Amazing, scattered day

What an amazing day! Michael has always had very scattered skills – today he had an amazingly scattered day. He was completely connected and 'with us' all day. More so than he's ever been. I'm going to write about a few of the wonderful things he did today. Just imagine mini-tantrums sprinkled liberally throughout. It's almost as if his brain is making connections so quickly he needs to literally blow off steam. It's absolutely astonishing to watch, from a safe distance!

Michael spends a lot of time with Uncle Dan on the weekends. He likes to go between floors and people, from one activity to another. At one point, Dan was teaching him to throw underhand. When Michael made a catch, Dan told him "Nice catch". Michael's immediate response: "Nice throw". It's hard to express why this is so cool. He doesn't have much social language, and the concept of a reciprocal conversation is so hard for him, but this just came out naturally.

After dinner, Michael asked for a treat. He doesn't normally ask for food, but it's something he's been working on. I told him I had a new treat, and asked him to wait a minute while I got it ready. Steve had gotten a bag of cinnamon granola from Whole Foods, and I was anxious to try it. I was not sure at all if Michael would eat it, since it was very crunchy and had a very strong cinnamon flavor. He tried it quickly, and even asked us to refill his plate! I was shocked.

At another point in the day, Michael and Dan were out playing in the sand box on our deck. The wind was blowing and leaves were falling from the trees. Michael made the connection that every time there was a strong gust of wind, he could look at the trees to see a huge flurry of falling leaves. I don't remember exactly what he said, but he clearly enjoyed the cause and effect.

I'm not sure where all these changes are coming from. We've pretty much been keeping up with the protocols we started this summer. We had an initial craniosacral eval this week, with a few minutes of treatment. I can't imagine that it could have so much effect so fast. And if it is the cause, couldn't we have the great stuff without the tantrums? Please?

Learning to Swallow Capsules

Every day I understand more and more how much easier life is now that Michael can swallow capsules. Before, if we wanted to go away for a weekend, we had to pack a small cooler's worth of his pharmacy. Now, it's just a couple pill cases and two small bottles. So, much easier!

I had read about different techniques for teaching children how to swallow pills, but they didn't really seem to apply to Michael. As with most children on the spectrum, the best way to accomplish anything with Michael is to play to his strengths and interests. He has always loved playing with water, so we decided to make it a game.

· First, we had him practice holding a small sip of water in his mouth, without swallowing it. (This is the part he loved!)

· Then, we had him put a capsule toward the back of his tongue. We were careful to let him do the placing, so he wouldn't get over anxious. We also made sure that he didn't put it far enough back that it would cause him to gag.

· Next, we had him take a small sip of water and hold it in his mouth. He was a little more wary with the capsule, but still loved the game.

· Finally, we asked him to swallow the water. He was distracted enough by being allowed to play with the water in his mouth that he was able to easily swallow the capsule.

Once he realized what he had done, he was so proud of himself! He switched entirely over to capsules that weekend, and hasn't looked back since. He's been suspicious of new capsules and tablets, but has really adapted well.

I realize that this approach to swallowing capsules won't necessarily work with every child. I think the key is to really think about what your child likes, and is good at. Then, take those strengths and try to make a game of it. Sometimes, they just surprise you.