My first Sensory Make N Take was a hit!!!!
Author: autismplusmoreblog
I am SOOOO proud of Tyler’s improvments – things just seem to be getting better with the addition of Multigreens to his regimen.
For Tyler – comprehending what he reads and answering who, what, when and why questions are so challenging. I can’t not tell you the hours put in therapy and tutoring and working at home just on these things alone LOL. People don’t understand that Words do not mean communication. Reading does not mean comprehension He is not where he needs to be on these skills BUT……check this out:
Driving to school there is a banner that says Sylvan Beach Day April 28. Tyler reads this banner out loud and then:
Tyler: “what is Sylvan Beach Day?”
Me: “A fund day at Sylvan Beach with a carnival and games, music and things”
Silence
Me: “Tyler would you like to go?”
Tyler: “I can’t go”
Me: “Of course you can go, i can take you, do you want to go?”
Tyler: “No, I don’t want to go”
Me: “Why don’t you want to go?”
Silence
Tyler: “I don’t want to go because there will be a lot of people and it will be loud”
ME IS SHOCK
Me: “Ok then, we don’t have to go and yes, you are right, those type of celebrations are normally loud and have people. I said sometimes we have to go where there are crowds and people and sometimes we can choose not to go.”
Silence
Me: “I am so proud of you for telling me “why” you didn’t want to go. If you change your mind, you can tell. If you are scared, it’s ok, I will take you and you can be brave”
Tyler: “I am brave but it will be loud and too many people”
Feeling the anxiety increasing….
Me: “Tyler it’s ok, you don’t have to go”
Tyler: “Thank you mom”
Silence
Tyler: “A carnival is like Carnival Capers from Thomas the Tank Engine”
Me: “Yes”. “Tyler do you remember going to the carnival with Ms. Nutt and the students (he refers to kids in class as the students), and we got to go at a time when there was not a lot of people, it wasn’t as noisy but it was fun? Did you have fun?”
Tyler: “Yes, I had fun.”
Me: “Would you want to do that again?”
Tyler: “No I don’t think so”
Me: “That’s ok you tried and that’s what it’s all about, giving it a try!”
Me: “Tyler do you need some oils?” (concerned that the conversation may have elevated his anxiety)
Tyler: “No mom, I feel good”
I can’t describe how excited I am about a conversation, a meaningful, appropriate and accurate conversation. Not sure when it will happen again, but grateful for the progress! Proud he’s learning when he needs calming oils (I am so proud that he doesn’t use them daily any longer!!!!!)
#yleo #mindwise #multigreens #superB #ningxiared #mineralessence #calmingoils #progressnotperfection #detoxing #chemicalfreeliving #lifeonthespectrum #austimdifferentnotless
When you have a child or loved one on the spectrum the progress in all areas is so exciting.
Saturday night Tyler ate a baked chicken breast (he does he ground chicken meat in spaghetti or tacos and will eat chicken nuggets or strips) It was simply cooked, with some seasoning. He ate it with his spinach and cucumbers (which he eats most nights). The surprising thing was he liked it and asked for seconds! Another new food added into his diet is a tater tot casserole except that I make it with a mixture of cauliflower tots and the potato tots. It uses lean ground beef and cream of mushroom soup. It does call for cheese as a topper but Tyler will eat it with or without the cheese, so I go without the cheese most of the time.
Tyler would, like most people, eat fast food and junk food, if I let him. It’s not that he won’t eat (or wouldn’t eat) but I try to monitor his diet and prefer to make his food. On Thursdays it’s his treat to eat Taco Bell (yuk) but I’ve been happy when he has chosen to eat left over tater tot over Taco Bell 🙂
Food for those on the spectrum can be challenging. I do let Tyler eat off his dietary restrictions just not every single day.
For the child that used to eat Tostitos, Fritos, Yogurt and French Fries, his diet has expanded nicely – I still to the best that I can or in limited quantities keep it gluten free, casein free, yeast free, soy free, high fructose (or “tose”) free, processed sugar free:
Eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, bratswurst, hamburger meat, steak, ground turkey meat, sliced turkey, ground chicken, now chicken breast. Lunchmeat (which I get nitrate free)are ham, turkey or chicken.
He will eat peanut butter, almond butter, fruit spread (grape preferred)
GF breads and pasta and now and then GF waffles
GF cookies (I prefer to buy Amy’s cookies in the HEB bakery area which are made with GF oats and grains, raisins, and other fruits and has very little sugar)
I put frozen spinach or kale into the spaghetti sauce and he will eat spaghetti, lasagna
I do buy Udi’s pizza (GF) I do buy (GF) chicken nuggets
GF Hotdogs and GF hotdog buns
I make his French fries now instead of buying them frozen
Tortilla round chips and Corn chips
Chicken, beef or turkey tacos, either in corn shells or gf wraps
Fresh Spinach, Romaine Lettuce, cucumbers, shredded carrots, a little bit of tomato, now and then he will eat some green beans.
Coconut milk yogurt (strawberry and banana flavor)
Fruits: red apples, oranges, bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, green grapes, blue berries, strawberries
Fruit popsicles, frozen yogurt
With monitoring his diet at home most of the time, I can let him eat off restrictions if we are out at a restaurant or at school functions, friends homes, etc.
When he eats off his dietary restriction in addition to his daily 2oz Ningxia Red I will make him a couple of capsule with Young Living Vitality Juvaflex to help detox the organs. (I used to make Tyler the Juvaflex capsules daily for the 1st year of his Young Living Regimen) now that I have removed many chemicals from our home, hygiene and he drinks the Ningxia Red daily and his off his prescription medication, I use the vitality Juvaflex now and then combined with Vitality Lemon. How much I give him just depends on how much he ate off his restrictions and how many days.
