Jackson had a rough day yesterday and again today. He has been banging his head a lot since upping his Tenex to a full dose. Head banging is something he started doing around the time he got his first ear infection, he was around a year and half at the time. He has had numerous ear infections since then and around Christmas time we had tubes put in. We have talked to all our therapists, doctors, and teachers to find an answer as to why or how to get it to stop. However no one can help us figure it out. Everyone asks us the same questions, when did he start, does he do it all the time, is he doing it for attention or if he doesn’t get his way, does he do it when you aren’t in the room, does he cry afterwards? We have tried helmets, but we haven’t found one that works or that he will let us put on, let alone stay on. When we went to TouchPoint they saw that he used the behavior more when mamma was around. He also used it when he wanted to get out of doing something. Since it is an injurious behavior, you can’t ignore it, so the suggestion of putting your hand between his head and object used to bang on all the while not talking to him or looking him in the eyes came into play. Sometimes this works, sometimes redirecting works, but lately when try to put your hand in front of him, he will sit down quickly and use the hard wood floor.
Some FXS and Autism Spectrum disorder kiddos do behaviors when they have a sensory need. To avert the head banging we take Jackson swinging or go for a ride in the car. We also push him in his little Tykes Coupe or his Radio Flyer. Talking him out on the deck when there is a cool breeze sometimes works or putting him on his jumpy horse. Finally the best ammo for this is pushing the vacuum cleaner around, doesn’t even have to be on. Yesterday he actually broke the skin in the middle of his forehead. We had to use a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding because trying to use a wet wash cloth was ridiculous. Using all our aversions was not successful, as soon as we were done, right back to head banging. Pushing the vacuum around wasn’t working either, for whatever reason he had to have it on. He just doesn’t seem like the same kid to me, seems less of a morning person and very crabby all day.
Sadly we can’t figure out why our little man is doing this. Does he feel dizzy? Does he have a headache? Do his ears hurt? Is it the medicine? Is it just because of his diagnosis's? Sara is worried that if she takes him in public that Child Protective Services will show up on our door step because he has a huge knot and bruise in the middle of his forehead. We do live in an area where everyone likes to be up in your business and if you slip up at all the cops will be at the door. I try to assure her that if CPS shows up we have enough documentation on his head banging behavior that they will just walk away. Today I am the lucky one who left home to go to work, so Sara has to deal with it all by herself. Lucky might not be the best statement as today has not been a great day work at all, so I have to figure out how to leave that at work and not bring it home. Jackson has PT today and Sara is going to call the FX doctor in Chicago. I really hope the doctor can give us some advice today…
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