A noticeable reaction to environments..

[Brook]

Hi all,

 

I'm interested to hear of the noticeable changes either ASD people or your ASD children experience

in different environments, here is an example that we have noticed with our son.

 

Everytime we go into a certain fast food place (which my kids love) my son starts to shiver,

it looks as if he is cold, but he is not. He gets really dark circles under his eyes that become really

apparent (and this is before he has eaten anything, so it's not the food).

When he starts eating he repeatedly starts to blink his eyes, closing them very tightly and springing

them open, (have noticed this one at home too).

 

This happens everytime we go into this place, I have thought about 'why' this happens, I know he likes

the place and maybe it's excitement, but he doesn't normally show excitement this way, or maybe

it is the smell, lights, noise etc... we really cant pinpoint 'why', but thought it was very interesting that

he has the same reaction to this place everytime.

 

I know that this probably has alot to do with sensory issues, but cant work out why he shivers, his dark

circles become apparent and he constantly blinks when eating.

 

Any ideas? or any different experiences?

just curious really.

 

Thanks

 

Brook

[Tez]

This happens to A alot of it is due to his sensory problems. When A is really suffering from his senses he goes absolutely icy cold. I remember before he was dx'd we took him to see River Dance. Big mistake

 

The noise of the dancing caused him tremendous problems. He covered his ears and hid his head in my lap under my coat and I assisted by adding my hands over his ears. What really struck me was how cold he became. As soon as I was able I got him out of the theatre and he slowly recovered. Since that occasion, I have noticed that when he's really not coping with the sensory on slaught he will start piling on extra clothing or wrap himself up in a blanket, if you touch him at this time, he'll be absolutely freezing.

 

He's also got a V mark on his forehead which is due to him being stuck whilst being born. Now he's 14 it's faded significantly, but at these sort of times it stands out like a beacon and as do the dark circles under his eyes. I think it's because he goes so white. It's not only me who notices, others comment on the mark on his head, thinking he's banged it or something.

[Brook]

Thanks Tez,

 

That is really interesting, I suppose we didn't think he was cold because it's not cold in there and he

takes his coat off, but then again he takes it off when he is eating.

Next time I am going to actually feel him to see if he feels cold.

 

Thanks, your reply has got me thinking even more.

 

Brook

[Flora]

Brook, that is a huge topic! I could probably write a book about the all the different reactions my boys have to different environments and stimuli.

 

An example with Luke is that as soon as anything noisy is going on he goes absolutely bonkers. He had a friend over to play the other day and when I took his friend home we were invited in for coffee. They had some loud music on upstairs, their dog was barking and running around and within seconds of going through the door subject to all this chaos Luke was running around screaming (you know that horrible scream) and laughing hysterically. I didn't stay for coffee, I just had to get him out of there. As soon as we were back in the car he was ok. Another thing with Luke is that he can only have a converstation with one person at a time (difficult in a family of 5!!). If more than one person is talking to him he gets really angry and aggresive because it confuses him.

 

William is different again, if he is in a noisy situation he sits with his hood up round his head and has a total clamp down of communication. And unlike Luke he doesn't care how many people are taking part in a conversation because his is the only voice he listens to

 

These are just a few examples, but I could write pages.

 

Children react differently to different kinds of stimuli and I think it's hard to put them in to categories because it can be quite unpredictable.

 

Lauren

[Tez]

Lauren I agree. I would also say that A's reaction to things changes over time or on different days, his coping strategies vary as do the outward physical signs.

 

Brook - could the shivering be a tic or a stim related to the sensory input?

[Brook]

Hi Lauren,

 

I know this is a 'huge' topic, and my son has many sensory issues, but if I'm perfectly honest,

we have only noticed the really obvious signs ie.. he stims in busy and loud places, the signs that

we have noticed in this food place (you know the one, it sells a lot of chicken ), I really haven't

been aware of these before, and over the last month or so we have noticed this everytime, my hubby

actually pointed it out in there a couple of days ago, and for hubby to notice then it's apparent.

 

Also, I have never thought of these signs being a reaction to the environment, up until recently that is.

 

My son also cannot stand more than one person talking at once, he cannot process it, and really

gets cross with more than one person talking, he will shout out 'shut up'.

 

Brook

[Brook]

Lauren I agree. I would also say that A's reaction to things changes over time or on different days, his coping strategies vary as do the outward physical signs.

 

Brook - could the shivering be a tic or a stim related to the sensory input?

Tez, yes I think this is quite possible, he actually looks like he is really unwell in there.

 

Brook

[justamom]

I could also write a book Lauren, K has alot of trouble when we go into one particular shop in the high street,we avoid it now because he says its smells and there is a funny buzzing noise in the shop. if we go in there he tolds his nose and talks like he has a cold because he cant take the smell. I cant smell anything but he can and the buzzing noise could be the lights.

 

 

Brook - funny you should mention the shivering ,K did just that same things yesterday and he said he was not cold i thought that he was maybe low on sugar (in a restaurant so had to eaten yet) but i will also keep an eye on the shivering; its great when you know that someone else is experiencing the same as you.. It makes it easier to cope with...

 

justamom

[Bullet]

Every Tuesday morning I take Tom (Ds1) and Jacob (Ds2) to a toddler group and I've noticed that Ds1 will often take himself off to somewhere quiet or he'll lie down and be very still, when the noise level seems to increase. Sometimes things will get too much for him and I'll have to take him out into the hall where he'll settle down. He does like the singing they do, but it depends on what mood he's in. Some weeks he'll smile and clap his hands and this week he listened to a couple, then went and played with a doll in another room (I say playing, it was more prodding and licking ) and then came back in again later.

[oracle]

Oh how I cam emphasise with this one. Matthew is affected by more and more places. He can and is physically sick now when he is not coping in his environment. He has never liked shopping and now it's almost impossible. He goes a s white as a sheet and then feels sick. Even if he has been somewhere that he enjoys when he returns home he usually has to lie down in his room for a couple of hours to chill and return to normal It's so sad.

 

I have to say that David now 18 can manage most these feelings very well now because he knows the triggers points. He will often back out of an outing because he is not having a good day. Now he knows how a good day feels. Most of us go blindly into situations with out children who are too young and unable to communicate to us what a good day or a bad day feels like. Hope this makes sense.

 

Off out now to visit a school where we are holding a meeting. Matthew does not even want to sit and wait in the car

 

Carole

[Brook]

Thanks all for your replies, they are all very interesting and useful.

 

Brook