Eating food choices that aren’t all fast food, junk food, frozen meals etc can be challenging for those on the spectrum. So I am very proud of his progress, a little bit at a time.
#yleo #progressnotperfection #foodmatters #detoxthebrain #chemicalsareinfood
My take on the information last night from the presentation from The Arc Greater Houston – helping support children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. In a nutshell – but please explore their information and see if anything can help your loved one and your family.
Especially if you have a child nearing the age of 18 or has aged out of the public school environment, please go to their website and http://www.aogh.org and look at their services and register for membership too. You are not giving up hope on their progress when you seek things for your child’s future and their life as an adult.
They are on Facebook and Twitter. They Arc’s are in various cities and they all provide different things so if you aren’t in the Houston area – check your city for your Arc. The Arc Greater Houston works with a couple of programs: Family to Family Network and H.E.A.R.T Program. The AGH offers help and assistance with trained professionals, families and communities. https://www.facebook.com/thearchouston/
Here is the Arc of Texas to find an Arc in your area: https://www.facebook.com/TheArcofTexas/
As many of you know that are on an MHMRA (I know the name has changed ) waiting list (and she called it something else besides a waiting list) it takes years and years and the wait time being 10 – 15 years a person. Well one thing the AGH does is constantly talk with our legislature about redirecting funds that are used to State Supported Living Centers to these wait list programs allowing the assistance to the families that are caring for their loved ones in their home instead of state facilities. She mentioned that it costs the state $330,000 per person each year in a state supported living center WOW! Many of these residents are there because the family had no support – https://www.aogh.org/legislative-advocacy
Their website is full of information.
Job training is something they work with individuals and families.
They offer things like weekend Respite for those over the age of 21. They offer “vacations” for those over the age 21. There is a cost to the family for some of these things.
They have Saturday fundays for those under 21 and over 21 (chaperoned social gatherings)
IF you have a school aged child and are having difficulties in getting things accomplished they can assign you and Advocate (do not request this at the last minute as they have limited numbers of advocates)
We parents at the meeting did encourage them that we would like to see a branch or group out on the SE side of town with these social events being the Pasadena, DP, Clear Lake, Nasa, etc areas.
They do events too (i.e. Like the Wings of Autism Event helping those on the spectrum when it comes to the airplanes and boarding planes, etc. if families struggle in that area and they need it)
Follow them on FB and visit their website.
They always need Volunteers (if you are over the age of 15) Board Members and Advocates
Check them out!
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Awareness and acceptance is one thing – but reality is something else. Learning the roller coaster of this life can be difficult at times. How many times do you hear are they low functioning or high functioning? These children on the spectrum grow up to be adults on the spectrum. Full bodied adults many having extreme delayed mentalities. Think about this…..
When Tyler was 5 he was at a 20 month old developmental level across the board, not potty trained and very limited vocabulary (words and vocabulary do not mean communication and that’s a topic for another day). Tyler was diagnosed as severe autism and sensory processing disorder.
Today at age 15 he ranges from a 5-9 years in developmental levels, about a 3rd grade academic level, is completely potty-trained (even though it took me 4 1/2 years he was not fully potty trained until 8 1/2 years old) and is making progress by the day. Tyler’s diagnosis is still severe autism and sensory processing disorder.
Biologically he is on target, developmentally he is delayed and in society’s calendar he will be an adult in 3 years. (this should mean physically, emotionally and developmentally) but it won’t. Tyler has achieved things that I was told would never happen but it hasn’t come easy.
The words High Functioning and Low Functioning are not true medical terms, but terms established in the community as to levels that parents and educators developed. People look at me and say, well he’s pretty high functioning – and I have to strongly disagree, my vision of high functioning (in a nut shell) is someone who can live independently with little supervision, can think “quick” on their feet, has what is taught or instinctive “common sense” does not let anxiety block their ability to react and think in high stressed situations, can function under their sensory issues, can adapt (even if not easy) to changing environments, is able to control their personal behaviors (most of the time), able to read, comprehend and able to verbally process simple instructions, etc. (or effectively communicate with sign language or voice output devices) Able to be socialable in society, as necessary, in appropriate manners and ways. (Having words and using them inappropriately doesn’t mean appropriate behavior (IMO). Able to make life decisions, relating to living environments, medical, simple things like eating, shopping, hygiene, calendar, clocks and money management etc. But other parents views of high and low functioning are their views and should be respected by others as to how that parent sees their loved one.
Developmental delay is not I.D. (though many on the spectrum have numerous diagnosis which impairs development even more and an I.D. diagnosis as well). People will tell me how smart Tyler is and sometimes I just look at them and say, I have never said my son is stupid, he is neurologically delayed and learns, comprehends and responds in a different manner. So because of the actions, behaviors, communication barriers, etc does society view auties as not smart? Auties and many Aspies just learn differently, it’s not that they don’t learn. Those with an I.D. diagnosis aren’t not smart either, they learn differently and slower than others.
Most parents raise their children with the hopes that they will be independent and on their own shortly after their 18th birthday. I raise my son to be as independent and responsible under my roof because that is where (according to the path we are on) he will be until I die.
I am a strong believer from Tyler’s own improvement about the problems caused by toxic living – and the progress and improvements that can be made by detoxing and cleaner living – Tyler is living proof.
Don’t pay too much to what the media and Hollywood portray about the spectrum. If you want to know about the spectrum – in addition to the media and Hollywood, ask a parent and look at how broad the spectrum is. It is true, when you’ve met 1 person on the spectrum you’ve met only 1 person on the spectrum. Those on the spectrum are like snowflakes, there are no 2 alike but all unique in their own way.
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