UNDERSTANDING SENSORY - IT'S HUGE!

Sensory involves everything a person feels, hears, tastes, smells, etc.   How these senses perceive things in a person with autism is often times much different than how "normal" people interpret the same things. 

If you do not have a sensory integration disorder, you will not understand your child's sensory issues, but you can learn to deal with them.  What is logical to us, can be horrifying to our children.  Imagine being hungery, but because of your issues with taste, texture, smell, etc., you are unable to eat.  How happy would that make you?  A hungry child can be irritable, stressed out, frustrated, and if they are not able to verbalize on top of everything else they are experiencing, that is stress at a maximum level!

There are ways to help people and children with sensory issues, but they take time.  Until then, if there are favorite foods your child craves or demands, let them eat them.  These children struggle enough with the limitations of their environment.  Everyone needs to have something to make them feel good.

Finally, don't ever allow other people to make you feel you are a bad parent because all your child will eat is McDonald's French Fries and Green and Red Gummie Worms.  You know your child!  We live in the richest nation in the world, and if it were not for McDonalds and Gummie Worms, your child would live as one from a third world country.  It is heart-breaking to think of a child going to bed every night hungery.  Be open and honest when discussing your dietary concerns for your child with your doctors/therapists, but at the end of the day, you know your child best.

 Also, if your child is comforted by soft things, and going out in public is stressful due to the lights, smells, noises, consider getting some swatches of soft material for them to hold on to or rub when out of their familiar environment.  Whatever it takes to help your child feel comfortable is what you need to do, and if the people around you don't understand are make inappropriate comments, hand out one of the cards I offer free.  You have to get out and go to the grocery store, the bank and socialize just like everyone else.  Your child's anxiety and stress can be kept to a minimum.  Let me help you help your child, and let's work together to educate those in our environment who do not understand what it is like to live with sensory issues.

If these scenario describe experiences you have had, drop me an e-mail and I will send you some FREE cards made just for those "special people" in grocery stores, restaraunts, planes and trains, along with all those other public places we too must find our way through from time to time. 

On the back of the card is a little note, to help educate the person in line with you, and it is an easy, nonconfrontational way to help educate the person about your child and autism in general. 

It simply states: "My child has Autism.  Disruptive behavior is one of the many characteristics of this disability.  Autism is a neurological condition that impacts a person in the areas of socialization, communiction and behavior.  With intensive education, most people with autism can become successful contributing members of society.  Thank you for your willingness to better understand my child."

Become and Advocate for your child and for autism.  Spread the word.  I will be happy to send you some cards at no charge to share with others who need to be enlightened about the lives we live with these remarkable children. 

To have these sent directly to you click here to go to Contact Carlene page.

God Bless!