AS/HFA Son Complains of Household Objects Touching/Bothering

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8675309
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31 Jul 2006, 11:58 pm

My son keeps complaining of household objects "bothering" or "touching" him. He's constantly pounding on chairs, tables, rugs, sofas and blankets, etc. (oh my goodness, he especially likes to beat the crap out of pillows). All this banging and pounding (he's trying to get the objects to leave him alone) is kinda unsettleing for us all. I know it's really frustrating for him to constantly feel like something is touching him. My mind equates this "sensation" or "experience" to something kinda like looking at a really bright and really closely striped pattern and the stripes will kinda play tricks on your eyes, kinda move in at you and make you dizzy. Hasn't everyone has some sort of pattern to kinda "wig you out" at some point?

He's seven and starting first grade soon and I keep trying to explain that this isn't acceptable behavior, especially at school. Society is so judgmental, I just can't stand for the kids, parents (they're the worst, by the way) and teachers to criticize him. I am certain some of the complaining parents (there always are) and some of the teachers will view this as threatening and he'll end up in the Assistant Principal's office. This will be our third year at this school (he was in Kindergarten for two years) and he was suspended several times. Wonder what that does for a seven year old's self-esteem?

The main thing is that I cannot stand for him to be constantly tortured by inanimate objects. That has to be really exhausting for him. Has anyone experienced anything like this? I really would like to better understand and to compensate for this in any way possible. Please let me know if anyone has suggestions.



trapped
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01 Aug 2006, 1:21 am

I can't say I have ever experienced anything like this before. Maybe it is a severe case of sensory overload?

Does your son see a doctor/psychologist? If so, what does he/she say?



8675309
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01 Aug 2006, 1:48 am

Praise the Lord!! !! Somebody finally posted a reply!! !! Yes, he has sees the P.A. at his psychiatrists office every couple of months. He does have an appt. coming up in August and I do intend to bring this up. I was really hoping someone else had experience something like this and could offer some first-hand advice. The specialists seldom have answers or solutions. They just move in the direction of behavior modification and meds. I truly believe w/all my heart that these things must be identified and understood, not just redirected. If a child is throwing up or has a fever shouldn't the cause be identified? I do agree, it has to have a great deal to do w/sensory overload. I just want to walk in his shoes for a couple of days so I can process this one out for him. Thanks for replying.



TheMachine1
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01 Aug 2006, 2:20 am

Tell us more about it does he do any of the following:
1) skin picking
2) scratching
3) hit himself
4) is he less or more sensitive to pain
5) repetitive movements in any part of his body
6) repetitive sounds



8675309
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01 Aug 2006, 2:27 am

He does all you mentioned!



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01 Aug 2006, 2:30 am

8675309 wrote:
He does all you mentioned!


Tourette Syndrome occurs with autisic disorders.



8675309
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01 Aug 2006, 2:39 am

He does have a few tics from time to time that lasted for a couple of months. He's never complained about things bothering him like he is now.



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01 Aug 2006, 2:46 am

8675309 wrote:
He does have a few tics from time to time that lasted for a couple of months. He's never complained about things bothering him like he is now.


I think the theory is he is fighting the tics with self-injury. The pain allows him to
block the tic. Its a neurologic problem that many get dopamine related drugs to treat
it.



drummer_girl
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01 Aug 2006, 6:30 am

omg. ive done this all my life - to hit or kick objects for touching me.
ever since i can remember....
i wont hit things that ive 'given permission' to touch me - ie if i sit on the chair i wont punch it. i wont kick the rug if i decided to stand on it.

but - if i brush againt a chair when i wasnt expecting to, ill turn round and slap it or kick it. if the rug is furled up and i step under it not on top of it, then ill kick it across the room. and i get exemely frustrated. im 22 years old and this still happens in exactly the same way as when i was younger. if im asked to tidy my bedroom for example,, and one video just fell off the top of a big tower of videos i made, then ill knock the whole pile over, and if alone in the house then ill shout and scream at then to leave me alone and stop falling over. if not alone in the house i will grit my teeth and probably kick a couple of the videos.
certain objects i will allow to touch me whether i asked them to or not... well only 2 objects... the objects of my obsessions.... a drum, or my american flag. i get bothered alot by the corners of pillows or the corners of my bed covers. but not the corners of my american flag.
i am an extremely ticklish person. every slight touch i can feel, and if somebody tickles me i just cant help laughing... even when somebody is waving their fingers above me and not actually tickling me i start laughing and twitching like i am being tickled. i dont very much like beng tickled but my automatic reaction is to laugh. theres not one part of my body that isnt ticklish. so when these objects touch me i fell it and i dont like it so i get them back by punching them.



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01 Aug 2006, 6:46 am

Many aspies also have ADHD. What I read ADHD drugs makes tourette syndome
worst. By chance have you used ADHD drugs drummer_girl?



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01 Aug 2006, 10:04 am

maybe he's just nervous about starting school. i know i use to act almost exactley like that around the beginning of the school year. exept it was mostley with my pants/ waist. they always botherd me almost to the point of going crazy. they had to be just a certain way around my hips or i would take them off/ you could see how this could be a problem



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01 Aug 2006, 2:39 pm

ie nver had adhd drugs for been assessed for tourettes. i was only diagnosed with AS 4 months ago. ive hardy ever been to the doctors and only once to the hospital for a broekn leg.