about Vincy's autism

Hi little sister
I keep putting your email off. So i decided to just write a little bit
I'm sure you have millions of questions about Vincy, but i'll tell you what i think you'd want to hear and then you can ask me whatever you want to know.
And don't worry about apologising for your questions. Vincent's situation is what it is... that's just life. I won't be offended about anything you ask. :)

So Vince's speech is delayed. He has speech therapy twice a week. The lack of speech or not speaking is a very common characteristic of Autistic kids. He does not always make eye contact very naturally, but i think with pulling is face towards mine and reminding him to look at me has helped him because he does do it. Autistic kids do not pick up on social skills. One of which is making eye contact, thus lots of facial expressions lack as well. In fact come kids use the wrong voice intonation when saying certain things. They'll sound happy when they're supposed to be serious, for example. Their lack of eye contact affects their speech too because they can't see how one moves one's lips, tongue, etc. to make the sounds. Like i have Vincy look at my mouth when i try to get him to say a new word.

The sensory input of Autistic kids is usually over or under stimulated. Bright light makes them uncomfortable, or the sound of buzzing fluorescent lights, or loud noises, or smells, or how things feel e.g. food, what they wear and then how things impact their bodies. With Vince for example he has a need for input onto his body, i.e. pressure.

he for example likes lying on the floor with a towel or blanket rapped around him. Yesterday he lay there for forever! It was kinda odd but it made sense! His body craves it, so he is constantly seeking it. he thinks better and he's also more relaxed. He likes jackets because of the weight (there are weighted vests he can wear or another thing the occupational therapist suggested was wearing tight undersized, pajamas to help him sleep). He hits and throws and crashes things... these are things we have to work on and teach him how to feed that need in a positive way. If not he may injure someone and as an adult that will not be acceptable especially if he does it to his wife or anyone for that matter. So he needs to learn now what he can and cannot do.

Hitting a giant exercise ball, bouncing on a trampoline, washing windows or walls, or sweeping (the force he exerts applies a pressure to his body too), throwing balls (well, anything really, especially if it's heavy), etc. all play a roll in providing him with that input.

Oh and he doesn't like loud noises (like nose blowing or loud jets flying over head. We have air force base jets flying over our area all day) but he gets used to them especially when i explain more about what they are.

I need to go to bed now though.
Love
Marcelle
p.s. Ask any questions you'd like? It may even help me... realise something new.