Discussing Autism

This morning as I was making applesauce for AJ (we make our own because of the salicylate content and the added high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and corn from Vitamin C sources) he got scared from the blender and started crying and threw his breakfast bowl at me. (thank goodness he missed) This uneasiness is not new and it most likely corresponds with his yeast overgrowth.

When we first brought AJ home from Russia he was scared of many things including the vacuum, the blender, the coffee grinder, the hair dryer, the lawn mower…you name it. Of course at that time he had never been exposed to them before.

We have solved many of the problems by acclimating him to the situations. He used to ride on the lawn mower for short distances with my husband, we got him a toy vacuum and he plays with this everyday (telling me he is cleaning up the cereal, ironic?), he helps papa (daddy) grind the coffee in the morning, and he loves to get his hair dried with a hair dryer.

But, the blender, for some odd reason is the source of all evil. Every time I turn it on he screams and yells and cries and throws things. I have no idea what to do or why he does it.

I wonder if it is the pitch of the blender or if it releases some sort of trauma history for him (which is always very possible).

But, it could easily just be his auditory sensory issues.

Auditory Sensory issues are very common with children with autism but they also play a huge role in Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Apparently, some children have trouble with certain frequencies, pitches, or sounds. Even a certain voice for some children can be irritating.

According to Carol Kranowitz, the author of The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition, the auditory processing problem can stand alone or it can occur along with SPD. It can be a result pf ear infections or hearing loss, or simply be a neurological issue.

Kranowitz explains that auditory over-responsivity, like AJ has, do not have the ability to tune out overwhelming sounds or stifle loud sounds like most of us do. Often, this type of child will try to block out loud sounds by making loud noises of his own (ah, so that is why he screams all the time!), or gets so upset and needs to be calmed at places like the circus.

Word Press, Technorati, sensory integration, autism, carol kranowitz, auditory processing, loud noises, out of sync child, yeast, Tags