Autism Summer Conference Day Two

More mind-blowing information today. I am mentally exhausted.



Martha Leary's presentation on Rhythm was the most thought-provoking for me today. It underscored that so many of our interactions with Liam are really not helpful (at best). Leary indicated that echolalia and scripted language often do serve functions and that sometimes the caregiver/teacher must do some detective work to figure out what our loved one/student is trying to say. Behaviorists have taught us to completely ignore Liam's echolalia and repetitive speech--that he is doing it to get attention, so we must ignore to extinguish it. If Leary is right--if Liam is attempting to communicate, then we are doing him a disservice. I must do better at discerning what function all of his speech has, not just the words I deem "socially appropriate".

Tonight, after dinner, he was wandering around in the backyard; in Mr. Bee Land, as I call his imaginary travels. I came out to him and he yelled at me to go away. "I need you to go. Go back in the house. You need to leave. I hate you." I tried asking him why to no effect. I offered some possible reasons: "Are you mad at me for going away all day? Did you not like what Daddy and I were talking about? Is it the sound of my voice or my words?" "I just don't like you," was his answer. I've learned not to take this personally. "I don't need you to love me," I tell him pleasantly, "I love you enough for both of us."

More tomorrow. So tired I can't type for shit.