Tag: decoding treasure

I think I got far to much sleep…

I think I got far to much sleep and exercise – I’m exhausted.
I can hardly keep my eye’s open today.
HOWEVER! I think I’ve figured out why Treasure doesn’t sleep through the night – or more accurately why she Does!
Treasure was born in June and she would sleep like any baby, up for a bottle then back to sleep during the night – but up all day long. But in the fall when she should have started sleeping through the night she was up all night, happy and with tons of energy.
(2008) Come the next summer she turned 1 and finally started sleeping through the night during the spring, but when fall came we had the same problem, Treasure would go down in the evening, wake up around midnight and be up until 5am, then go down for 2 hours – never needing a nap during the day.
I figured she was waking up for the bottle, so I took her off the bottle at 18 months – Dec – and she didn’t sleep through the night again until the spring right before she turned 2.
2009) The summer Treasure turned 2 it rained the entire summer and it was actually COLD. We never went outside, we never did anything – ugh! The summer of 2009 it was terrible – every fun activity in Maine during the summer is OUTSIDE! So unless we were to go to the children’s museum every day there was Nothing to do.
(2010) The summer Treasure turned 3 (last summer) Tim had the pool out early. Treasure taught herself to hold her breath underwater the first day, we basically lived in the pool.
The summer was hot as hell (actually quite a nice change from the summer before.) We had fans in the girls room and the windows were open all spring, summer and some of the fall – Treasure slept through the night most nights. I started charting her sleep patterns trying to find something, anything, that would give me some kind of clue to why she would sleep through the nights some nights and not others.
She wasn’t sleeping through the night every night, but we were at sleeping 5 nights and up only 2 nights. But I couldn’t find anything other than the MORE activity Treasure had during the day the more likely she was to be UP half the night. The Opposite of every other child on the planet.
Then this morning it hit me!
It’s been warm out, I’ve opened all the windows. The windows in our house all have special reinforced locks (Because we don‘t want Treasure to escape or anyone to break in) so we can leave the windows about an inch up every night. And low and behold Treasure has slept through the night EVERY NIGHT since I opened the windows.
I think it’s air circulation!
When the windows are open, she sleeps – usually and when she does wake up she is VERY happy – at 2 am.
But in the fall and winter when the windows are closed – she wakes up every night and she’s grumpy.
We have a sound machine in the room, but we’ve never used a fan (except when it was hot) because Treasure was so little we didn’t want her to wake up and put her fingers in it, but now I’m thinking, even if we have to suspend it from the ceiling we need a fan in that room 365!

Tonight when we got home Keira DEMANDED a…

Tonight, when we got home, Keira DEMANDED a bath. She walked in the house, Stripped naked in front of the bathroom door – when I asked her “What do you want?” She pushed me into the bathroom door saying “BAFF! BAFF!” And she wasn’t giving up for nothing. I told her not until after we have our ice cream. She had a fit! I told her she had to get her undies on until we finished. She went to her room and sat on her little potty so she wouldn’t have to put her undies back on. Keira was screaming “BAFF” so loud I thought my ears where going to bleed.
Then after her bath, she went down to the man cave with daddy and within seconds fell and split her mouth open. Blood everywhere! I’m going to be up all night worrying about her. Oh my poor baby. She’s had such a good day, didn’t end on a high note.

I wonder if this would explain why Treasure…

I wonder if this would explain why Treasure always has the munchies! lol
According to one theory, some people with autism spectrum disorders cannot properly digest gluten and casein, which form peptides, or substances that act like opiates in their bodies. The peptides then alter the person’s behavior, perceptions, and responses to his environment. Some scientists now believe that peptides trigger an unusual immune system response in certain people. Research in the U.S. and Europe has found peptides in the urine of a significant number of children with autism. A doctor can order a urinary peptide test to see if proteins are being digested properly.
http://www.autismweb.com/diet.htm

Treasure got out of the ‘secret service van’…

Treasure got out of the ‘secret service van’ (story for another time) walked into the house, got in her chair at the table and said “sketti!” lol
Mommy: Maybe for dinner. What would you like for a snack?
Treasure: “sketti”
Treasure ate 2 LARGE bowls of spaghetti. I don’t mean ‘large’ for a 3 y/o. I mean what would be a LARGE bowl for her father!

