This can't be Holland!

Mama Bear

Tue, Feb 19 2013, 2:01 pm

Mendy is extremely sensory, so he likes the bed tents; they make him feel contained and confined. Of course he protests; he wants to come out! But he knows this is his bed and this is his place to sleep. To be honest he wasn't crazy over the tent bc he couldnt stand up in the bed, but since I got the Pedicraft bed he is the happiest kid in the world. All you would need is a prescription from your dr and a letter of necessity from him why you need it (I.e. it's not safe for him to wander at night) and Metrostar can get it for you really quickly.

As for the one piece pjs - he really does like them. He likes the little sleeper keepers a lot more than the sleeping bags turned backwards bc they dont have feet & fit really snugly.

What's your kid's level of functioning in general? is he verbal? Where is he going to school? I actually envy you that your kid is toilet trained; it's just a far off dream to ever get mendy trained Sad

amother

Tue, Feb 19 2013, 2:22 pm

imasinger wrote:

Quote:

How to Manage Fecal Smearing

It is not unusual for children with autism to smear their feces on themselves, on the walls, on their clothes. Dr. Kroeger has some specific advice for parents finding themselves in this unpleasant situation. "Children do what they do for one of only four reasons," she explains: to get attention, to get something they want, to escape from something unpleasant, or to have or avoid a particular sensory experience. So why are they smearing feces? What happens when they do it? Are they getting attention? Are they being allowed to escape a situation they don't like? Are they getting something they want? If they're not getting any of these outcomes, they're probably enjoying the sensory input they're getting.
Once you know why your child is smearing feces, you can fill their need in another way. For example, you can give them attention and praise when they go to the bathroom without touching their feces.

Source: http://autism.about.com/od/chi.....rain_ 9.htm

Given that this is happening at night, and that your DS is attacking you in an enraged fashion, I would guess that there is a big attention getting component to your situation.

Try noting every particular that you can. You say it can happen at any time, but can you chart it for a week or 2, and see if there are any times that are more likely? Write down exactly what DS does. Then, bring the info to both an ABA and an OT, and see if they can offer you any help.

Are you getting any home support? Even before medicaid kicks in, do you have health insurance that would cover home ABA visits?

I think its sensory because ds does this during the day too, without attacking. He used to do it in school too until they stopped letting him sit on the toilet in school. He does it every time he sits on the potty. Before he was trained, he used to stick his hands in his diaper to get out whatever was in there. Ds gets dual therapy through school, but he doesn't get ABA. The only thing he gets after school is speech therapy.

amother

Tue, Feb 19 2013, 2:27 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

Ds is verbal. He talks to me in full sentences, but he's quiet in school. He goes to machzik bracha. I'm not sure yet where he's going next year. I applied to Yaldeinu and Haor Beacon. Yaldeinu is my first choice, but if they reject him, he still needs to be in a small class that does academics. If both schools reject him, (Chush already did,) he will go to a local school with lots of support.

the world's best mom

Tue, Feb 19 2013, 3:17 pm

I know Machzik Bracha doesn't provide ABA, but maybe you can get it for him after school. If so, maybe the ABA therapist can work on toileting with him.

Also, if it's sensory, maybe he can play with playdough, shaving cream, a stress ball or something like that while he's on the potty. Then he might not need the sensory input from the contents of the potty.

To minimize attention seeking behavior, I can tell you what the therapists who have never had their own children like to say: Basically, spend his every waking hour with him. Never go to the bathroom, make supper, look at your other children, talk to another adult or anything else. Just focus on ds constantly. I've been told that type of thing before. I'm repeating it because of how very helpful it was. Rolling Eyes

Unfortunately we can only do our best. That's why outside help is so vital. Any idea when he'll be starting res hab? That should be a life saver.

amother

Wed, Feb 20 2013, 9:17 am

the world's best mom wrote:

Unfortunately we can only do our best. That's why outside help is so vital. Any idea when he'll be starting res hab? That should be a life saver.

Ds actually does well for 5 minutes at a time with his stuffed barney on the potty. Then he puts Barney down to play with the next closest thing, the contents of the potty. We're going for a GI check-up tomorrow. Hopefully the dr could figure out a way to speed up ds's digestive track so 5 minutes on the potty is enough and he won't be bored enough to play with his #2.
There's a whole process for starting reshab. Ds was evaluated for a medicaid waiver the last week of January. The psychologist has 3 weeks to write the report. She still didn't write it. After she does, we have to apply for the waiver and wait for slots to open up so ds can get some reshab hours.

the world's best mom

Wed, Feb 20 2013, 9:40 am

It doesn't seem likely to me that a GI doctor would want to do snything to speed up a kids digestion, even if he would know how. It is not healthy for a child to have diahrrea. He needs time to get the nutrition out of his food before it leaves his system. Besides, loose stools would be even messier to deal with.

It sounds more feasable to me to stock up on sensory items and keep them handy near the potty so you can pull them out when the Barney is not enough. You probably have an idea of what kinds sensory experiences ds craves the most- apparently anything mushy or things that are fuzzy like Barney.

Maybe touch and feel books would interest him? There are some good ones with many different textures in them. Stress balls are mushy and also pinchable, so they might help stop him from pinching you somewhat. Playdough, floam, shaving cream, vibrating toys, light up or musical toys, a rice/bean bucket or a sand or water table might help. Even if some of these things aren't cheap, I think your sanity and his hygeine are worth whatever it costs.

There are websites that sell sensory things- I think I once looked at one that gryp recomended. Or maybe it was mama bear. I don't remember. They have tons of things that might be helpful.

amother

Wed, Feb 20 2013, 3:24 pm

WBM-I have play dough, a bean box, and shaving cream. Ds doesn't like those. He prefers fuzzy things like his stuffed barney and other stuffed animals. I should really get him a stressball as he is always pinching.
MB- Ds watches barney on the potty. It doesn't really help. I do flush whenever I see his hand going in. I could flush 5 times in one potty sitting and he freaks when I make him go off the potty to flush.