Last week we went to the beach. Let's jsut say Alex had, ahem, a challenging week. He usually does. The places we stay are too small. There are too many smells. There are too many people. There are no trampolines. There are no swings.
We do go for a walk on the boardwalk in the morning. He goes in the water and plays in the sand, but for whatever reason, it doesn't meet his sensory needs. Most afternoons, I would find him at the top of the beach in the really hot sand where you can't even walk without sandals, laying spread eagle on his belly soaking up the hotness. Just craving that sensory input. "Out of Sync" is just the perfect phrase, really it is!! He does well the day we go on the rides and fun houses with slides, ladders, rope swings, etc because he gets the vestibular and proprioceptive input he needs. That night he is talkative and relaxed.
The last night we were there he had found a piece of scotch tape and put it on his arm. For some reason it gave him comfort. Then if fell off and he lost it. A huge meltdown ensued. Over a piece of tape. This really is not like Alex. I was at the end of my rope and went next door to my parents' condo. At this point I felt like the kid who was losing it and I needed to take solace. It was time to go home.
I read an article recently by an "expert" who claims SPD is not real. I dare him to take Alex to the beach when we go again later this month. He strikes me as one of those experts with either 1. no kids or 2. only NT kids - although to be fair, I really know nothing about him. I did email him about his little article and of course got no response. Big surprise.
Thoughts on Newtown
12 years ago
Ahh I wish it wasn't like that for your boy and you.
ReplyDeleteWould it be interesting to see if scotch tape at home would have the same effect as it did on your holiday? When you have a full roll or two around of course!
Oh, God, I hate that John Rosemond. I have read his column a few times and he just pisses me off. His solution to everything is to strip the room of everything and make the kid earn it back.
ReplyDeleteUgh. I wish I hadn't read that.
Back to vacation though - is there anything you can take with you for your next beach week? Like, um, a giant exercise ball for him to bounce on. Small, portable things, I mean.
Vacations can be tough under the most normal of circumstances, throw in sensory issues and it can be a doozy. Hope your summer is going well.
how stressful vacations are
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think at least we understand
Imagine there may be another mother who would wonder why her child was lying on the sand