One week... that's how long the boys have had "intestinal distress",
which basically means - there's been no school this week. The boys
haven't even been able to have ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) every
day.
Without
their daily schedule and daily routine, they are virtually lost. We
have worked a long time so the boys know that we have "free days" on
Saturday and Sunday. Not that we don't have a schedule, but they know
there are a variety of things we
could do. So we tell them
what we are planning for the day, and remind them on a fairly regular
basis throughout the day. But when they're sick or have vacation (at
home), it basically becomes a week long weekend. They get very confused
when the weekend seems to last a whole week. They need that visual
schedule and daily routine that tells them what the next activity is.
Unfortunately, at home we haven't used one because the boys know the
"routine" for after school and on days off. (Though we have discussed
using one before too long since they're getting older and there
schedules will become much more filled up).
I
have always been a "type A" person, or in other words, someone who has
to have everything lined up so that I know what's going on. I had list
upon lists to keep my day in order. I use to actually get upset when
things didn't go as planned. I would plan my day out, to the smallest
detail, based on what needed to get done. If anything was missed, it had
to go on the "carry over till tomorrow" list. Trying to never putting
anything off indefinitely. The boys have pretty much cured me of that. I
now expect that things will change on a moment's notice (thought I
still have my lists). That being said, I have a very general and yet
miniscule idea of what my boys go through with the need for schedules.
I
try to be as considerate as I can for the boys and their need for
schedules and routines. I've researched quit a bit and found that almost
everyone with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) will need some type of
routine, apparently in helps them to keep grounded. It helps them make
sense of the chaos that they go through on a daily basis, beside
learning about a world they don't understand, imagine being bombarded
by: sounds, lights, smells, and other sensory input on a regular basis.
Not like a typical person would be, but as I understand it, they will
look at someone's face and see
everything at one
time. Not just noticing someone's eyes or lips, but everything stands
out at one time. Meanwhile, they are hearing so many different sounds at
different noise levels, and maybe smelling an odd smell they aren't
familiar with. Many kiddos on the spectrum will
study inanimate
objects in detail, over and over. Some will study pictures in the same
way. This is why they block out everything else in order to make sense
of what they are seeing.
I
know it may sound confusing, but just think about what the person with
autism goes through every day. Even my niece with Asperger's needs a
certain amount of scheduling when going out somewhere. If things are
changed without her approval (so to speak) she will have an anxiety
attack until. I can't begin to imagine what that must be like, to have
to balance all of those things at one time. And I thought I could
multitask. It's no wonder that when the day is over, and the boys are
unwound and fall asleep, they are
OUT.
From a mother's heart - keeping a basic schedule can help keep the family on the same page and a little happier too.
God bless.
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