What the hell do I do now?

[Guest guest]

He's eating the couch.

I'm waiting for the on call emergency ped to call back. I am guessing he

ate 1/2 cup of foam and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. said

take him to the hospital. Our ped asks you to call the emergency line first

unless it's a life-threatening emergency so that's what I'm doing.

I'm crying.

I hate this.

I hate this.

I hate this.

-----------------------

Ped called back just as I finished typing that & said she really didn't know

& we should take him in just to check that he's OK. Then she said call

poison control & ask them & they probably deal with this kind of thing a lot

more than she has. If PC said it was OK to keep him home & watch him that

is OK to do. She didn't have the number right there & I said, " That's OK, I

have it memorized. " She asked me if I was going to be OK to drive to the

hospital. *sigh* I told her Matt was on his way home & he would take Mikey

while I stayed home with the baby.

Called poison control. Was sobbing as they answered. Managed to get hold

of myself & explain. Foam isn't poisonous but very rarely can cause a

blockage, so we should just watch him & make sure he doesn't get constipated

or start having stomach pain. We should give him something to drink to make

sure he is swallowing OK & doesn't have any stuck in his throat. He of

course will not drink anything, but he seems fine. She also asked me if I

was OK & I just started sobbing again & finally said, " How the hell am I

supposed to keep him from eating the couch? " She didn't know, but she was

sure I would do my best.

I just drank a beer & am going to bed before it hits me and I fall over. (I

do not drink much or often.) (Matt is home.)

-Sara.

[Guest guest]

Oh, Sara!! I'm so sorry this has been such a hard night for you!! I also wish I

had something useful or constructive to say!! Take care, Sweetie, and get some

sleep!

" It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous

that you realize just how much you love them. "

- Agatha Christie

, frazzled mom to:

, PDD-NOS, ADHD, Mixed Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder, 4

, NT, Terrible Twos, but adorable none-the-less, 2

[Guest guest]

-Sara,

you poor thing! I am glad it isnt poisonous. Get some rest. I

have no idea how to keep him from eating the couch. I will try and

think of some ideas though.

Jacquie H

-- In parenting_autism@y..., " The Byks " <thebyks@e...> wrote:

> He's eating the couch.

>

> I'm waiting for the on call emergency ped to call back. I am

guessing he

> ate 1/2 cup of foam and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do.

said

> take him to the hospital. Our ped asks you to call the emergency

line first

> unless it's a life-threatening emergency so that's what I'm doing.

>

> I'm crying.

>

> I hate this.

>

> I hate this.

>

> I hate this.

>

> -----------------------

>

> Ped called back just as I finished typing that & said she really

didn't know

> & we should take him in just to check that he's OK. Then she said

call

> poison control & ask them & they probably deal with this kind of

thing a lot

> more than she has. If PC said it was OK to keep him home & watch

him that

> is OK to do. She didn't have the number right there & I

said, " That's OK, I

> have it memorized. " She asked me if I was going to be OK to drive

to the

> hospital. *sigh* I told her Matt was on his way home & he would

take Mikey

> while I stayed home with the baby.

>

> Called poison control. Was sobbing as they answered. Managed to

get hold

> of myself & explain. Foam isn't poisonous but very rarely can

cause a

> blockage, so we should just watch him & make sure he doesn't get

constipated

> or start having stomach pain. We should give him something to

drink to make

> sure he is swallowing OK & doesn't have any stuck in his throat.

He of

> course will not drink anything, but he seems fine. She also asked

me if I

> was OK & I just started sobbing again & finally said, " How the hell

am I

> supposed to keep him from eating the couch? " She didn't know, but

she was

> sure I would do my best.

>

> I just drank a beer & am going to bed before it hits me and I fall

over. (I

> do not drink much or often.) (Matt is home.)

>

> -Sara.

[Guest guest]

I'm at a loss, Sara...I have no idea what you can do....

Thinking about you....

Penny

[Guest guest]

Sara

I don't have alot of info but I'll give you what I have been told. If it

makes you feel any better at all has also been caught eating the

cushions. I was lucky and caught it as soon as she did it and sewed up the

cushions. I think you need to get another cover for the cushions first to

prevent this. If you can't afford it right now just buy some fabic and just

pull it around the cushion and sewq it closed.

Have any of his OTs talked to you about " toweling? " It's a specific way to

rub his face to try and decrease this behavior. This was one of the things

that we talked about at my workshop and I got the following advice.

Theratubing - have you tried it? My mom ordered some and I'm sure I'll have

some extra if you'd like to try it also. COLD - I've been trying to make

smoothies with OJ and ice. Making her suck threw a straw (something thick

like milkshakes or yogurt) is suppose to help as well. Another idea was Gum

- but I'd only give her a half a stick just in case she swallowed it. You're

suppose to sit with him while he chews and then throw it out. wouldn't

take it though she just held it up to her face. eats flashcards and

other paper. Everything that is possible for her to eat is on shelves

mounted on the wall so I can sit with her when she " plays " with them.

I hope something works. {{Sara}}

G

[Guest guest]

> He's eating the couch.

>

> I'm waiting for the on call emergency ped to call back. I am

guessing he

> ate 1/2 cup of foam and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. >>

Oh, Sara...I feel so bad for you--we went through a period of time

when I called poison control so often that they knew by name...

