Z comes to stay

Monday, May 30, 2011

How do you write about mental health or lack of?

I jinxed the weekend by writing on FB that Z had two great days.  She was really happy and fun.  Then she got stuck in her cycle of perserveration where she talks about the same topic over and over and over again until she escalates to a full blown tantrum.  The topic can be a  favorite and fun, it doesn't matter, it's like a record (remember those?) getting stuck.  Sometimes I can stop the pattern if you catch at the very beginning but not always, nothing is ever consistent. Sunday we had to leave the pool party early, even before dinner because she was perseverating.  She started crying and sat on my lap, which sometimes can signal the end of the episode but when she grabbed my glasses off my face I knew we are headed for trouble so I suggested we go.  She was very willing to leave.  I didn't want her to escalate at the party even though it was all family, Z stands out enough already.  I don't like others to see her totally melt down and it's scary for other kids.  Having a deaf child in the car (she had her cochlears off because she was swimming) is the ultimate time out, I can totally ignore her and sometimes that makes her mad.  She started yelling in the car and in my desperation while driving I signed that if she didn't calm down I would call the police. And it worked!  She went back to respite care.

The next day she did great at respite, I picked her up from their family gathering and she was excited about going to gymnastics and seeing dad. She did great in her little gymnastics class, she's excited to do a flip on the rings.  On the way home she started to perseverate about her bed at home.  We sit down for dinner and soon she's yelling and threw her place mat at me.  I had already removed her plate and drink, that's from past experience of cleaning up when I didn't!  She grabbed for me and hitting, Dave and I are trying to escort (aka drag) her to her room.  In the process we have to get off the cochlears and she got in one good swing at me.  We get her to her room and now we have to listen to banging and kicking her door and yelling.  Not pleasant to continue eating our dinner.  Dave takes the dog out for a walk, leaving his dinner for when it's quieter.  I finish mine quickly so I can clean up.  My philosophy is that if you act up during a meal then you aren't very hungry so as far as Z was concerned when she comes out of her room dinner is over.  I always think it's interesting that she never asks for things after her tantrums, she knows!  After about 20 minutes she seems calm so I go in her room and she has wet her pants on the floor, which is typical.  I have her clean it up and put her wet clothes in the washer and get in the bath.  She had her meds before dinner so she's now getting sleepy.  Bath, pj's and to bed.  That's how it goes, in the time span of an hour she went from happy and proud doing flips on the rings at gym to being violent and getting dragged to her room.  That can be a day in life of Z. Whew!!!!!

1 comment:

  1. Im only laughing because you told her you were gonna call the police. Lol...I can see her face in that moment.

    logical consequences is the name of the game.

    Good for you!

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