Things are getting set up nicely here now that our stuff has arrived and the girls are back in school. I have a meeting this morning to start setting up Little Dude's services. There's still a refrigerator on my porch, but whatevs.
Oh, also, I turned up the heat and the kitchen suddenly reeked of gas near the basement door. So, you know, that didn't seem good. I called the maintenance guy, who called in the heater guy, who announced that our boiler was unsafe to use. It had to be turned off. As in no heat. Yeah, it's 25 degrees out.
(Note: Being told you need a new boiler is significantly less painful when you're a renter. It's like, oh, that sucks for the owner.)
However, a new boiler is supposed to be installed today, and props to the facility manager for sending over four space heaters toot sweet.
Except that plugging in two space heaters upstairs overloaded the ancient wiring in the house, and tripped the breakers. After resetting the breaker switch twice, we gave up and unplugged the space heaters. Good thing we have plenty of blankets!
It's kind of in keeping with our whole no-dishwasher, no-cable, Amish Paradise theme here. Awesomesauce.
Other than that, and our continued status as flat broke, we're doing fabulous. Little Dude is enjoying his break from school, so I've actually seen less of his "Aspergerish" behaviors. Although then we unpacked all the Legos, plus the Lego guys that weren't already in our pockets, and he basically stimmed for a whole day.
Speaking of stimming, does anyone else's Aspie or autistic child hold their breath while stimming? Like, just stop breathing because whatever they're focused on is so flap-inducingly fabulous? Little Dude has broken blood vessels around his eyes from holding his breath for so long.
I asked our pediatrician about it a while back, and she said that it's pretty common with autistic kids, and that sometimes they'll actually pass out, which then causes their bodies to "reboot" and start breathing again.
Wait, what? It's okay for kids to just pass out? Apparently so. Holy crap.
Yep, my cousin used to hold his breath until he passed out. Doctors told my Aunt it was fine because his body resets itself and breathes normally as soon as he passes out. Freakiest shit ever to witness, but apparently harmless to them! He grew out of it (the passing out) :)
ReplyDeleteMy sister used to hold her breath, and pass out. Scared the crap out of my parents but I always got a kick out of it. Evidently it's fine. She doesn't do it as an adult anymore, except once when her hubby spent $5000 at a strip club. I wanted to choke him until he passed out too.
ReplyDeleteYes, those things are way better when you're a renter. We had our furnace konk out on us when it was -14 and our twins were 2 weeks old! It was hell... and then $5,000 later... deeper hell - but at least we were warm ;)
ReplyDeleteUgh, bundle up and stay warm!! My aspie boy doesn't do the holding his breath, or flapping thing. He does ask repetitive questions...I mean like the same question, every 5 seconds, trying to get the answer he wants. But no breath holding....that might be a nice change...
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to PA, SRMM! I grew up near Philly myself and live in central PA now, so naturally I therefore feel like I almost know you, hah! I am an environmental educator and found your blog a few months ago while looking for some insight on creating outdoor activities for students with autism. I have been a faithful reader ever since!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say thanks for your blog! I work with students a lot but am not always privy to their needs the way regular teachers are, and knowing some of the signs of Asperger's syndrome and sensory processing disorders has been really helpful! It means I can come into a classroom without knowing the students individually and still work to be an engaging educator for ALL of the students--not just the neurotypical ones! I didn't really know about sensory processing before reading your blog, and I have a lot more empathy now for students who have no idea what I said right after I said it, or students who get overwhelmed with an activity (whether they actually have the disorder or not).
Now this comment is an essay so I will stop, just wanted to say thanks for the information and hilarious stories!
-Backyard Safari
P.S. If you ever have any insights on whether Little Dude would enjoy going outside and what kinds of preparations or activities might make him enjoy it more, I would LOVE to hear about it!!
