Guest guest Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 I can relate, my daughter used to throw the sugar packets under the table (unseen by us) and then say, "I drop something", go down and put the whole thing in her mouth..these kids are smart. So the first thing we do is remove from reach. Second, we tend to frequent the same restaurant chain when possible, familiarity is comforting for them. I sometimes like the noisier ones, hides her outside voice if she decides to use it. We order what she likes as soon as we sit down, to cut down on the waiting. Ask for her drink right away, she has been known to hunt down any waitress/waiter and ask for her drink. We bring her an activity that she really likes, she is in to the Color Wonder coloring books and special pens that only color on that paper. We really are trying to do the WFGF diet, no preservatives, food coloring, additives, basically what is recommended on the Feingold diet, it has helped but not eliminated all the autistic symptoms that flare up when I am not diligent. She is really good at sneaking things out of my sight when I get distracted and can plot to get to eat it later, sugar, syrup, if there is chocolate or any type of sweets in the house, this kid is like those veloceraptor dinosaurs, they learn what works and they learn fast, too bad it is usually what is off limits. She has grown out of crawling under the table and standing up, but those can still happen, I just try to act very calm and nonchalant, don't make eye contact with other patrons while I am reprimanding her. We do spank and sometimes the threat of it is enough or the withholding of a trip to the park after or a visit with a favorite person is a good motivator to try to control herself. But if they have the wrong food in them it doesn't help. If a noisy restaurant is to overwhelming, that also maybe the trigger for the behavior, you basically have to gauge at what times she tends to go off and in what situations. We have to think of so many things . I know you are struggling and sometimes, the people who love and support us don't and maybe you should avoid them for a little while if they are only adding to your tension load. Hope what little I contributed helps, I am sure you will get lots of responses from the veterans. In Christ, marieLeonatti wrote: hi I need advice.Our family enjoys going out to eat but lately with my 5yr. old son with sever autism it is becoming more difficult.Our first hurdle is tring to find a booth (so we can block him in)our next is to just keep him from standing in the booth and screaming when he doesnt get his food right away.He hates seeing the waitresses pass with others food.The biggest problem lately is his fits for the suger packets.With each scream I get so embarresd and think we should just run out but ofcourse that would make him cry more.I told my husband we need to at least just do our immediate family (as sometimes my own sister will glare at me)or stop going out all together please reply back it helps to hear Im not alone with this problem. OMG, Sweet deal for Yahoo! users/friends: Get A Month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. W00t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Have you ever considered ordering ahead of your arrival. When my kids were little, we had a favorite restaurant. We would call before we left home and give them our order. When we arrived, it would be waiting for us. That might help a little. --- Leonatti wrote: > hi I need advice.Our family enjoys going out to eat > but lately with my > 5yr. old son with sever autism it is becoming more > difficult.Our first > hurdle is tring to find a booth (so we can block him > in)our next is to > just keep him from standing in the booth and > screaming when he doesnt > get his food right away.He hates seeing the > waitresses pass with > others food.The biggest problem lately is his fits > for the suger > packets.With each scream I get so embarresd and > think we should just > run out but ofcourse that would make him cry more.I > told my husband we > need to at least just do our immediate family (as > sometimes my own > sister will glare at me)or stop going out all > together please reply > back it helps to hear Im not alone with this > problem. > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ OMG, Sweet deal for Yahoo! users/friends:Get A Month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. W00t http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text2.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 We always pull up to the restaurant and ask if they have a booth available before we even get our 4 year old of the car. No booth and we are on to another place. NEVER order appetizers or salads that will keep his meal from coming. We also ask that they bring his out as soon as it is ready. The kids meals sometimes are ready before ours and they hold them back for the rest of the food. Also, bring in a special toy and maybe a little snack for him to wait until the real food gets there. I sometimes bring some gummie bears or crackers to help pass the time. I know it can be hard. We didn't eat out until he was 3 1/2 because it was just too hard and not worth the trouble. My husband and I would end up fighting with each other and then the entire meal was ruined. Also, our son just does not like some restaurants. You have to know that sometimes things we don't even notice will bother them and if he really acts up in a certain place then just don't go to that place. Hope this helps... Celeste To: AutismBehaviorProblems From: cleonatti@...Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:46:50 +0000Subject: restuarant help hi I need advice.Our family enjoys going out to eat but lately with my 5yr. old son with sever autism it is becoming more difficult.Our first hurdle is tring to find a booth (so we can block him in)our next is to just keep him from standing in the booth and screaming when he doesnt get his food right away.He hates seeing the waitresses pass with others food.The biggest problem lately is his fits for the suger packets.With each scream I get so embarresd and think we should just run out but ofcourse that would make him cry more.I told my husband we need to at least just do our immediate family (as sometimes my own sister will glare at me)or stop going out all together please reply back it helps to hear Im not alone with this problem. Windows Live Hotmail is giving away Zunes. Enter for your chance to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 31, 2008 Report Share Posted March 31, 2008 Make it a routine thing. Prepare him for the event before hand and use a "Go Bag" full of some favorite toys and sensory items that he only gets when you go out. The toys become a great rediretion tool when you get to the restaurant. You will have to be consistant and do it a couple times before he understands but once he does you should see some possitive behaviors. Also change up the items in the bag every month or so. Troy B. Re: restuarant help Have you ever considered ordering ahead of yourarrival. When my kids were little, we had a favoriterestaurant. We would call before we left home andgive them our order. When we arrived, it would bewaiting for us. That might help a little. --- Leonatti <cleonatti@sbcglobal .net> wrote:> hi I need advice.Our family enjoys going out to eat> but lately with my > 5yr. old son with sever autism it is becoming more> difficult.Our first > hurdle is tring to find a booth (so we can block him> in)our next is to > just keep him from standing in the booth and > screaming when he doesnt > get his food right away.He hates seeing the> waitresses pass with > others food.The biggest problem lately is his fits> for the suger > packets.With each scream I get so embarresd and> think we should just > run out but ofcourse that would make him cry more.I> told my husband we > need to at least just do our immediate family (as> sometimes my own > sister will glare at me)or stop going out all> together please reply > back it helps to hear Im not alone with this> problem.> > ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _OMG, Sweet deal for Yahoo! users/friends: Get A Month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. W00t http://tc.deals. yahoo.com/ tc/blockbuster/ text2.com You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 What about doing take out many resturants do car side to go service. Now that the weather is getting warmer you can take it to a park and eat.Leonatti wrote: hi I need advice.Our family enjoys going out to eat but lately with my 5yr. old son with sever autism it is becoming more difficult.Our first hurdle is tring to find a booth (so we can block him in)our next is to just keep him from standing in the booth and screaming when he doesnt get his food right away.He hates seeing the waitresses pass with others food.The biggest problem lately is his fits for the suger packets.With each scream I get so embarresd and think we should just run out but ofcourse that would make him cry more.I told my husband we need to at least just do our immediate family (as sometimes my own sister will glare at me)or stop going out all together please reply back it helps to hear Im not alone with this problem. OMG, Sweet deal for Yahoo! users/friends: Get A Month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. W00t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 1, 2008 Report Share Posted April 1, 2008 Karac use to be that same kind of problem at the restuarant. I learned to take an apple or some other favorite snack for him to eat until his food came. I also took his CD (that was before ipods). I took colors and coloring book and I also took worksheets that were easy that he liked to do. He is 15 now, and I don't have to take anything; however, I usually keep an apple in my purse and his ipod in an emergency. In the beginning I took Karac and prepared to leave if nothing worked. I would have the waiter give me the check immediately and tell him I might have to leave in an emergency and would like to have to go boxes just in case. In all these years I have only had to leave once or twice. Pat K **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home. (http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15 & ncid=aolhom00030000000001) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 My son is 10 and has severe autism. Sometimes we can eat out, sometimes we can't. It has always been a struggle eating out though. We just recently tried to eat at Applebee's, but he could not tolerate it. We got the corner big booth because there were 7 of us (family)and blocked him in between my husband and I, but he tried standing up. He was lunging over me to sit with my son, and he was very antsy. He colored with a crayon for 3 seconds. He was getting more and more disruptive. There was also a little girlabout 3 years old in the next booth right next to us and was standing up in the booth which made her within 's reach. If he is mad, sometimes he will headbutt so that made me very nervous. So, he got to be too rowdy so my husband ended up taking him out to the van for a ride and he was fine. We ate and I had my husband's food boxed up when it arrived and I called him on his cell phone and had my other son take the food out to him with the silverware. Then he called me when he was done eating so we could return the silverware. was doing well at the time so there was something about the restaurant he couldn't tolerate. We've been to other restaurants and can usually distract him with coloring, gameboy, toys, or something, but not this time. There's always next time. It can be frustrating when you all can't eat a meal together out. Hang in there..... Cristapkuenstler@... wrote: Karac use to be that same kind of problem at the restuarant. I learned to take an apple or some other favorite snack for him to eat until his food came. I also took his CD (that was before ipods). I took colors and coloring book and I also took worksheets that were easy that he liked to do. He is 15 now, and I don't have to take anything; however, I usually keep an apple in my purse and his ipod in an emergency. In the beginning I took Karac and prepared to leave if nothing worked. I would have the waiter give me the check immediately and tell him I might have to leave in an emergency and would like to have to go boxes just in case. In all these years I have only had to leave once or twice. Pat K **************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home.(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15 & ncid=aolhom00030000000001) From Crista You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Crista, it sound like you have a very good husband. You two handled things well under the circumstances. Pat K**************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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