Re: Just some thoughts about hyperactivity-SAD.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/13/2001 8:32:05 PM Eastern Standard Time,

phillipmom@... writes:

> I had gotten some feedback from another list about 's fall

> worksheet and what was suggested to me was that many autistic

> people/children do not like fall because of their sensory systems.

> The duller foliage, the leaves falling and making noises. I had also

> remembered last year on one of the medical lists, a whole discussion

> on seasonal affective disorder in the autistic population. Lots of

> parents shared about changes in behavior in their kids. Someone had

> sent in an article-something on one of the glands that causes brain

> chemicals to go out of whack when there are lesser degrees of

> sunlight. I believe the chemical involved was serotonin. Considering

> and Jacquie have been concerned about changes in behavior I

> thought this could be a possible explanation. I know you guys are

> going to go the MD, but, this just hit me, and I am always trying to

> find out exactly what something is or where its coming from and find

> a solution.

> Thea

>

>

>

Strange you mention this Thea...Sam's been on a roll for about 4-6 weeks

now...I attributed it to the Risperdal only...but could it be he is having a

good effect from the changing of the seasons?

Maybe he likes the cooler weather? I know I do...I'd move from this place in

a second if I could...

Ron

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/13/01 8:46:12 PM Pacific Standard Time,

nitetrax@... writes:

<< don't know about all that -- but I do know that when the wind blows leaves

off the trees Boone freaks out. He screams " help! help! " >>

This is something very much like would have done at about 5 and 6

years of age. He had a span of 2 or 3 years where he would have a fit every

time we drove by a shopping cart NOT put away with all the shopping carts.

(you know, stacked into themselves all lined up and everything?) He

literally cried and cried many times in parking lots. Later, he would cry

and cry and fit in the car as I was pulling out to drive away....it took me a

LONG time, but eventually I narrowed it down to at least OUR shopping cart

had to be put back where the shopping carts go.

I'm very glad that one is over now. whew! I don't miss that!

;-)

kandie

Kandie and (9 years)

* 's website: <A

HREF= " http://kidsactivities.homestead.com/spage.html " >spage</A>

*

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Thea!

Since I suffer from SAD, my mother had suggested it might be an explanation for

, but I rejected it at the time because I assumed he'd be showing

stereotypical signs of depression, like SLEEPING (which is NOT happening!).

But now that you've brought it up, that's two people and that makes it worth

investigating!

Thanks!

Jacquie

[Guest guest]

Thea, could you ask that other list if anyone has any internet resources on

autism+SAD?

I just did a quick search and couldn't find anything, but surely there's

something out there somewhere...

Jacquie

[Guest guest]

--

Ron,

Some of the parents were also saying that their children did better

in the winter months, due to low incidence of pollen and other stuff

that made their allergies worse.

Thea

- In parenting_autism@y..., Bosocks1@a... wrote:

> In a message dated 11/13/2001 8:32:05 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> phillipmom@m... writes:

>

>

> > I had gotten some feedback from another list about 's fall

> > worksheet and what was suggested to me was that many autistic

> > people/children do not like fall because of their sensory

systems.

> > The duller foliage, the leaves falling and making noises. I had

also

> > remembered last year on one of the medical lists, a whole

discussion

> > on seasonal affective disorder in the autistic population. Lots

of

> > parents shared about changes in behavior in their kids. Someone

had

> > sent in an article-something on one of the glands that causes

brain

> > chemicals to go out of whack when there are lesser degrees of

> > sunlight. I believe the chemical involved was serotonin.

Considering

> > and Jacquie have been concerned about changes in behavior I

> > thought this could be a possible explanation. I know you guys are

> > going to go the MD, but, this just hit me, and I am always trying

to

> > find out exactly what something is or where its coming from and

find

> > a solution.

> > Thea

> >

> >

> >

>

> Strange you mention this Thea...Sam's been on a roll for about 4-6

weeks

> now...I attributed it to the Risperdal only...but could it be he is

having a

> good effect from the changing of the seasons?

> Maybe he likes the cooler weather? I know I do...I'd move from

this place in

> a second if I could...

>

> Ron

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I don't know about all that -- but I do know that when the wind blows leaves

off the trees Boone freaks out. He screams " help! help! " I need to get a

book about the seasons to try to explain to him that it's OK because he sure

won't listen to me when I try to explain it.

Sissi

Mom to:

Amber 17 Dillon 10 Boone 4

Scoliosis HSP Autistic

http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/dillon.htm

" If it doesn't spin, it's obviously broken. "

Boone (translated)

Just some thoughts about hyperactivity-SAD.

> I had gotten some feedback from another list about 's fall

> worksheet and what was suggested to me was that many autistic

> people/children do not like fall because of their sensory systems.