Raena (who coulda told ya that foam was not poisonous...BTDT)

[Guest guest]

Sara

My scanner is not working with me right now. Send me your snail mail and

I'll send you some worksheets I've gotton recently on toweling. If I can

find the disk I need for my scanner I'll try to do that but it will be faster

if I just snail mail

G

[Guest guest]

>>I don't have alot of info but I'll give you what I have been told. If it

makes you feel any better at all has also been caught eating the

cushions. I was lucky and caught it as soon as she did it and sewed up the

Thanks, . It's very comforting to know he's not the only one doing

things like this.

I'm not sure what exactly to do about the couch. Right now the cushions are

out of his reach. I was thinking about a futon mattress...I didn't know if

that would be harder for him to pick into? He has picked a hole through the

upholstry. I was also thinking about stuffing the cushion covers with

something like comforters...I thought about bean-bag filling but that would

be such a mess when he picked another hole & I don't want him eating that

anyway. But one would think it would be safer than foam as far as

intestinal blockages...

>>Have any of his OTs talked to you about " toweling? " It's a specific way

to

rub his face to try and decrease this behavior. This was one of the things

I have never heard of toweling. I will ask our OT about it Tuesday. (First

OT visit since May!! FINALLY got funding approved since our insurance

denied us.) Do you have any more info?

He LOVES deep pressure on his face. His favorite game is for you to put

your hand on his face and shove him backwards hard enough to knock him down.

(Obviously we do this on a cushioned surface.)

He won't touch theratubing. We have lots of teethers & chewy & crunchy

foods available. Maybe I should get him some cotton candy? I don't like

him to have the sugar...but it's got to be better for him than the

foam...right?

>>COLD - I've been trying to make smoothies with OJ and ice.

Cold, really? I never heard that before either. Cold like ice cream? Cold

like refridgerated?

>>Making her suck threw a straw (something thick like milkshakes or yogurt)

is suppose to help as well.

Great idea. He only recently learned to drink through a straw. He loves

soy yogurt.

>>Another idea was Gum - but I'd only give her a half a stick just in case

she swallowed it. You're

suppose to sit with him while he chews and then throw it out.

He eats it right down. We do jerky.

>> eats flashcards and other paper.

Oh yes. Paper is a big one.

He used to " groom " the carpet - he would crawl all over the house and pick

pick pick at the carpet just like a monkey grooming. He would rub his head

& face on the floor too. Sometimes enough to get carpt burn & even bleed.

He would get down & rub on concrete & scrape himself all up...*sigh*

(( At least he doesn't do that anymore.

Flowers are another big one for him. I don't know what it is about the

petals but they are very attractive to him. Maybe I should find an organic

gardener & buy edible flowers...I found a web site that lists them...

Thanks again, .

-Sara.

[Guest guest]

Sara, that sucks. I am so sorry. At least now you

know it isn't poisonous.

Ebony eats stuffing from the couch or chairs too if

she can get it. Although she actually prefers to chew

it more than eat it. She will usually give it up if I

ask her for it out of her mouth.

I'm sorry I don't have any solutions for you. Maybe

just a fitted sofa cover or something? Or patching

the hole and watching for him to make another one so

you can catch it right away?

(((((((SARA))))))))

Tamara

--- The Byks wrote:

> He's eating the couch.

>

> I'm waiting for the on call emergency ped to call

> back. I am guessing he

> ate 1/2 cup of foam and I have no idea what I'm

> supposed to do. said

> take him to the hospital. Our ped asks you to call

> the emergency line first

> unless it's a life-threatening emergency so that's

> what I'm doing.

>

> I'm crying.

>

> I hate this.

>

> I hate this.

>

> I hate this.

>

> -----------------------

>

> Ped called back just as I finished typing that &

> said she really didn't know

> & we should take him in just to check that he's OK.

> Then she said call

> poison control & ask them & they probably deal with

> this kind of thing a lot

> more than she has. If PC said it was OK to keep him

> home & watch him that

> is OK to do. She didn't have the number right there

> & I said, " That's OK, I

> have it memorized. " She asked me if I was going to

> be OK to drive to the

> hospital. *sigh* I told her Matt was on his way

> home & he would take Mikey

> while I stayed home with the baby.

>

> Called poison control. Was sobbing as they

> answered. Managed to get hold

> of myself & explain. Foam isn't poisonous but very

> rarely can cause a

> blockage, so we should just watch him & make sure he

> doesn't get constipated

> or start having stomach pain. We should give him

> something to drink to make

> sure he is swallowing OK & doesn't have any stuck in

> his throat. He of

> course will not drink anything, but he seems fine.

> She also asked me if I

> was OK & I just started sobbing again & finally

> said, " How the hell am I

> supposed to keep him from eating the couch? " She

> didn't know, but she was

> sure I would do my best.

>

> I just drank a beer & am going to bed before it hits

> me and I fall over. (I

> do not drink much or often.) (Matt is home.)

>

> -Sara.

>

>

=====

Tamara

mom to :

Ebony, 4 yrs -- asd, ADHD, bi-polar

, 1 year

wife to:

Terry, love of my life

__________________________________________________