Dentist Cleaning and Sealants

Dane's 2nd trip to the dentist went well. He needed a teeth cleaning and they added sealants to 4 of his molars. I hope he will never have to sit through cavity drilling again. The sealants should help prevent cavities at least in those areas. The last time he was at the dentist he had 3 cavities drilled.

The first thing the dental hygienist did was put sunglasses on him. Good thing because he's looking strait up at fluorescent lights that scramble his vision. The flickering of the lights could have put him into a sensory over-load and probably would have prompted him into a meltdown.

For the first 5 minutes or so he was doing as told. Something started to scare him or hurt his ears because they have those little screaming instruments inside his mouth. That had to have been hard and hurt his hearing. He started to have tears run down his face. I know he badly wanted to cup his ears but the dentist kept telling him to put his hands down.

The part I didn't like was how fast they tried to work with him. I know when I get my teeth cleaned it's like they can't wait to get me out of that chair and get the next paying patient in. Slow down already! My kid has autism and he's very sensitive. Sure, she kept saying "This doesn't hurt, it's only air." What does she know what hurts him and what doesn't?

The best thing was when it was over and he got his picture taken for the "no cavity club." He's the only kid in there with sunglasses on.

I had my 3 year old daughter in there with me to see what happens at the dentist. She liked that she got a sticker after it was over. Dane got to pick out a couple toys of his own. Nothing that would spin did they have so he picked out 2 bouncy balls.

When we got home he was excited that he got to put his pinwheels into the ground. He must have played and organized them for about an hour.


Tomorrow he has intensive therapy. It will last about 3 hours and my wife will have to take him alone. I will be at work and my father will have to watch my daughter. The therapists don't want his sister there as she will cause distraction.

Some days I have to take family medical leave from work to be at the therapy session when needed. Part of the therapy is family counseling for my wife and I. They recommended that for all parents involved with the therapy. I have no say if I want to or not.  The family counselor has given us very good advice as to how we need to address problems so far.

It would have been different if my daughter was born first and we would have had prior experience parenting.  Parenting an autistic child is a lot to learn and how to deal with how they react to their environment.  Once you get to know what sets them off the better prepared you become once your aware. 

Road Safety - Boundaries

I am really trying to stress roadside safety to my son. He needs to stay off the road and watch for cars. I don't think he fully understands the dangers of oncoming traffic. I live in town where traffic should drive slow but some people drive by faster than they should.

He has training wheels on a 20" bike now and he wants to go on the road. I have a small driveway and it's not exciting enough for him to stay in it anymore. I tell him in short sentences like when he was little, "No Road!" That's the way Birth to 3 taught us to speak to him so he learned to talk. Sometimes he listens and sometimes not. He will go on the edge and creep out into the road. I really have to keep a close eye on him. I turned around for a split second and he ran out with his dump truck through the curb and gutter running through the dirty water and leaves.  I have set up orange cones at the end of the driveway to give him a visual of where he needs to stop. 

He wants to go for bike rides ever since the other weekend my nephews rode off without him. They are twice his age and he wants to be like the big boys. He gets very heartbroken and trying to tell him he's too little makes him angry. This is when I first took him on the road. I have his little sister in a bike trailer and pull her while I make him stay on the side of the road.

Tonight we rode up to the elementary school playground. I have to warn him several times about the intersection with Yield and Stop signs. I tell him to "Stop and Look both ways. Stay on the side." He's doing good at staying at the side as long as I'm with him.

We got to the playground and there were 3 other kids there with their father. Dane played around with the wood chips and threw them down the slide and played by the water puddles mostly. The other kids left and he tried to follow them on his bike. I had to scurry and get his sister in the trailer and catch up to him. I yelled at him to "Stop!" but it's like he just spaces me out.

When we got to the end of the street those kids were saying "Hi, Dane!" One of the girls was in his class. Dane waved hi back. The girl went on to say how he was invited to a birthday party. I didn't know what to do so we kept on riding. It's nice to know that other children want to include him.

We got home and he took a bubble bath. He jumped out before I got to wash his hair. He hates his hair being touched. I can wash it but it takes patience. He screams the whole time. I try and show him a picture of hair washing to let him know he needs his hair washed. Sometimes it works better then others. Hair cuts are no better.

Dane has therapy from 9-12 tomorrow. I have to take a day off work soon under Family Medical Leave (FML) because the therapists want me there also. I wonder if his weighted vest came in yet? The therapists ordered one a few weeks ago. A women in the area makes them. I hope that helps.  I am having a hard time understanding when to use it on him.  Is it all the time? During sensory breaks?  When?

Family Medical Leave (FML) for autism services

I took a personal day off from work tomorrow to meet with Danes therapists. I went into my employer's office and talked to Human Resources about taking Family Medical Leave for the following Thursday. After the doctors fill out the form I have up to 15 days to return it to the office or that day(s) will count against me.

Dane went on his first field trip and rode the big yellow bus to a local farm today. He had to wear rubber boots because of all the mud. The ground is sopping wet. He said that "Cows poop a lot." He's right.

I spent the remainder of the day trying to keep the kids entertained outside. I put training wheels on a 20" bike for Dane and put Ally in the bike trailer. I took the 3' wire fence down I used around my backyard that was supposed to contain them. They always ran around the front of the house or garage leaving me to chase them home from the neighbors yard. Dane was mostly over there for their pin wheels in their flower bed and Ally would follow.

I put the batteries back in their power wheels and they chased each other around the yard. The 90 year old lady was putting her garbage out and the kids ran over to her and said "hi." That left me to go talk to her. She's a nice old lady but she always tears up when I talk to her. She is very lonely and really wants someone to talk to.

After I got the fence rolled up I asked if the kids wanted to go for another bike ride. They both got into the bike trailer. I rode our way up to the park. When I say "rode" I mainly mean, walked. Having 2 kids weighing 90 lbs. combined pulling them behind you uphill is not easy work.

We arrived at the small park and they went on the merry-go-round. The ground was soaked and we didn't stay very long. After a small crying spell I got the kids ready to go home.

It was getting dark so the solar lights begin to come on. Dane got fixated on why some worked and some didn't. Some of them he had in the light yet and he started to hit them on the ground and yell. He took the old, broken pin wheel from the old lady's house. All that was left was the center and he spun it for some time.

I made the kids a turkey and cheese sandwich. Dane ate his. Ally ate half and gave me the rest. I don't like to waste food so I went to eat it. Gritty I thought. I opened up the sandwich and it was full of sand. She dropped it and gave it to me. No wonder why she didn't want it.

Dane got back on his bike and tried to ride in the road by himself. I ran out and told him to stay on the side. A car was coming and he did a quick turn around right in the middle of the car. It's a good thing I was there or something bad could have happened. I am trying to teach him to watch for cars and stay on the side of the road. I also don't want him on the road without me.

Every thing needs to be explained "why" he can't do things he does from what his therapists tell us. I really don't know how much he understands so I have to still use short sentences around him. Something like, "No road! Danger. Cars can hit you! It scares me that he thinks he can just do it and run off by himself. I always have to keep a close eye on him.