> The duller foliage, the leaves falling and making noises. I had also

> remembered last year on one of the medical lists, a whole discussion

> on seasonal affective disorder in the autistic population. Lots of

> parents shared about changes in behavior in their kids. Someone had

> sent in an article-something on one of the glands that causes brain

> chemicals to go out of whack when there are lesser degrees of

> sunlight. I believe the chemical involved was serotonin. Considering

> and Jacquie have been concerned about changes in behavior I

> thought this could be a possible explanation. I know you guys are

> going to go the MD, but, this just hit me, and I am always trying to

> find out exactly what something is or where its coming from and find

> a solution.

> Thea

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>>Someone had

> sent in an article-something on one of the glands that causes

brain

> chemicals to go out of whack when there are lesser degrees of

> sunlight. I believe the chemical involved was serotonin.>>

I've been trying to find the first of this thread and have given up;

forgive me if I say stuff that has already been said. Just wanted to

mention that serotonin is one of the chemicals that is very often

messed up in kids with autism...that's why so many of them end up on

SSRIs... So it does make sense that SAD would impact them.

Responding to one of the other posts in this thread (trying to keep

the volume down)...I think that seasonal changes have a big impact on

kids with autism, because they have such a need for everything to be

predictable. Leaves that used to dance in the sunlight start falling

on their heads...if you have a child who obsesses with the visual

stuff (like my son---who could sit forever watching the sunlight on

the leaves in the spring/summer), or who is visually defensive

(leaves falling everywhere is a ton of visual information to try to

deal with)...fall is going to be traumatic. For other kids, it may

be better...the color and light sort of tones down, the temps are

cooler (my son has a hard time keeping his body temp level...usually

runs hot). So you could see it go either way.

For , I think that the world makes so little sense that he gets

very disturbed by any major change. Bless his heart, he is starting

to be afraid to step on the tile in the front entry, and the only

thing I can guess is that the light has shifted now, and he can't see

what he used to see when he steps in out of the sun. So fall comes,

and he can't find the floor anymore. Crud.

Hyperactivity is usually NOT boredom, in my experience...it is

usually overload in kids with sensory dysfunction...they can't cope

and start bouncing off the walls.

Just my 2 cents

Raena (slinking away...too much therapist in that note?)

[Guest guest]

> Responding to one of the other posts in this thread (trying to keep

> the volume down)...I think that seasonal changes have a big impact on

> kids with autism, because they have such a need for everything to be

> predictable. Leaves that used to dance in the sunlight start falling

> on their heads...if you have a child who obsesses with the visual

> stuff (like my son---who could sit forever watching the sunlight on

> the leaves in the spring/summer), or who is visually defensive

> (leaves falling everywhere is a ton of visual information to try to

> deal with)...fall is going to be traumatic.

I've been giving this one thought since it first came up. It is true that every

time we go outside, AGAIN is distressed that there are no leaves on the

trees. I hadn't really given it much thought until now.

> Hyperactivity is usually NOT boredom, in my experience...it is

> usually overload in kids with sensory dysfunction...they can't cope

> and start bouncing off the walls.

>

> Just my 2 cents

> Raena (slinking away...too much therapist in that note?)

Nope, not too much therapist in my opinion! Just a knowledgable parent with an

extra bit of training! :-)

I needed to know that about hyperactivity and boredom. I need ALL the input I

can get! Thanks!

Jacquie

[Guest guest]

What Jacquie said ....

Sissi

Mom to:

Amber 17 Dillon 10 Boone 4

Scoliosis HSP Autistic

http://home.isoa.net/~nitetrax/dillon.htm

" If it doesn't spin, it's obviously broken. "

Boone (translated)

Re: Re: Just some thoughts about

hyperactivity-SAD.

>

> > Responding to one of the other posts in this thread (trying to keep

> > the volume down)...I think that seasonal changes have a big impact on

> > kids with autism, because they have such a need for everything to be

> > predictable. Leaves that used to dance in the sunlight start falling

> > on their heads...if you have a child who obsesses with the visual

> > stuff (like my son---who could sit forever watching the sunlight on

> > the leaves in the spring/summer), or who is visually defensive

> > (leaves falling everywhere is a ton of visual information to try to

> > deal with)...fall is going to be traumatic.

>

>

> I've been giving this one thought since it first came up. It is true that

every time we go outside, AGAIN is distressed that there are no leaves

on the trees. I hadn't really given it much thought until now.

>

>

> > Hyperactivity is usually NOT boredom, in my experience...it is

> > usually overload in kids with sensory dysfunction...they can't cope

> > and start bouncing off the walls.

> >

> > Just my 2 cents

> > Raena (slinking away...too much therapist in that note?)

>

>

> Nope, not too much therapist in my opinion! Just a knowledgable parent

with an extra bit of training! :-)

>

> I needed to know that about hyperactivity and boredom. I need ALL the

input I can get! Thanks!

>

> Jacquie

>

>

>

>