【First Home-Visit Rehabilitation】A 40-Minute First Step with My 3-Year-Old ASD Son
Hello, I'm a mom in my late thirties.
My 3-year-old son has been diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). He also has traits of ADHD and DCD, so I spend my days raising him with plenty of "ingenuity" and "stamina."
In our household, finally—
Home-visit rehabilitation has begun!
We started with once a week in September.
I will record our first session from a mother's perspective.
The first session felt like a "trial day."
Things she brought with her
・Blocks
・Small LEGOs
・Puzzles ranging from low to medium difficulty
Since this day was still about observing,
the therapist (rehabilitation staff) brought various tools with her.
Manual dexterity training and exercise therapy are planned to be the main focus from now on.
He played surprisingly well! And it finished without any tantrums!
●Blocks and LEGO went smoothly
I thought it might be difficult for him to play with someone he was meeting for the first time, but...
He played with ease!
My boy, you're doing better than I thought! (Internal fist pump)
●He even tried a medium-difficulty puzzle!
The 100-yen shop puzzle we have at home,
was cheap but difficult.
It's hard even for an adult to fit the pieces together...
They keep slipping and sliding.
The puzzle the rehab staff brought
snapped together perfectly,
and my son kept at it until the end, even in places where he usually would have quit.
→ "Maybe I should buy a proper puzzle..." Mom reflects secretly.
The "advance notice skill," which is crucial in raising a child with ASD, was a huge success!
To prevent a tantrum when playtime ended, not only I but also the therapist communicated this in advance.
"The therapist will take this home when she leaves, okay?"
"When the timer goes off, it's time to finish!"
And so on—I am so grateful for the way she used prompts that showed an understanding of ASD traits...!
Thanks to that, we were able to finish everything smoothly, including cleaning up!
This is such a happy milestone.
The issue of where Mom should stand during rehabilitation
This is a surprisingly tricky dilemma.
✅️ Should I stay by his side the whole time?
✅️Should I step away a little?
✅️But I'm also anxious about being completely out of sight...
This time, I decided to try the strategy of "occasionally leaving the room while maintaining a sense of distance."
Precisely because I don't know the right answer, I have to use trial and error regarding my stance as a parent.
The downside of not having a dedicated therapist
There is one thing that concerns me about home visit rehabilitation.
That is—
There is no dedicated therapist system!(crying)
It seems the rehab staff member is different every time,
so it looks like it will take time for not just my child, but also me as a parent, to build a relationship of trust...
But on the flip side,
You could say it's a chance for new games and interactions to emerge every time!
In that case, I might as well have them do it!
There are certain types of play that I just can't handle physically, right?
For example:
・One-legged hop tag
・Penguin walk (stepping on my feet to walk)
・Reverse penguin walk (holding the child's feet to walk)
・Spinning roll (holding their arms to do a forward roll)
・Giraffe (swaying while on my shoulders)
・Swing (swaying while being held)
They all look... so much fun.
But for a middle-aged mom who was never into sports, it's physically tough! And my lower back is in trouble ←
So, when a young and energetic rehab staff member comes, I think I'll try asking them.
Summary | A Day When Mom Also Found Some 'Peace of Mind'
With the start of home rehabilitation,
'Today, there is someone other than me who can interact with my son'
'There are days when I don't have to do it all by myself'
I felt just a little bit more at ease.
Maybe it's okay to take a break from home training on rehab days...
It was such a grateful time that I could think that way.
From now on, how can I create time that will be a positive experience for my son?
While using trial and error, I want to learn along with him as his mother.
#ASDparenting #ADHDgrayzone #DCD #HomeRehabilitation #TherapyRecord #DevelopmentalTraits #3YearOldBoy #DevelopmentalSupport #ParentingRecord #ParentingWorries #DevelopmentalGrayZone #Around40Mom