Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Still alive and kicking- literally!

I swear pretty soon here I'll be more active in blogging, been a really hectic month for us! This week is especially crazy. Jaymes is still having aggression issues, he has taken to knocking Sierra down on the trampoline, then kicking her in the stomach, ghetto style- so Si-Si is with me at all times. I don't know why he does it other than that her screams amuse him, and she's not old enough to explain to her that she needs to stay away from him and try not to scream, because that behavior is reinforcing his desire to torment her.

Jaymes bus driver sounds about at the end of his rope with my little man, as well. I like the driver, he's an older gentlemen, doesn't say much, but there's a certain kindness about him if that makes sense. I like him. Back at the start of the school year, I told the school Jaymes really should be in a harness restraint on the bus, as he is not likely to behave and I am paranoid that the bus could get in a wreck and my unrestrained kiddo could be injured. They said he did not need it, so I said.. Ok. Now, a month or so from school ending, suddenly they figured out he does in fact need it. And they can't get the equipment. So every day I ask the driver what Jaymes has done this time. He switches seats, jumps on the other kids, opens his backpack, runs up the aisle to try and escape the bus... Fun fun. I warned the school he did this, and my concerns were dismissed. Now I'm enjoying an "I told ya so" moment, alternating with feelings of guilt for the driver having to deal with it. Apparently they can't put their hands on him. His bus aide back in Florida sure could, and he needed it.

Aside from the bus and the Si-Si attacking, Jaymes is doing ok. He's started spontaneously talking again, which makes his hyperactivity and erratic behavior more tolerable. He'll latch on to certain things that he HAS to make sure I'm aware of.

"Chi-ken, mommy"
"Brown block"

Random stuff like that. It's weird though, when he's gone awhile not talking much, then starts again, all his words are different. Different sounding, different inflections...etc. It's weird. Kind of like it's a whole new word to him, and he has a weird accent that changes every few months.

One of Jaymes' therapists made an interesting observation: Jaymes' behavior seems to cycle, every few months. For a few months he'll be very quiet, well behaved, sort of withdrawn. He'll sleep well, and not really have a lot of behavioral stuff happening. During this time he also seems to have more trouble learning things in therapy. Then, for the next few months he'll be super hyperactive, angry, loud. we'll get tons of good language out of him (tons for Jaymes, I should say) and great therapy sessions. He's more aggressive or self injurious, depending on his mood I guess, and he is exhausting. But he's talking. We just in the last couple weeks seem to have switched from Quiet Jaymes to Way Too Energetic Angry Jaymes. Rather than lamenting the imminent loss of my sanity, I'll just say this: Here's to some great therapy sessions in the next couple months!

2 comments:

Amy said...

Sam cycles his behavior too. I call it Autism PMS. LOL. Every few months he screams more, is more agressive and is out to destory the world.

Can you get Jaymes a bus aide? I got one for Sam but it took a lot of hassle. Finally its in his IEP. He wore the harness for 3 years. He was going insane on the bus. Finally this school year he can do without it.

Amy said...

I also meant to say if its a bus safety issue, which it IS, demand the school get that aide tomorrow.