Guest guest Posted April 13, 2002 Report Share Posted April 13, 2002 , I know exactly how you feel. I have my ups and downs too. About behavior stuff, the worse thing my duaghter has done was when 2 years ago she use to teeth grind ALL DAY LONG. I couldn't bring her to Church or quiet places because ALL EYES were on us!!! I thought it would never end. I went to a complementary medicine dr. in NY city (Dr. Fred Pescatore) and he told me he thought she had an essential fatty acid deficiency. I had just the week before concidentally bought efelex at the shoprite because my sister mentioned Lorenzo's Oil movie to me and thought the oils would help my daughter with her delays. In about 11 weeks her grinding completely stopped and has not returned. But I didn't see much with speech with the efelex so I switched to proefa and that's when I had my first purposeful words from her. I think the efa's really help all around and they are different with everybody. If you think he was behaving better with the proefa, I would go back to it. Also, I am not an expert, just a parent; but I think I would try to distract him with more engaging activities but I wouldn't make him stop if he acted they he needed to do it. If you can interrupt it and get him to do anything else, even tickle him or throw up in the air, maybe that would help. I remember when my daughter was 2 and she would squeeze rubber detergent bottles or press down on them, I would stop her, but then I realized that she needed that sensory imput and deep pressure. You may also want to check with an ot. If you don't have one, I will ask mine. good luck, Carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2002 Report Share Posted April 13, 2002 , Is your son seeing an occupational therapist? They often know different movement therapies, etc., that can be implemented to decrease self-stim behaviours that are hurting a child's capacity to function. I do think you are doing the right thing in trying to redirect his attention to other activities and thereby shortening the amount of time he is engaging in the behaviour. Before you see or speak to an/your OT, it may be useful to make a daily diary of when the activity begins, its duration, how successful your attempts to redirect him are, what seems to work best, etc. Maybe it would be helpful to get him outside running around, jumping, sliding, swinging on a swing, etc. Or you could try things like heavy lifting, deep massage, and so on. You could see if other stimulating activites are followed by periods of calm, and what activities are the most helpful. Good luck in finding someone knowledgeable in this area who can help your son focus better - hope it isn't too long. Betsy, mom to Wiley > Lately my son is engaging in alot of self stimulation. He claps his >hands in front of his face in circles. I can usually break him of it but >shortly thereafter he will return to it. This has just started and I am so >worried. I am the mom you have all encouraged in the past as I get so >overwhelmed with all of this. Here I am feeling overwhelmed and frantic >again so here I am! We just took our son to the pediatric neurologist last >week. She still thinks he is NOT autistic but more PDD, if anything (other >than the apraxia)---which I am still confused about. I know it is still >the autism spectrum thing going on and it is so " gray " , isnt it????!!!! >Well anyways, just since the appt, he has started this behavior all of the >time!! One week ago this was just occasionally but the past few days it >has been all day! I dont know what to do. I have tried to keep him busy >and that helps but I cant be in his face all day. RIght now he is watching >a movie but I can hear him clapping and making the same noise he always >makes. He also--in the past 5 days, has started to repeat a phrase from a >Nascar clip he likes to watch from one of his Dad's tapes. How can his >behavior change so suddenly????????? I also just had an IEP and actually >that went fairly well. They think his social skills are improving but they >too notice the self stim. THe only change we have had the past 2 weeks is >that I am trying Efalex instead of ProEFA. If anyone has any thoughts or >suggestions--please email me. I am just frantic here. Do I make him stop >the clapping or let him go?????? > >Thanks > >bearcat@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2002 Report Share Posted April 13, 2002 One last thought is to keep in mind that there is a reason behind the behaviour - that he himself is overwhelmed somehow, possibly from too much environmental input, possibly from changes in his schedule, and so on, and this is what he has at hand to calm himself with. So I guess the aim would be to provide more normalized calming options for him that work, things he can do that won't disrupt his ability to learn and so on, but rather, enhance that ability. My son has a problem with becoming easily visually overwhelmed and visually distracted, so I practically removed all his toys from view and really opened up the space where he plays so he only has a couple of options and so on - this really helped his distractibility - he's also 2, so some of it is pretty typical. Another thing I've noticed is he is so much more focused and immersed in activities we do outdoors - I don't know if he feels a little closed in inside or if the natural lighting and lack of chaos outside in the yard does it for him or what - but he really is a different child outside vs. in. Betsy > Lately my son is engaging in alot of self stimulation. He claps his >hands in front of his face in circles. I can usually break him of it but >shortly thereafter he will return to it. This has just started and I am so >worried. I am the mom you have all encouraged in the past as I get so >overwhelmed with all of this. Here I am feeling overwhelmed and frantic >again so here I am! We just took our son to the pediatric neurologist last >week. She still thinks he is NOT autistic but more PDD, if anything (other >than the apraxia)---which I am still confused about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2002 Report Share Posted April 14, 2002 , My daughter's OT had told me that several kids he worked with who had exhibited self stimming and autistic behaviors had totally turned around when put on a casein free, gluten free diet. I believe that there is a website GFCF Diet that has lots of info on it. The dairy free is easy (I did with my daughter), the wheat free part is pretty difficult, but if you look at some of the success stories, well worth it. Just something to consider. Good luck, Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.