Problems with everyday activities

[Tez]

Does anyone else find that the things that other people do quickly and without thought takes them for ever because of the accomodations they have to make for their autistic children.

 

This really struck home to me today. Tried to book a hair appointment with our normal mobile hairdresser but she's been signed off sick for a month. We must have our hair cut before we go on holiday but the problem is our son. Even at 14 he finds having his haircut a major trial. He doesn't like Amanda cutting it but he's grone used to her and can tolerate it. No way could he cope with a salon so I've now got to find someone else to do it who A will find acceptable.

 

Since A has been off school I've had real problems doing any housework because of the sensory problems it causes him, he's refusing to leave the house so when do I do it.

 

He hates me ironing because the smell it creates and the hiss of the steam, he can't stand the hoover being on etc. What other people can do in a couple of hours takes me days because of the accomodations and help that I have to give to my son.

 

Does anyone else have this problem?

Edited August 26, 2005 by Tez

[Viper]

OOOHH yes I know what you mean.

 

I had a physio therapy session and had to get my eldest DD 17 to stay at home with Ben so I could go. This is a problem in itself as Ben has seperation anxiety disorder. I was gone for 45 mins and when I got home he was upset I had been gone so long

 

I don't have the problem with sensory issues, it is a problem with Ben wanting to do everything with me, if I clean, Ben cleans, if I iron, I have to get Bens iron and ironing board out as well, if i hoover, Ben has to hoover too. It all takes so much longer and kind of puts you off doing things because it gets so long winded.

 

Viper.

[nightingales]

Yup! I really sympathize with this one.

 

Haircuts? No way! Tried when he was two and got half a haircut. Tried again at four and he screamed at the smell in the salon. Tried again last year (hewhen he was eight) and he physically fought off the hairdresser. I use to resort to snipping bits off in his sleep, but now we have one of those electric clipper thingies, so at least it's even (if not v stylish).

 

Housework?? C is convinced that furniture polish will actually kill him. He quite likes hoovering, but it's rare that we have a floor clear enough to push a hoover.

 

Getting out of the house, ever, is our major bugbear. Even for something he desperately wants to do, it can take hours for him to get ready (and by then the others have started doing something else and no longer want to go). Beats me how we ever get to school.

[lynyona]

haircuts..... i used to have a clipper set and do k s myself as he wont leave the house,he really really needs to go to the dentists but how many mobile dentist do you know , i know full well that he wont go, we had this before he doesnt like the dentists anyway, but put that with the fact he doesnt like to leave the house major problems and i do agree even housework etc takes extra time has k doesnt like the noise of the vacuum specially if he s got his x box on lol.And he always comments about the smell you get when ironing and your iron is steaming. lol. lynn

[Tez]

Dentist!!!!! A was banned from the dentist because he became so hysterical the dentist was frightened and so more to the point were all his other patients. They weren't even seeing A I just took him along with me.

 

School dentist said no problem he was used to it and anyway they only look in the children's mouth. Well, the next time he went to the school I got a note saying that after due consideration it had been decided not to subject A to this ordeal!

[BusyLizzie100]

Fortunately my ASD kid is OK with the dentist (we all go as a job lot and I think that helps, plus he hasn't needed treatment yet), but I have heard of something called the community dentist, or something like that, which is based at our local hospital and caters for people who have problems with the dentist - not uncommon among NT folk either! I think you need a referral from GP or dentist etc.

 

As for haircuts... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! And cutting nails!!!!!!!!!! ESpecially toe nails!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although after yesterday's traumatic nailcutting experience, my son actually thanked me for cutting his nails and said I was very kind. ??????????!!!

 

Lizzie

[Tylers-mum]

My son has a HUGE fear of hairdressers. He will scream and scream at any hair that falls on him, hated the scissor noise and hated the clippers with a vengence but thankfully I have managed to help him tolerate the clippers now so that is what I do at home with the help of a napkin or t-towel to help cover his face. LOL

Cleaning, I find that's ok with Tyler although he did at one stage hate the nosie of the hoover. Smells haven't really been an issue with him though. He hates mail cutting, especially on the toes and they desperately need doing now as he's going through a pair of socks a day lately!

Dentist, he last went months ago and hated it, wouldn't keep still etc etc but he has an appointment (well needed for a check up) in 3wks so only time will tell how that goes. He went to the docs today and after a LOT of persuation (sp?) allowed the doc to examine his throat but refused to say 'Argh'. He placed the wooden spatula in his mouth on his tongue and TJ gagged, then yelled at the top of his voice 'Why did you do that?'. Oops!

