Brain gym and empathy

Bright Eyes has begun a thing called Brain Gym which is kinesiology or something like this. Personally, I'm not completely up on how it works - only that the muscles of your body connect to your brain, and somehow by working specific muscles in particular exercises you can help your brain make connections which will help you.

That's all fine and dandy, but the thing I really want to share with you is that Bright Eyes has progressed in 3 sessions from not wanting to go in, not talking to the lady, not doing anything she asks, and not even letting her come near him, to being able to hop up on the table, let her touch him and follow her instructions such as 'push your feet', 'pull your toes', 'breathe in and bring your head up', 'no, not so much, just a little bit' etc.

It was amazing to watch him cooperate with her and even enjoy her company this week. I'm delighted.

His little friendship at preschool has continued. This morning when I arrived his buddy said, "Oh, you brought your Thomas again. I asked my mum for a Thomas and she said No no no. That's not fair." Bright Eyes agreed. "No, that's not fair."

Show and tell

We took a morning to go to the local Show today. At first we were a little bit hesitant, knowing that Bright Eyes has not reacted well to fairs and museums and things like this in the past, but we decided to head out anyway.

He absolutely LOVED the rides. This child has no fear. Pictured here is the first ride, during which he yelled out to anyone who would listen, "I'm excited about this. This is really exciting!"

If he was excited then, it was nothing compared to the roller coaster he took on next with his big sister. I could hardly watch the ride for fear of nausea. Apparently he yelled "Stop!" a few times, but when he got off he was breathless... and happy! Later I asked him what he enjoyed the most, and he said, "The roller coaster."

He was anxious and uptight and fairly loud and bossy because of all the excitement, but we were able to take it as over-the-top nervous energy from the stimulation, rather than treat it as bossiness. He did calm down in the end, and we ended up having to leave not because of his needs, but because his big sister was feeling sick... from the ride!

I'll tell you when I'm ready to 'go'

Same headline as below, different topic...

I thought I might update you on Bright Eyes' toilet habits. Anyone with an ASD child is going to be very interested in this. You others may want to pass.

He started to do his daytime wees in the toilet I think at the age of 4 or thereabouts, but there was no way he was going to sit on the loo for a number two. Instead, he told me when he was about to go, and asked for a nappy.

This is still going on! Once a day he runs out, "Mum, I want a nappy" and I obligingly put it on, wait and then clean it up.

Here and there I suggest that he might like to sit on the toilet to do his poo. I always get a violent 'no' and give up the idea for a while. I'm hoping that when he's ready he'll feel able to do it.

A few weeks ago I tried bribery. He was very interested in a Thomas the Tank Engine catalogue. I said, "See that engine there - if you can do your poos on the toilet, I'll buy you a train that you like."

I got a flicker of interest. We talked some more, and he agreed. All day, until it was time to 'go'. Then it went back to being a big fat "Nooooo - I want a nappy."

So I decided to change tack. This time I asked him, "When are you going to do your poos on the toilet?" He thought for a while and said, "When I'm six."

It's become a bit of a fixed idea now. He'll often talk about "When I'm six, I'll go on the toilet. And then you'll buy me a new train." It's a shame we've got to wait until August for his birthday. When it comes closer, I'm going to start talking about not buying any more nappies because he'll be too big, and hope for a smooth transition.

And as a postscript, because he sees his brother wear a nappy, little boy Jamesie, who is completely toilet trained and has been since he was two and a half, thinks it's cool to wear nappies. rats...