Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Slight Change of Plans
To avoid confusion, instead of changing this blog's name, I've decided to keep it and just start fresh with a new blog, My Autism Insights. Autism is Red will be my summer home while MAI will be my main residence. So if you've been following me at Today.com, please change your subscription to the new location! Looking forward to continuing the journey with you!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Making Some Changes
This blog will be undergoing some changes and will be getting the attention it deserves again. The name of the blog may change - I haven't quite decided yet (opinions on the matter are welcome) - to My Autism Insights. So stay tuned and click that subscribe button so you don't miss a thing!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Soothing a Meltdown
Yesterday, we decided to take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch and some video games because MM was insisting on it for some reason. We'd spend all day Saturday indoors because of the weather. Because of that, Gus wasn't in any particular mood to go anywhere or do anything. He was a bit resistant as we prepared to leave, and I wanted to give him some Reiki energy before getting in the car, but I got a phone call, and everyone sort of left me in the dust. Then I drove, so I couldn't really do it while driving. Hence, we got there and Gus was not a happy camper. Thankfully, the place was not crowded at all; he would have been overstimulated on top of everything else.
He wanted to do everything but what we asked: didn't want to put his jacket on, didn't want to wait until after lunch to go play in the giant slide (If he'd been allowed to do that it would have resulted in a worse situation when he needed to come down to eat - and he really needed to eat by then.), didn't even want to get his hand stamped. We selected a table and he wanted to sit in the area reserved for parties. He got a bit whiny and started to flail about under the table. I got him calm enough to negotiate another table in the unreserved section, but that only worked for about thirty seconds until he started getting agitated again.
I wasn't sure if Reiki would be possible at that point, but I tried it. I loosely put my arms around him and began sending the energy. Normally, any form of restraint would have made him more upset, but I was stunned to see that he relaxed right into my arms and accepted the energy. He calmed right down - it was truly amazing. Even DH was pleasantly surprised. Once the energy stopped, he still exhibited some mild annoyance, but he wasn't on the floor or crying. A little food, and he was right as rain. He had a great time and was in a pretty good mood for the rest of the day.
While this isn't exactly conclusive regarding the effect that Reiki is or isn't having on him, I think it's at least a positive sign.
He wanted to do everything but what we asked: didn't want to put his jacket on, didn't want to wait until after lunch to go play in the giant slide (If he'd been allowed to do that it would have resulted in a worse situation when he needed to come down to eat - and he really needed to eat by then.), didn't even want to get his hand stamped. We selected a table and he wanted to sit in the area reserved for parties. He got a bit whiny and started to flail about under the table. I got him calm enough to negotiate another table in the unreserved section, but that only worked for about thirty seconds until he started getting agitated again.
I wasn't sure if Reiki would be possible at that point, but I tried it. I loosely put my arms around him and began sending the energy. Normally, any form of restraint would have made him more upset, but I was stunned to see that he relaxed right into my arms and accepted the energy. He calmed right down - it was truly amazing. Even DH was pleasantly surprised. Once the energy stopped, he still exhibited some mild annoyance, but he wasn't on the floor or crying. A little food, and he was right as rain. He had a great time and was in a pretty good mood for the rest of the day.
While this isn't exactly conclusive regarding the effect that Reiki is or isn't having on him, I think it's at least a positive sign.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Renewal and Reiki
Since I started writing My Autism Insights, I have found myself with less time to devote to this, my original autism blog. That's a shame because this one allows me to be more personal without the restrictions of a blog network. So I think I will make it a point to pay a little closer attention to Autism is Red and will start by tracking our progress with Reiki as a way to help Gus (diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome) focus and self-manage, especially during the school day.
I've recently received 2 Kundalini Reiki attunements from Alice at Reiki Awakening and should be receiving the third next week some time. This is not my first experience with Reiki as I have received energy treatments in the past. I decided to become a practitioner for two reasons: to help with my own depression and to help Gus with some of his challenges.
It's been difficult to get Gus to sit still for a treatment, and I find that I have a harder time sensing the energy flow if I try to do the treatment with my hands directly on him. Last night, I tried letting him sit in my lap and he was much more accepting. I also tried sending him treatments from a distance. One day I did it in the morning before school. On that day, he was reportedly on task in the morning, but a little scattered in the afternoon. Yesterday, I sent him some Reiki energy in the afternoon. The note from school was that he was unsettled in the morning, but better in the afternoon. Today, I did some Reiki when he got up and I'll do it again around midday to see what kind of day he has.
