Sunday, January 30, 2011

New year, new tactics

Well, back to normality after Christmas. I found out my job is safe for at least the next two years and almost simultaneously found out my wife is losing hers at the end of January.
We are still having trouble getting Dash to stay in bed without running up the hallway 2 dozen times EVERY night. Finally went to my GP to ask his advice on prescribing Melatonin, which is a drug used for a lot of Autistic kids who have erratic sleep patterns, to get him off to sleep nice and quick, he wasn't sure but said he would do some research and get back to us, we then were contacted by the consultant paediatrician in Portlaoise hospital who after a long conversation with my wife agreed to prescribe it of Dash, happy days, but it would be a week or so before we could get the script, but in the meantime a good friend had returned from the states, where Melatonin is available off the shelf, with a small supply for us to try out.
Night one had no affect whatsoever, he was just hyper. Night two he was asleep by 10pm but woke at 3am full of beans, great eh!Tonight is night 3, he was asleep by 9ish so fingers crossed he doesn't wake tonight.
Anyway, this is just a short one, im only gonna do this once a month so i guess i should start keeping notes.
Laters peeps

Sunday, January 9, 2011

in the beginning

It all started in 2007 when we got a diagnosis of Autism for our 4 year old son "Dash".
Its been a real rollercoaster since then, but I thought it was time to let other people know what goes on in our life from day to day.
Its now 09 january 2011, it seems so long since that faithfull day back in 2007 whae we were told our blond haird, blue eyed little heartbreaker was on the Autism spectrum. Hes now nearly 8 years old, skinny as a wippet but is freakishly strong for one so thin, just ask anyone who has recieved a "sqeezie hug" around the neck from behind.
In November we recieved an Autism assistance dog from a newly formed non proffit charity called Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland named Bobby. Bobby is a 14 month old black lab and just has the most loveable personallity in a dog I have ever seen, to the extent that when Dash gets upset and has a melt down which involves lying on the ground and screaming, Bobby will just lie down beside him and nuzle into him to cheer him up, its just amazing.
Today was quite a good day, we had our monthly cinema outing with LOFFA ( Laois Offaly Famalies For Autism) in which we saw Megamind. I didnt see much due to satnding guard over the emergancy exit, but all seemd to go well. Once a month we have an Autism specific cinema viewing where they turn up the lights and turn dowm the sound turned down with one simple rule, NO TUTTING, the kids are allowed a free reign, within reason.
Afterwards we allways head to Mickry D's in Potrlaoise for lunch where I usualy get wound up like a spring and end up bringing either Dash or his younger brother Mush back to the car, anyway, all went well and we all made it home in one piece.
Tomorow is back to school day so it was bath time tonight. Now both are bed and soundly sleeping, which is where Im off to now good night all and happy new year