Engaging Jovie into therapy or play is like walking a fine line between happiness and sheer anxiety and terror, and this morning’s OT session was a fine example of it.
It’s not as though we set her off, or something happens to her like a fall or finising her food, so at the moment we can never really tell what it is that happens.
The first 15 minutes were BLISS. So happy to be there, so happy to see everyone. Huge smiles on the swing and even some lovely babbling and a couple of hand indications for ‘more’ swing. But suddenly and without warning, BAM, the ‘cloak’ comes over her beautiful face and she’s a different girl altogether.
Two therapists, one mum and a little girl that is no doubt ‘stuck’ somewhere. It was a hard session, even though we live it every day, it’s hard to explain to others that no toy, no swing, no funny face will settle my girl. We find most times that a change of scenery helps, but you can’t keep running. You have to find something.
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That’s my Jovie.
Tears, tantrums and teething grinding all done for the day, Jovie focuses in on the snack table at the playgroup Christmas party.
It’s like flipping a switch. A Jovie-sized switch.
starting some therapeutic brushing and joint compression, every 2 hours during waking hours
our family meeting with our OT, Grace, today which meant cramming 4 adults and 2 kids into the smallest meeting room ever. which in turn meant a total meltdown for Jovie.
whether it was the room size, the lack of books (her favourite and only thing she’ll ‘play’ with), her tiredness, her hungriness, her concentration span, the brightness, the noise, the sitting down, the memories of being there the last time – Jovie just wasn’t having it and Regan had to escape the entire building without looking like he was kidnapping some poor kid..
she’s been like that lately – sleeping well but sleeping alot, bawling her eyes out for no reason, not wanting to eat but will drink and drink – but that’s what it’s like to live with Autism – the day is never predictable, and sometimes it’s so hard to just get 1 thing done without someone crying.
but you dig deep, you plan ahead and you go with wherever it takes you. if you don’t, it will take over you and all that will be left is someone you used to know, screaming in the corner with 2 freaked out kids.
Sleepy Sunday…
Jovie was sitting on our bed when I went to get a change of sheets, and I could see her little eyes half closing and her head bobbing away, trying to stay awake… I popped a pillow behind her and laid her down and she was OUT. That was 10:30am, and she didn’t wake up until 3:30pm! That’s some nap.
(She had a great night sleep beforehand – 8 to 7 – and she’s gone down for the night again now at 8 again… must be a growth spurt!)
