Sunday, April 27, 2008

Don't Mess with my Boys

My biggest struggle with David being on the autistic spectrum is developing a connection with him. With a lot of hard work over time - we have developed a deep bond and a true love for one another. What I have been trying hard to do for some time is connect and have it stick. Specifically we are working on proper actions/communication in the social setting. We are working hard to have him do simple things - for example: proper hello/goodbye and eye contact.

Two instances happened today which remind me that we still have work to do. 1) Inappropriate physical and verbal behavior at church and 2) He punched me in the ___ (lets say "boys") at Trader Joe's. It's hard to concentrate on the checkout line when you are seeing stars.

These are not intentional acts. At least I don't sense them to be. It most likely is a call for attention or overwhelmed by the situation (lots of people, lots of sensory inputs).

We've made progress. I love him immensely. It's a gut check (literally) and I know we need to stay the course.

1 comment:

Liza on Maui said...

I'm reading a book with my daughter called "Rules". It's written from a perspective of a young girl who is a sister to a boy with Autism. The book is in my daughter's room. I'd check the author's name later. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. Even though it's a book geared for tweens, i enjoy reading it. Quite touching and an eye opener...