One thing I discovered from communicating with my Reiki teacher is that I had been very ungrounded, which made a light bulb go off over my head. It occurred to me that if Gus had a way to ground himself, half his school battles would be solved. One of the biggest issues he has at school is that he has trouble focusing on tasks long enough to complete them. I'm sure that bringing his energy down a little, out of his head if that makes better sense, would have to make it easier for him to get his work done.
If Gus responds well to this form of energy work, eventually I can attune him (when he's older) so that he can become aware of and manage his own energy needs. Wish us luck with it!
I've recently received 2 Kundalini Reiki attunements from Alice at Reiki Awakening and should be receiving the third next week some time. This is not my first experience with Reiki as I have received energy treatments in the past. I decided to become a practitioner for two reasons: to help with my own depression and to help Gus with some of his challenges.
It's been difficult to get Gus to sit still for a treatment, and I find that I have a harder time sensing the energy flow if I try to do the treatment with my hands directly on him. Last night, I tried letting him sit in my lap and he was much more accepting. I also tried sending him treatments from a distance. One day I did it in the morning before school. On that day, he was reportedly on task in the morning, but a little scattered in the afternoon. Yesterday, I sent him some Reiki energy in the afternoon. The note from school was that he was unsettled in the morning, but better in the afternoon. Today, I did some Reiki when he got up and I'll do it again around midday to see what kind of day he has.
One thing I discovered from communicating with my Reiki teacher is that I had been very ungrounded, which made a light bulb go off over my head. It occurred to me that if Gus had a way to ground himself, half his school battles would be solved. One of the biggest issues he has at school is that he has trouble focusing on tasks long enough to complete them. I'm sure that bringing his energy down a little, out of his head if that makes better sense, would have to make it easier for him to get his work done.
If Gus responds well to this form of energy work, eventually I can attune him (when he's older) so that he can become aware of and manage his own energy needs. Wish us luck with it!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Ransoming Computer Time
Wow, I haven't posted here in ages! But I had a funny that was just too good to pass up.
Gus has been having a very emotional day today, getting agitated easily and quickly losing his ability to regulate himself. So he played in his room for a bit and DH decided to take that opportunity to play a new Spiderman XBox game. Of course as soon as Gus heard it, he wanted to play. DH showed him the controls, and Gus usurped control of the game to DH's displeasure. Eventually, DH wrested control of the game back, which annoyed Gus. What was worse was that he had been banned from the computer for a while. We turned off the television altogether because it seemed that he needed a break from all electronics.
He went upstairs. He came back downstairs. We offered a board game and he refused to play. As we sat around the board with MM, I caught Gus crawling under the computer chair trying to sneak to the computer. He also tried to sneak to the television remote. Finally, I noticed him rummaging around the printer. Odd. He grabbed a pencil and scribbled something on a blank sheet of paper:
The first note:
I am Busy right Now
So What?
He brought it to me and asked me to make it into a paper airplane. Over my laughter, I heard him explain that he was busy and needed the computer. That effort, of course, failed.
The second note:
Come on
I Will olny Be on the computer
for 24 seconds
That one I did turn into a paper airplane! But again, we held firm. But he was amused by that point.
The final note (and keep in mind, he was humming Pink's So What as he scribbled):
We are going to Start a Fight nowww!
I don't think he has any future as a career ransomer, but he sure is funny! He and I eventually went upstairs to build bridges out of wood blocks and had the best time.
Gus has been having a very emotional day today, getting agitated easily and quickly losing his ability to regulate himself. So he played in his room for a bit and DH decided to take that opportunity to play a new Spiderman XBox game. Of course as soon as Gus heard it, he wanted to play. DH showed him the controls, and Gus usurped control of the game to DH's displeasure. Eventually, DH wrested control of the game back, which annoyed Gus. What was worse was that he had been banned from the computer for a while. We turned off the television altogether because it seemed that he needed a break from all electronics.
He went upstairs. He came back downstairs. We offered a board game and he refused to play. As we sat around the board with MM, I caught Gus crawling under the computer chair trying to sneak to the computer. He also tried to sneak to the television remote. Finally, I noticed him rummaging around the printer. Odd. He grabbed a pencil and scribbled something on a blank sheet of paper:
The first note:
I am Busy right Now
So What?
He brought it to me and asked me to make it into a paper airplane. Over my laughter, I heard him explain that he was busy and needed the computer. That effort, of course, failed.
The second note:
Come on
I Will olny Be on the computer
for 24 seconds
That one I did turn into a paper airplane! But again, we held firm. But he was amused by that point.
The final note (and keep in mind, he was humming Pink's So What as he scribbled):
We are going to Start a Fight nowww!
I don't think he has any future as a career ransomer, but he sure is funny! He and I eventually went upstairs to build bridges out of wood blocks and had the best time.
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