First, I want to say that it sounds like your son has a lot going for him! I was impressed that he could tell you that he doesn't like the toilet water splashing. When we were training our son at age 4-1/4, he gave us no clue about what was bothering him, even though he was "normal" enough that we didn't even get him evaluated until beginning at age 5. For my son, the issue was not feeling steady on the toilet, and we made a breakthrough when we let him sit facing the tank (he switched to the normal position after training).
I also think it's positive that your son is noticing tone of voice. Even if that might have a sensory aspect for him, it's also a positive social skill to pay attention to those cues, and he can learn to respond to them more appropriately.
I agree with HollyWA that much of what you see is sensory:
- Daddy smells and feels different than you. My son doesn't like to snuggle with his Dad because of the unpleasant feeling of whiskers and hairs.
- As you said, the potty issue seems sensory. Maybe you could let him poop on a potty chair instead of the big toilet, until he gets used to not pooping in a diaper. It's also possible to temporarily lower the water level in the toilet, for example by putting a brick in the tank. A social story might work, too, emphasizing that if it splashes, it's okay -- you just wipe away the drops with toilet paper afterwards. There are several sample social stories in my list of potty resources, although I can't remember if they discuss splashing. Here's the link:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16098&am p;KW=potty+resources
- It seems like he's shutting down and stimming in response to new environments that are loud, and actively trying to block out the over-stimulation in quiet environments. The grocery store isn't a new environment for him, so he's better there.
Identifying our son's sensory issues has made life so much easier, so I usually recommend to people that they take a look at the sensory disorder checklist and sensory chart of stims. Here are the links:
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/archive/mannerism.html #Chart
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processin g-disorder-checklist.html
I was told by my son's evaluator that some level of ADHD-like behavior is part of the ASD package. It has gotten better with a better understanding of his sensory issues.
Both my kids have had trouble making decisions about food, and I found that it was easier if I used a visual cue, for example showing the milk carton and juice carton while asking.
Good luck with everything!
My son seemed normal enough anyway for me not to think asd since i wasnt informed at all about it. I was originally thinking sensory integration disorder. The reason we took him to a ped. neuro was cuz of alot of the sensory stuff going on and he had a couple seizures so when he told us asd we were pretty much floored! Alot of the traits the doctor asked me about i thought were odd but just who he was and hes our first child so we didnt really know any different and those we talked to just said hell grow out of it its normal altho during an "episode" ud see them raise thier eyebrows! I am getting a second opinion from a specialist in autism soon hopefully. The neuro said with tons of therapy and socialization hell "grow out of it" so thats great i know alot of people dont get to hear that. Because my son has an active (overly in my opinion) imagination hes diag. is pdd-nos.
I do have a moody son! Wow, I wonder if he does do that think of something but not always say what hes really thinking, that would make alot of sense too, would that apply even tho he talks well too?
I never thought about the laughing, scolding and stuff all being sensory too, i figured it was him acting "scitzo" again. Im dense like that i guess! And about his dad, i dont know why i never thought about that stuff i bet thats exactly why! Of course i dont know what to do about it! I know he needs therapy and isnt getting any right yet. Thanks for the sites norway mom, they were very helpful! Thanku so much guys!
My son prefers me to do everything for him as in if he wants something to drink i have to get it noone else not even daddy. He only likes me to hold him, lay by him and occasionally lets his dad hold him after begging and fake crying. My husband gets upset about it especially in public when he makes a big fit it he picks him up or something, my son cries and panicks. Hes like this with pretty much everyone but id figure hed have some sort of attachement to his father too. He loves his dad and asks about him when hes at work and says he misses and loves him and loves playing with him tho. He just seems really attached to me is that cuz of asd or is he just a mamas boy? Lately hes been actually climbing on his dads lap or snuggling more with him and we just look at eachother like wow!
Also he seems like he cant make up his mind some days worse than others some fine. Like say ill ask him what do u want to drink, milk or juice? Hel say juice. When i make juice hell cry, throw a fit saying he doesnt want juice he wants milk! Then sometimes hell change again he wants juice now. Its so mind boggling! Usually those days hes extra emotional, moody and anxioius.
Also hes very opinionated and puts his two sense in say like my little brothers getting scoldings my son gets angry yells not to scold my brother. Or if me and my husband are talking in a seriuos voice not even arguing he gets anxious and screetches and yells to stop fighting. Or say im scolding our dog for something hell get upset for me doing that. Also if he asks who a person is on a movie is and i dont know hell get mad and cry so i have to make up that i know or if i say its the bad guy hell say no its not and i have to agree with him or all hell will break loose. O ya and he says for me to sing or hum a song hes singing and if u dont do it perfectly hel throw a fit till u do or if u dont repeat something he wants u to perfectly. And if hes doing something funny or even trying to make u laugh or everyones laughing at something not even about him hell all of a sudden get mad and yell to stop laughing and start crying even if he was laughing too a second ago!
