURSELVES TRYING TO "CURB" THE PRESEVERATION IN PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE LOOKS FROM STRANGERS--I OFTEN SIEZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE SOMEONE. I DONT PRONOUNCE TO THE WORLD  THAT MY SON IS AUTISTIC AND I DONT HAVE THE LUXURY OF HAVING A TATOO ON  MY FOREHEAD SAYING MY SON IS AUTISTIC            {i did considerit!} SOMETIMES THERE ARE SPECIFIC INCIDENTS  I   CAN  INFORM THE PERSON  THAT MY SON IS AUTISTIC AND OFTEN OFFER THEM A BUSINESS CARD WITH INFO ABOUT AUTISM-- I DONT WANT TO GET "PREACHY" I JUST WANT TO EDUCATE WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF....

FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH "A BEHAVIOR" JUST REMEMBER THAT THE NEXT ONE CAN BE WORSE. SEARCH OUT STRATEGIES THAT HELP YOU CURB THE BEHAVIOR WITHOUT STARTING ANOTHER. ALWAYS REMEMBER THESE KIDS NEED AWAY TO COPE WITH  THEIR ENVIROMENT. BE PREPARED AND ACCEPTING IF ANOTHER STIM COMES ALONG!   

MOST IMPORTANTLY  B R E A T H E