Decoding Treasure Written in Oct 2010 This started…

Decoding Treasure (Written in Oct 2010)
(This started as something funny I wrote to help friends and family understand our little Treasure, it turned into a rather helpful handout.)
I explain Keira like this: Keira can say the words “I want a cookie”, she can read the words “I want a cookie”, she can sign “I want a cookie”, she can spell the sentence “I want a cookie”, she can even write the sentence “I want a cookie” using a capital I and a period at the end.
However if she actually wants a cookie, she will grab my finger and drag me to the cabinet where we have our treats and just scream.
People tell me “Don’t give her what she wants and she’ll learn to speak”. The problem is, I don’t know what she wants, many times she goes without what she wants – if that theory held water she’d be communicating with us. There seems to be something in her head that doesn’t allow her to tell us what she wants or ask questions like normal 3 year olds.
If I go through everything in the cabinet saying “Do you want M&M’s? Do you want Crackers?” and so on, if we get to the cookies and that is in fact what she wants, something won’t allow her to say “YES”. Keira will scream and reach of them.
If I say “Keira, you have already had enough cookies today, how about an apple?” The tantrum stops and she will go for the apple. She’s not having a tantrum because she wants a cookie and she’s not getting it, she’s having the tantrum because she can’t communicate.
A small sample of questions I’ve answered for doctors and therapists and on forms I’ve made out a hundred times.
(If you know Keira, don’t feel bad about laughing – that’s the point!)
Q: Does Keira stare off into the distance and become unresponsive?
A: Only in her “Planning Stage”.
Q: Does she understand the word No?
A: I don’t know it’s never worked. Oh no correction, she understands NO when she screams it at me.
Q: Is your child shy?
A: That would be a nice change.
Q: Does she have anxiety attacks in large groups of people?
A: No, she causes anxiety in large groups of people. To Keira a large group of people is an adrenalin rush.
Q: Does she communicate effectively?
A: Only when she doesn’t want to do something.
Q: How does she do when you deviate from the normal routine?
A: Our routine or hers?
Q: Does she participate in dangerous behavior?
A: Only up until she realizes it’s going to hurt.
Q: Does she watch more than 2 hours of TV a day?
A: I WISH!!!
Q: When Keira watches TV what does she watch?
A: The title sequence. Possibly up to the first 5 minutes if she’s jumping on the trampoline.
Q: What is the first indication that Keira is about to have a tantrum.
A: She screams YAY!! Which in Keira speak is interpreted as “FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT NOW OR THE SCREAMING IS JUST GOING TO GET WORSE!!!”
Q: Does your child engage in eye contact?
A: Only when attempting a mind-meld.
Q: Do you feel your child understands you?
A: When it involves food.
Q: Does your child nap? If not, please indicate at what age they discontinued this activity.
A: Pre conception is never an option.
Q: Is your child potty trained?
A: Only at home where she has access to the potty, since she can’t say “I want to use the potty” or even the word “potty” when she needs to go. But can read, say and sign both when written.
Q: Other than tantrums how does your child protest?
A: If she’s really angry she’ll walk into the middle of the living room pull off her Pull Up and pee on the floor, then jump in it like it’s a rain puddle.
Q: Does Keira have any special abilities?
A: Yes, she can Sign, Read, Spell, Count to 20, Count backwards from 10. She is teaching herself to write letters/words/numbers and basic addition skills. But she can’t say “I want a Cookie” when she wants one.
Q: What words best describe your child?
A: Willful. Sweet. Rebel. Brilliant.
Q: Can your child speak?
A: She has an unbelievably large vocabulary – she describes everything.
Q: In regards to your child, what other behavior are you worried about.
A: That she must chew everything.
Keira doesn’t talk to us like other 3 year olds.
I would love it if she understood the need to “stay with mommy”
Q: What are some activities your child enjoys?
A: Running, jumping, climbing, dancing, breaking things open to see what’s inside, exploring and snuggling on the couch with Mommy and Daddy with her doodle boards.
Q: What are some activities your child does not participate in?
A: Sitting still.
Q: How has your child’s behavior impacted your life?
A: I now have a much larger bladder.
Keira has been a non-conformist since before birth deciding the best decent was butt first and early. She has never felt the need to sleep and the more activity she receives the less likely she is to sleep through the night.