The sounds he has issues with are really outdoor sounds like motorbikes, lawnmowers etc. He does have a serious issue with alarms (fire and house) and totally freaks out for hours saying we are going to die etc etc. Had an fire drill test in school once and TJ was freaked out all day after that.

[Suze]

Can relate to your posts ......although it was my son several years ago. ......He ended up at a special clinic for dentist work they had 3 sessions of relaxation and breathing before they worked on him , the gas and air experience was very strange .Buying shoes was always a problem we were asked to leave once after a kicking incident .Haicuts ...........a big no no we do it at home but only dad can do it ...he does,nt trust me .Visits to the doc were also a trauma ...we had one bad time when the wooden spatula was thrust on his tongue....he gagged and threw up all over the doc ......These incidents all happened pre DX so now I,m more ascertive .........At present doing everyday stuff is usually on his terms ...bribery sometimes is the only way he will conform. But like I said in a thread about changes the ASD/AS changes as they grow.....problems they had when they were younger change and get replaced by different ones.

[lil_me]

Haircuts, took us until he was 6 but we've found a hairdresser (which is about 9 miles away) that he'll goto as he likes the girls who work in there, he does sit stiff as a board but before I took him I explained to the girls who work there what problems we hav with him and she was brilliant. I don't mind the travelling as she gets his hair done in about 15-20 minutes, always took us 3-4 hours and fastening him in a highchair. Even had neighbours bang on the door asking what was wrong, think they thought we were trying to kill him.

 

The worst thing to do is leave them for a long time, we approached the haircut problem by taking him every 2 weeks, and lengthening over time, but he still goes about every 5 weeks, more so because it makes it much easier, they don't have to cut much off, just keeps him going. Also a reward for going is good, so they see something good at the end of it, luckily there is a library down the road from the one we goto aswell as they give lollies for good boys, oh and they have a PS2 in the hairdressers aswell perfect in my sons eyes.

 

Nail cutting I haven't tackled yet, he goes crazy, so I do it when he's asleep. I'm working on another issue at the moment and I don't take on 2 at once.

 

Dentist we did the same, took him often, well too often but explained to dentist why. He didn't have a problem with it, he gets paid off the NHS of course. We did have a problem with gas, made him go extremely wriggly giggly, took 4 nurses to hold him and he did bite the dentist 3 times, twice breaking the skin. So the next time he was taken to hospital and put to sleep, but had a hissy fit when he woke up with a needles in his hand and tried to pull it out, I did warn them

 

Housework- Hoover is too loud, won't enter the kitchen when the washers on (not really a problem) polish smells so screams, even if I'm cooking something he doesn't like it can lead to major melt down with the smells issue.

 

Gardening - Garden is more like a wilderness as he can't stand the sound of any power tools/gardening tools.

 

Biggest problem - Fresh air, the house is sooooo stuffy as he goes off on one if he sees a window or door open because of his obsession with flies.

 

 

Roll on Monday I can get the tip of a house and garden started on.

Edited September 2, 2005 by lil_me

[Zemanski]

Com won't have his 'tail' cut at all and holds it throughout the hair cut (very awkward doing the back) He started this at about 5 when he realised that we were taking more off each time, -by 3 he had a fringe, by 4 just the back was long and we never managed to get any further after 5. At 13 he is very hair conscious and will now sit quietly for a hair cut at a small quiet salon just up the road - we don't make an appointment but wander past to the shops and pop in when no one else is there. He dyes the centre of his hair now, red or pink , so we have the haircut then he gets to dye it - I won't allow him to dye it before it's cut so he has an incentive.

 

Schools response when this started in Y7 (we did ask permission first) - well, at least we can't lose him now

 

the community dentist is a godsend - they go much slower, sometimes breaking treatment down into short sessions and they are much more careful about picking up things like when Com had algae growing on his front teeth because he wouldn't let the toothbrush go up under his lip - the previous dentist said it was staining from blackcurrant juice. He doesn't drink blackcurrant!

When Coran had treatment they spent loads of time showing him the tools and explaining things, they were honest about it hurting, although it didn't as it happened, and they let him feel the tools on his skin before they went in his mouth. They even turned the big light off and used a little torch because he couldn't bear it.

We are also very lucky that they have a part time surgery attached to the health centre just across the road.

 

you do have to be referred through your GP.

 

Zemanski