This is an article written by a mom of an Autistic son. Her son has an "episode" in the middle of a Target shopping store. Please read the article if you want to understand what is behind my blog post today. Kuddos to the mom and Kuddos to the Target employee.
I am very lucky... Conor is one of few who DOES NOT have many of these types of episodes. Not to say he never has and never will again, I am just saying that I am lucky and he is lucky that they come few and far between. I am very quick to try and nip his little episodes in the bud. I am very good at reading my son and seeing when he is almost to that point. When I see this, I quickly try and redirect his attention. Something as simple as giving him a different toy, handing him a cracker, or even picking him up and running across the house with him to try and get him to giggle. Anything I need to do to distract him from what he was thinking and dealing with that ALMOST started his episode, I will do.
Not everyone can read him like I do. Not everyone can think to distract him as quickly. Some people tell me that I am "babying him" and that I "just need to let him cry". Well, I know my son. I know when he is "fussy" and I know when he is "overwhelmed". I may not know why or what caused him to be overwhelmed, but for the most part, I know the difference between the two cries. Just as a new mom can tell an "I'm hungry cry" versus the "I need my diaper changed cry". Yes, I agree, there are times when he just needs to fuss and get a lil cry out. I agree that there are times when I can't "give in to his every need", but if my allowing him to cry turns into, or starts to turn into an episode.... I'm sorry, but I will grab my son and I will do what I need to to make him feel comfortable and safe. Be it just holding him, singing to him, running across the house with him, or just letting him have his tablet. I know the difference.
With that being said, I give major Kuddos to the mom in Target for NOT going off on the Target employee. If I were in the mom's shoes and after dealing with that after trying to calm my son for 10 minutes, and then having to deal with the Target employee and her attitude, I am pretty confident in saying that I probably would have gone off on her. I know that stress level is beyond undertandable in the first place, but to have to deal with people judging you and your son.... Yeah, I would like to say I would have bit my tounge like she did, but pretty sure that I wouldn't have been able to.
I am very defensive of my kids and I will fight for them BOTH to the death.
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