#indepencerocks

So, Mr. G has a couple of ‘tools’ he uses every day to help him cope with everything that is going on around him. A couple of these tools have only been recently added to his routine, but we’re seeing a lot of progress with them so that makes us pretty happy.

We’ll start with what he’s had the longest: his glasses! Mr. G started wearing glasses when he was two. He originally went in to see the pediatric ophthalmologist because his eyes both turned out. Upon finishing his first exam, though, we discovered he was also severely nearsighted and that’s why he stepped on his toys and fell over all the time. He couldn’t see them! It was not a parenting win moment, and we felt so bad we’d put off the appointment for months. We decided after reviewing our options to go with sports glasses instead of the usual children’s glasses because Mr. G is not a gentle child and I could tell as soon as I picked them up that he’d snap that thin plastic in a heartbeat. As an added bonus, the frames don’t change much in sports glasses, and if something happens to them and not the lenses switching them out is pretty easy. Since getting his glasses, he’s gotten better at watching his surroundings and being aware of what he’s stepping on. I do feel bad because they squish his beautiful long lashes, but he’ll just have to live with that until he’s old enough and responsible enough for contacts. Though the ophthalmologist had to be a pediatric one because of his age, we got the glasses from the Wal-Mart eye care center. I would highly recommend them to anyone who needs glasses and doesn’t have eye insurance. No only are the prices very good, they will replace any frame you purchase if it breaks within a year of the purchase. They only do this once per purchase, but we did not need receipts or anything for it. We showed up, handed them the frames, they checked their database, and were told they would call when the new frames were in. It took less than a week. We picked them up, and kept right on rolling. It was about as painless as you can get when it comes to exchanging a product. 

Next is Mr. G’s ankle/foot braces. These are known as SMO’s and are made by the company Surestep. If you click the name, they actually have a helpful website that explains what their product is and how it works. It’s help for Mr. G is two-fold. First, it helps keep his ankles straight. They aren’t bowed naturally, but remember those ligaments and tendons we talked about a few posts back? Mr. G doesn’t have the muscle strength to stand straight through his ankles because his tendons and ligaments stretch too much. By straightening his ankles, we help prevent injury to other body parts like his hips and back from walking wrong, and he becomes more stable and, therefore, confident in his walking ability. He may eventually not have to wear SMO’s, but I would say, as long as he’s growing, it’s a good bet he’ll need some help from time to time keeping his legs straight. Second, the SMO’s help provide deep-tissue pressure in his feet and ankles, giving him an anchor point every time he moves. Many autistic people, from what I understand, experience a disconnect between their mind and body. They will literally lose track of where they are spatially in their surroundings, in any given direction. The SMO’s pressure on Mr. G’s feet, though, are like a constant ‘YOU ARE HERE’ sign when he feels that loss. It’s not a cure, but it does help.

Mr G’s next tool is what is known as chewlery. Our kid can destroy just about anything with his mouth in a moment of inattention. Combs. Toys. Plastic tools. His shirt sleeve. He craves that oral stimulation though, so I got on Google and started poking around. We settled on ARK’s line of chew necklaces and started Mr. G at the second-highest level of density. That wasn’t high enough, each was only lasting about a week and a half, so we had to move him to the Extra Extra Tough and be careful about what shapes we picked because thin ones he could still chew through pretty quickly. Still, we’re pretty happy to have him gnawing at his blue lego-brick looking necklace or his star stamped dog tag rather than everything else. It also gives him the ability to self-regulate his needs, rather than us constantly trying to monitor his sensory seeking behavior. Independence isn’t easy with a disability, and every bit we can give him helps build his confidence in himself.

And last but not least, a compression vest. Mr. G’s is made of medical-grade neoprene, and he wears it almost every day. It’s tight enough to provide constant pressure on his shoulders and entire core, but not so tight as to restrict blood flow or leave marks on his skin. The main purpose of his vest is emotional stability. Mr. G has a hard time controlling things like frustration and anger. His vest, in providing constant pressure, is a calming presence that reassures him throughout the day. It doesn’t take away anger and frustration, but often, it gives us a few more opportunities to diffuse a meltdown or temper tantrum before it starts. He’s better able to take control of himself, and work out what his problem is or what is pushing his sensory triggers. We help, of course, but having that space to breath a little and not feel rushed helps so much in the day-to-day interactions. A secondary side-effect is another ‘you are here’ sign when his loses himself spatially. It’s not as intense as the SMO’s he wears on his feet, but is still an effective anchor point.

There are a few other items we use on and off through the week to help Mr. G (a weighted blanket, his ipad, certain musical toys), but these are his big four that go with him everywhere almost every day. If you have any specific questions about Mr. G’s tools, please feel free to ask.