Also im having a hard time potty training him he pees good altho some days hell just say hes lazy and will pee whereever he is but all in all hes ok but he wont poop. Hes pooped once or twice on the toilet and thats it, he says he doesnt like the water splashing on him the feeling of it i guess. Is that something that is just an exscuse or a sensory thing i dont know but preschool wont take him unless hes potty trained im not sure how they do it with special service thru the public school if he qualifies but im sure theyll want him using the bathroom onhis own!
Ok my last one promise! When we go in public or somewhere outside of the house he usually gets very hyper jumping around talking in a loud obnoxious voice, yelling and doing this thing like spazing his arms bent and cocking his head and making a noise its kinda irritating! Its like hes all of a sudden needs ritalin or something or is starved for anttention and wants people looking at him Sometimes hell sprawl himself on the floor or become dead weight. I took him a couple monthes ago to register for preschool and he started talking loud, jumping around lying on the floor and i could tell the lady was thinking "calm ur child down!"
My son prefers me to do everything for him as in if he wants something to drink i have to get it noone else not even daddy. He only likes me to hold him, lay by him and occasionally lets his dad hold him after begging and fake crying. My husband gets upset about it especially in public when he makes a big fit it he picks him up or something, my son cries and panicks. Hes like this with pretty much everyone but id figure hed have some sort of attachement to his father too. He loves his dad and asks about him when hes at work and says he misses and loves him and loves playing with him tho. He just seems really attached to me is that cuz of asd or is he just a mamas boy? Lately hes been actually climbing on his dads lap or snuggling more with him and we just look at eachother like wow!
All kids go thru this. For ASD kids--it may be worse because of anxiety issues. They all go thru phases--it will pass!
Also he seems like he cant make up his mind some days worse than others some fine. Like say ill ask him what do u want to drink, milk or juice? Hel say juice. When i make juice hell cry, throw a fit saying he doesnt want juice he wants milk! Then sometimes hell change again he wants juice now. Its so mind boggling! Usually those days hes extra emotional, moody and anxioius.
My son did this. We didn't know about his language disorder--so I assume alot had to do with the receptive and expressive language. He would throw major meltdwons when we would give him what he "asked" for. We just didn't know that what is asked for wasn't what he was thinking or wanted.
Don't give too many choices. Say--"you can have milk now", etc. Don't give him choices if it's getting bad. When you do---give him a choice between 2 items, that's it.
Also hes very opinionated and puts his two sense in say like my little brothers getting scoldings my son gets angry yells not to scold my brother. Or if me and my husband are talking in a seriuos voice not even arguing he gets anxious and screetches and yells to stop fighting. Or say im scolding our dog for something hell get upset for me doing that. Also if he asks who a person is on a movie is and i dont know hell get mad and cry so i have to make up that i know or if i say its the bad guy hell say no its not and i have to agree with him or all hell will break loose.
Boy!! Does that ever sound like my son. We have very moody guys!! Maybe your son doesn't like the "scolding" and it scares him.
Also im having a hard time potty training him he pees good altho some days hell just say hes lazy and will pee whereever he is but all in all hes ok but he wont poop. Hes pooped once or twice on the toilet and thats it, he says he doesnt like the water splashing on him the feeling of it i guess. Is that something that is just an exscuse or a sensory thing i dont know but preschool wont take him unless hes potty trained im not sure how they do it with special service thru the public school if he qualifies but im sure theyll want him using the bathroom onhis own!
Sounds like sensory issues. They can't expect EVERY ASD kid to be completely potty trained. How old is he??? My son is 7.5y and still has accidents at school--alot! But he was potty trained at 3y. Night trained--we are still in "Goodnights"!!
Ok my last one promise! When we go in public or somewhere outside of the house he usually gets very hyper jumping around talking in a loud obnoxious voice, yelling and doing this thing like spazing his arms bent and cocking his head and making a noise its kinda irritating! Its like hes all of a sudden needs ritalin or something or is starved for anttention and wants people looking at him Sometimes hell sprawl himself on the floor or become dead weight. I took him a couple monthes ago to register for preschool and he started talking loud, jumping around lying on the floor and i could tell the lady was thinking "calm ur child down!"
Sounds normal to me!!
Thanks, Holly. Im still not sure whats what with everything right now. I know he does have sensory issues but wasnt sure about the whole potty training thing! He just made 4, June 29th, so im hoping hell be trained at least before kindergarten! He does get overstimulated easily but usually if its in a loud noisy place with lots of people he gets moody, upset and withdrawn and tried to squeeze his eyes shut, rub my elbow, suck his fingers and tick his head to the right repeatedly. Seems like places that arnt bothering him as much like quieter places or places that arnt so noisy he gets reeeeal rambunxious and hes not normally like that. He can watch tv forever if i let him or play quietly. Hes also pretty good about going to the store but then i think i go on a daily basis! Exept sometimes he gets moody about people looking/talking to him but usually hes his happy/talkative self! He does get hyper toward bedtime sometimes tho. As far as him being stuck to me and preferring me doing eeeverything hes always been like that. Hopefully hell grow out of it soon tho! Im glad to hear that someone else has a child similar to mine! Thanks so much for responding! Right now my sons tweeking because his dad is getting him juice instead of me! Thanks so much!
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