The Pillow Thing

After yesterday's OT with Karin, it was pretty apparent that OT is going to be a lot like the PT: putting a bunch of demands on Raquel, which will bring out the behavior. Yesterday was a mild version of the previous Monday when Trish was here.

It wasn't too long into the OT session that Raquel became really frustrated. Karin was trying to help her do a puzzle hand-over-hand and she just couldn't get it on her own and started throwing pieces. Typically the throwing of toys during the other therapies is her signal to say she is all done with the activity. Well, in OT & PT, they kind of have to hold their ground with her because she needs to "work". They let her take breaks and wander off into other rooms of the house, but need to redirect her back relatively quickly so they can continue the session. Raquel started a tantrum, and Karin and Elizabeth did really well trying to calm her.

Then she started throwing herself back - and hard. I was doing my absolute best to ignore the behavior, because acknowledging it reinforces it, but after about the fifth or sixth time, I asked Elizabeth how to make her stop. She said, "Grab a pillow." Gabby quickly fetched one, and I watched her put the pillow behind Raquel over and over again so when she'd throw back, she'd land on the pillow. She did not make eye contact with her, and did not say one single word to her. This started in the living room and went down the hallway, into Raquel's room, and then Gabby's room. You had to move quick because sometimes you'd think she'd go one way and then she'd change directions. Finally, after attempting to throw herself into Gabby's wooden easel to no avail, she got up and walked back in to the living room and Karin was able to continue her session. My assignment from Elizabeth yesterday: follow Raquel throughout the house with the pillow.

Last night, she started up again shortly after Mike got home. He didn't know what to make of the whole pillow thing but stayed in the living room to watch how I was handling it. He is so emotional when it comes to his girls (all three of us) and he completely feels our pain. Unfortunately, this isn't a good thing when it comes to her therapy because she feeds off of it. A good part of my time with Elizabeth is spent learning how to sort of "detach" myself from the situation so, in this particular instance, if she misses the pillow once, I'm okay with it.

Why does she do it, you ask? Karin was trying to explain it to me yesterday but I wasn't digesting everything she was saying so I'll get more info on Thursday when she's here. I do know that it is a sensory processing condition and behavior issues occur when there is too much or too little input. Throwing herself back is sort of her way of oddly calming herself, as weird as that sounds. I kinda shocks her body and releases energy I guess. Certain things can trigger it with Raquel - such as frustration from the therapy - or it can be random things like the start cycle of the dishwasher, a running faucet, separation anxiety, etc. etc. She just has certain sensitivities. This is what makes her so difficult right now - you just don't know when something is going to set her off. For instance, Trader Joe's this morning. I made sure she was fed, changed, had juice, etc. She goes with me there every week so it is a familar place to her. She was fine until check out, and then the hitting, crying, hair pulling started. Nothing could calm her. The only thing I can think of is that she was startled by people entering the store (we were at the register by the front door). Once I got her to the car, she was her happy little self. It's frustrating because we certainly don't want to do something that will trigger her and at the same time, she is not able to tell us what's wrong.

I also heard from Regional today. There was a change in who is handling my file and this new guy wants to come meet with me next Tuesday. I asked him about the Autism screening and he said he'd check on it and let me know. He said it would most likely be a month before she could be screened. Sounds like the paperwork is just beginning.