Wow! Its been so long since I've posted anything. We've had a busy year. Eli has been doing wonderful. He had to get a new teacher this year for preschool which really threw him off, but he is adjusting (as I'm sure she is having to learn Eli language lol!) Eli is still receiving outpatient speech and occupational therapy as well and is glad to be back seeing his favorite ladies at MCS.
For a few months now we have been discussing sound reduction headphones for Eli. We have experienced several situations where they would've came in handy. One of which happened Thursday night when we all attended a local fall festival. Eli was doing fine until we went inside and then he became restless and acted like he was upset. All the noise of the people, games, music, and small space combined made him very overwhelmed. Eli can hear and receive sounds in greater amounts than we can.
An example would be imagine you are watching TV in your home. You have the volumes at a reasonable level where you can hear it without it being too loud or disruptive to others in the home. In Eli's case the same volume level may be too loud because his brain has a built-in sound amplifier like the ones you can buy from TV. Normal everyday noises can become bothersome. Not only does he hear sounds greater, he also hears everything. A neurotypical (fancy word for normal function) brain is built to only recognize sounds it needs or feels to be warning for danger or harm. For Eli's brain he is unable to filter the noise. His brain receives any and all sound around him, which then leads to stimulation overload, which then leads to meltdowns because he is unable to control the noise in his head and does not know how to deal with it. Many children with autism have meltdowns simply from stimulation overload. They experience the world in a very unique way and in my opinion makes them very special. If you witness a child having a meltdown, NOT a tantrum, the best thing you can do is offer to help and to not pass judgement. We as parents know our child is being disruptive without intention. We do not need you to make it more obvious.
Anyway back to the festival. Eli was getting overwhelmed fast and I didn't want him to not being able to have fun. So I asked the special education teacher if we could borrow a pair for him to use while we were there and she said of course. When I put them on him yall it was like night and day! His anxiety immediately disappeared and he was calm and ready to go play! First thing he asked to do was ride the ponies!
Eli ended up having a great time and it was the first time in a long time that we were able to stay the entire time at an event without leaving in tears or screaming. It was a nice blessing for all of us! So today, Eli and myself went to the store and bought his own pair and you haven't met a happier kid. He told me that he "loved his headphones so much!" He is able to enjoy many things he has struggled with for years. My regret is that I didn't buy him a set sooner. But being a parent is not just teaching your child, it about learning with them too. Everyday is a lesson we can all learn from.
-TD