A small sample of questions I’ve answered for doctors and therapists and on forms I’ve made out a hundred times.

A small sample of questions I’ve answered for doctors and therapists and on forms I’ve made out a hundred times.
(If you know Keira, don’t feel bad about laughing – that’s the point!)
Q: Does Keira stare off into the distance and become unresponsive?
A: Only in her “Planning Stage”.
Q: Does she understand the word No?
A: I don’t know it’s never worked. Oh no correction, she understands NO when she screams it at me.
Q: Is your child shy?
A: That would be a nice change.
Q: Does she have anxiety attacks in large groups of people?
A: No, she causes anxiety in large groups of people. To Keira a large group of people is an adrenalin rush.
Q: Does she communicate effectively?
A: Only when she doesn’t want to do something.
Q: How does she do when you deviate from the normal routine?
A: Our routine or hers?
Q: Does she participate in dangerous behavior?
A: Only up until she realizes it’s going to hurt.
Q: Does she watch more than 2 hours of TV a day?
A: I WISH!!!
Q: When Keira watches TV what does she watch?
A: The title sequence. Possibly up to the first 5 minutes if she’s jumping on the trampoline.
Q: What is the first indication that Keira is about to have a tantrum.
A: She screams YAY!! Which in Keira speak is interpreted as “FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT NOW OR THE SCREAMING IS JUST GOING TO GET WORSE!!!”
Q: Does your child engage in eye contact?
A: Only when attempting a mind-meld.
Q: Do you feel your child understands you?
A: When it involves food.
Q: Does your child nap? If not, please indicate at what age they discontinued this activity.
A: Pre conception is never an option.
Q: Is your child potty trained?
A: Only at home where she has access to the potty, since she can’t say “I want to use the potty” or even the word “potty” when she needs to go. But can read, say and sign both when written.
Q: Other than tantrums how does your child protest?
A: If she’s really angry she’ll walk into the middle of the living room pull off her Pull Up and pee on the floor, then jump in it like it’s a rain puddle.
Q: Does Keira have any special abilities?
A: Yes, she can Sign, Read, Spell, Count to 20, Count backwards from 10. She is teaching herself to write letters/words/numbers and basic addition skills. But she can’t say “I want a Cookie” when she wants one.
Q: What words best describe your child?
A: Willful. Sweet. Rebel. Brilliant.
Q: Can your child speak?
A: She has an unbelievably large vocabulary – she describes everything.
Q: In regards to your child, what other behavior are you worried about.
A: That she must chew everything.
Keira doesn’t talk to us like other 3 year olds.
I would love it if she understood the need to “stay with mommy”
Q: What are some activities your child enjoys?
A: Running, jumping, climbing, dancing, breaking things open to see what’s inside, exploring and snuggling on the couch with Mommy and Daddy with her doodle boards.
Q: What are some activities your child does not participate in?
A: Sitting still.
Q: How has your child’s behavior impacted your life?
A: I now have a much larger bladder.
Keira has been a non-conformist since before birth deciding the best decent was butt first and early. She has never felt the need to sleep and the more activity she receives the less likely she is to sleep through the night.

