My journey with having 3 children on the Autistic spectrum has been a costly one, especially if you have one that is very destructive, obsessive, and frustrated.
My one son who suffers with severe Autism and who is non-verbal broke many TVs, VCRs, Video Tapes, Video Games, CDs, DVDs, furniture, appliances, etc. The only thing I could do was to be one step ahead of him and think up ways to preserve what I had. I went from bolting TV's to the furniture to piling up electronics on high furniture secured with duck tape. Some things had to be tied with rope or heavy string. I was lucky for a while, he could not tie or untie.
As he grew it became more of a problem. He was taller and he thought up ways to reach high objects with Video Tape Covers while standing on his toes. As disabled and non-verbal as he was, functioning on a supposed infantile level, he was so ingenious and amazing. He always tried to think up ways to get around what I had done. This was a battle of the wits to override each other's ideas.
I kept a lot of stores in business investing in replacements of broken items that were vital to relieve my chaotic situation. I replaced one expensive Disney video tape 4 times because of his dropping it or the VCR eating it. To relieve his violent tantrums, it was vital to get a replacement and fast! I was so grateful the store had it in stock after a long prayer. Once, the tape rewinder broke and he would not accept the tape being rewound in the VCR itself. He was so upset that I was throwing it out. It was out of his routine. In his mind, the tape had to be rewound in a stand alone rewinder only. I quickly called the electronics store and asked if they had a rewinder in stock and darted to the store for a replacement.
He turned the knobs on my Washing Machine back and forth until they eventually broke. They don’t make these kinds of knobs anymore, thank goodness. He swung from my doors needing them to be reattached. He kicked in doors, broke screens, ate furniture, ripped sofas apart, kicked off the end of a loveseat, caved in a reclining chair……..When I finally got sturdy furniture, no matter how old or tacky it looked, I would not part with it because it stood up to my son. It was hit or miss what would hold up or last through an Autism episode.
Believe it or not, he actually pulled down the padding under the roof of my car from the backseat. Not only was this a nightmare, but the cost of getting everything fixed or replaced was astronomical.
When an Autistic person is this disabled, all the Behavior Modification in the world will not stop the violent tantrum. You have to give in at some point when you can not relieve the episode any other way. Medications never worked. Behavior drugs caused seizures and seizure drugs caused more behavior problems.
I had 5 years of intense, once a week, at home, Behavior Modification from psychologists from Rutgers University. It was great for simpler things, like: eating at the kitchen table, setting up a reward system, getting a picture system in place for better communication, etc. But, you can not behavior modify rage or severe tantrums, which he was prone to. At that point, to prevent injury, you give in. Much of this destructive behavior stemmed from being very delayed and child-like.
I always forgave him and just tried to find the best ways to modify his living conditions to accommodate his problems. Keeping him in a safe environment was the primary concern and protecting him from himself and everyone else was just as important. Having a child with Autism is a big sacrifice and very trying and draining. It is one of the biggest challenges on earth.
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