Sometimes I miss renting for just that reason. Last year, our hot water heater crapped out and peed all over the basement floor. We rent that so all we had to pay for is the $35 hole they drilled into our foundation. Unfortunately while they were there they also told us "Oh, you can't have everything venting like this, you'll need a new furnace." Super. $4500 later... at least we're warm.
ReplyDeleteMy Aspie son doesn't do the flapping thing, but he does play imaginary football all.day. Oh, and drumming-with sound effects that send spit flying in all directions. So if it's not football, it's drumming - like the movie Drum Line - you know, on a football field (see the pattern...) I agree with theconnerchronicles - breath holding might be a nice change from spit soaring drumming.
ReplyDeleteahhh. Your comments about your rental remind me of the rental we lived in in Pittsburgh for five years. So much "character"!
ReplyDeleteDude. Ian stims and holds his breath. We should totally do coffee and compare stimmy notes.
ReplyDelete@theconnorchronicles: My son does that too. So, I've flipped the tables. After he asks three or four times in a row, I begin asking the questions. "What do you think? How many have you had today? Why do you think Mommy doesn't want you to have it?" It doesn't always work, but usually it gets him to say something else, which keeps me from hearing the same question again. When we're stuck in one of those loops -- ahhhhh!!
ReplyDeleteHa! Everytime something goes wrong in our house, I tell my husband to call the landlord. :) I wish that were the case.....
ReplyDeleteMy friend's son with Autism has passed out only once, but holy crap was it an episode for all of us that were there. Scary shit when you have no idea that can happen and them still be alright.
My 4 yr old holds his breath too - has done it since he was a baby. I'm constantly afraid he's going to pass out, but he hasn't...yet. It's totally a stim, and he does it mostly when he's dysregulated. Or going to sleep. Or when he has to pee.
ReplyDeleteSometimes i *wish* he'd pass out for a few minutes(I kid, i kid) but no. He's content to play his "drum" all day. (A leftover christmas cookie tin and 2 pencils.) It makes a lovely sound. Really.
ReplyDeleteWe've seen a LOT of the stimming and repetitive questions/comments lately from our son. (Cabin fever? Winter break? Growth spurt? A hex?) No holding his breath, but he very frequently makes car crashing and/or traffic jam noises just for his own pleasure. I heard him doing that before he was out of bed this morning. When he was little, that's how we knew he was awake every day - he'd stay in bed until we got him up and make sounds. We call him "our son Foley," as in a movie foley artist - he can recognize and imitate just about any sound; it would be the perfect career for him.
ReplyDeleteLately he's also "stuck" on vintage video game systems, and fire alarms. If he's not asking/telling me about obscure vintage system X or Q, he's asking/telling me about fire alarm systems. (He wants to install and test fire alarms in our basement, and didn't understand when I asked him if he thought the rest of us would like to listen to him test those systems in the house. "But I think they're coo- oh, wait. Yeah. Oh.") Yep, son of mine, I'm not going to live in a fire alarm test facility that doubles as an arcade for vintage game systems, even if it IS your special genius. . . .
Yep, my 17 yr old holds his breath while being "Stimmeriffic". (love the term) He even freezes. Hasn't passed out, thank God, but he does look and sound quite odd! But hey, what's new?!
ReplyDeleteMy kiddo doesn't hold his breath, but if anything chewy enters his mouth, he vomits on the spot. YAY for sensory issues. Wish you were still down here in Texas, it's officially spring here. Hoping to send some of this awesome weather your way!
ReplyDelete*Hee Hee* "flap-inducingly fabulous" *Snort* Sorry SRRM- I am totally stealing that!
ReplyDeleteYou are too funny... Love reading what you're writing.
ReplyDeleteI would hold my breath as a kid whenever I didn't get my way/the toy I wanted, etc. and sometimes pass out. One of the first things my mom told me when I started babysitting: When a kid holds his/her breath, just blow into his/her face. A reflex makes them start again. :)
ReplyDeleteLove reading your blog. Nice to see y'all *home*. Stay warm. :)