April is Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month.
However, if you live with Autism, pretty much you’re aware of it every moment.
I don’t like telling people my daughter is autistic. It’s not that I’m ashamed, it’s that, just like every autistic child, she’s less complicated once you get to know her.
First, many people give me the look of “Oh you think you‘re special because you‘re part of ‘that‘ group. You want us to treat you special.”
Well, no, actually its more of a warning that if we visit your home my daughter may eat your cat – just say’n. {sarcasm}
*sigh*
Then it’s the image that she’s going to be screaming, flopping around on the floor and biting the other children.
No, she’s not going to scream, flop or bite anymore than any other 3 year old. (BTW, I was a biter at age 4!)
*sigh*
So I must go into the abridged explanation as to not lose their attention, but be informative at the same time.
“She‘s just like every other 3 year old, she just can‘t communicate, she doesn‘t understand language. Oh and she chews on everything.”
That leads to “Well, that doesn‘t sound like Autism”
Really? I thought so too, however the 50 or so therapists and doctors with various degrees of degrees, disagree.
*sigh*
Then, like every other child on the planet, she makes a liar out of me as she looks them in the eyes and says “I like a kitty”
“You said she couldn‘t talk”
No, what I said was ‘she can’t communicate’ – she can talk.
This only calls into question my parenting skills, since the child can speak, but can’t ask for a cookie.
To make myself feel better and because I know where this conversation is leading, I add “She can also Read, Spell, Write, Count, and use Sign Language.”
At this point, I am informed that I need a second opinion because “Clearly she is some kind of brilliant savant.”
*sigh*
As if brilliant savants don’t come with their own lists of complicated issues.
Times where I don’t need to give great amount of detail, I will say “My daughter is special needs”
But that tends to imply she’s in a wheel chair, it’s not very accurate. She doesn’t use any special equipment, she doesn’t “need” you to do anything special for her (other then hide anything of valuable, breakable and/or small).
I’m trying out “Differently-Abled.” It makes me sound snotty and people tend to listen to more than when I say “Autistic.”

April is Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month.
However, if you live with Autism, pretty much you’re aware of it every moment.
I don’t like telling people my daughter is autistic. It’s not that I’m ashamed, it’s that, just like every autistic child, she’s less complicated once you get to know her.
First, many people give me the look of “Oh you think you‘re special because you‘re part of ‘that‘ group. You want us to treat you special.”
Well, no, actually its more of a warning that if we visit your home my daughter may eat your cat – just say’n. {sarcasm}
*sigh*
Then it’s the image that she’s going to be screaming, flopping around on the floor and biting the other children.
No, she’s not going to scream, flop or bite anymore than any other 3 year old. (BTW, I was a biter at age 4!)
*sigh*
So I must go into the abridged explanation as to not lose their attention, but be informative at the same time.
“She‘s just like every other 3 year old, she just can‘t communicate, she doesn‘t understand language. Oh and she chews on everything.”
That leads to “Well, that doesn‘t sound like Autism”
Really? I thought so too, however the 50 or so therapists and doctors with various degrees of degrees, disagree.
*sigh*
Then, like every other child on the planet, she makes a liar out of me as she looks them in the eyes and says “I like a kitty”
“You said she couldn‘t talk”
No, what I said was ‘she can’t communicate’ – she can talk.
This only calls into question my parenting skills, since the child can speak, but can’t ask for a cookie.
To make myself feel better and because I know where this conversation is leading, I add “She can also Read, Spell, Write, Count, and use Sign Language.”
At this point, I am informed that I need a second opinion because “Clearly she is some kind of brilliant savant.”
*sigh*
As if brilliant savants don’t come with their own lists of complicated issues.
Times where I don’t need to give great amount of detail, I will say “My daughter is special needs”
But that tends to imply she’s in a wheel chair, it’s not very accurate. She doesn’t use any special equipment, she doesn’t “need” you to do anything special for her (other then hide anything of valuable, breakable and/or small).
I’m trying out “Differently-Abled.” It makes me sound snotty and people tend to listen to more than when I say “Autistic.”