BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Autism Spectrum Disorders Article on Sensory Disorders

Bonnie,

Donna Williams write a lot about what you've described. You'll find many answers in her books, especially 'Autism: Inside-Out Approach', 'Exposure Anxiety' and 'The Jumbled Jigsaw'!

When Michael started going through puberty, it seemed like some of his problems calmed down (like the hearing thing - he's not nearly as sensitive about that, and some of his tics - like rocking), but others got worse.

His paranoia went WAY up, and his OCD turned more towards the "obsessive" part than the "compulsive" part. Like, he doesn't need as many rituals to do things anymore, and changeing his schedule does not cause anywhere near the crisis that it used to. But once he gets stuck on a subject (anime, being a chef, etc) - you cannot get his attention away from it.

His latest obsession is a new fish tank we got him, thinking it would be calming and teach him responsibility. The problem is he is convinced he must have every tiny thing he sees on the internet or in the store to go in this tank. We keep having to dole his money out, and he is constantly asking us for loans.

It is just frustrating at times.

Here is some good reading Michelle:

BellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

I got an email from Jessica Kingsley Publishers on a new book that is due out on August 15

Using Intensive Interaction and Sensory Integration: A Handbook for Those Who Support People With Severe Autistic Spectrum Disorder (Paperback)

We're sort of in an in-between stage right now with my DS (9) whose high-functioning Asperger's. We're trying to curb immediate problem behaviors; but, we're also making every effort to find out what's the root cause of the behaviors. If we can help him recognize triggers, then we can (hopefully) reduce some of the issues that arise from them. We've opted for this route over simply managing reactions as it will (again hopefully) help him learn to cope and manage when he's out and about on his own in the world.