Long day...

Yesterday was a long day for us. I took Arwen to school.  I went in and talked to her teacher.  I drove home just in time for Rowan's bus.  I went straight to the gym. Then back home to meet Rowan's bus.  I had a 2 hour window before I had to leave.  Tim came home early to watch Rowan because of Arwen's appointments.  I picked up Arwen from school and fed her a gogurt, juice, and rice krispie treat.  We drove across town to her appointment with the developmental pediatrician.
   Arwen has changed so much over these last two years.  She went from being socially withdrawn to crowding the space of others, She went from being terrified of sound to coping with it,  Developmentally her physicality is still awkward but she handles herself.  She has a bone condition that also affects her coordination a little but it isn't anything that can be treated.  Her fine motor skills are still that of a 3,4 year old. Things like her pencil grasp regress quickly.  But all in all.....her improvement has been drastic.  She used to rock quite a bit as a young child......but now it is rare .  When she actually does it, she slams herself back into the couch.  I remember being pulled aside from one of the teachers at her preschool.  The teacher asked "When did you find out she has autism?"
Then, I was really unsure and no diagnosis had been made. She had OT and speech and had been assessed through the school system.  But I didn't know then that they don't tell you your kid has it.  I answered,"she doesn't have autism."  I said  "she has a few delays."  Then, the preschool teacher said that Arwen's teacher told her that Arwen has autism.  I had been suspicious about it.  I was really mad.  I was mad because nobody gave me a clue or told me about autism.  Anyway.....she has come so far.  The developmental pediatrician said....by looking at and talking to her .....you would never know.  She has to go for the big ADOS test.  I know she has autism....but I feel that it's very high functioning.  Likely, Asperger's.  Trust me, I have done weeks of research,  Even the school speech therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, special needs supervisor, itinerant teacher...and i forget who the other person was all voted that she falls into the educational category of autism.
If she doesn't get that diagnosis, I am going to be upset.  My son has the micro deletions in his chromosomes which shows this is genetic.  We are seeing a geneticist in January.  Anyway....I'm worrying again.....and it's silly.
After the appointment with the developmental pediatrician.  We went to the lobby. Arwen was starving.  We ran out to the car, where I gave her a little turkey and a string cheese.  We went back in and it was time for her behavioral therapy.  After that was over it was past dinner time.  We drove home ....it was nearly 7pm.  She ate dinner and off to bed.  We skipped bath that evening,  I was spent by the end of the day.  Honestly, I was spent before we even went to the doctor.

Therapy

Last visit to our ABA therapist, we discussed transition objects for Rowan.  When we go places and he wants to stay, or play with toys at the appointments. When it is time to leave, he often has a meltdown. It makes things very stressful because I can't hear what the therapists need to tell me. I get kicked or he harms himself.  Hitting himself is the most common action along with crying. He has an obsession with cars.  His therapists have cars in the office for him to play with. When it is time to go, he doesn't want to give up the cars.  A transition toy is an object to offer him that will avoid the meltdown and replace the toys he wants to take. I started  a box by collecting some of his existing cars, as well as adding several new ones. I will hold his existing cars long enough for him to forget about them and they will seem like new toys.  Every visit when it is time to go I will offer him one of these cars.  When I give him a new car, I will take an old one and place it in the box. The cars will be in a constant rotation. I do this to save a little money.  It works like magic!  We are currently working on stopping his self injurious behavior. We began with data collection.  Documentation what happened before,  during,  and after as well as the duration of the behavior.  Looking for patterns and what the consequences were. For example: some kids crave deep pressure and their mother may hug them during an episode which positively reinforces the behavior. Thus they repeat the self injury because they get that hug.
We analyzed the data and set a plan.  Our therapist gave me some excellent advice on how to handle certain situations.  Our plan is shown in the pictures. I will also be continuing the data collection.