Regression
When we went away last weekend, I anticipated the change in routine would throw Ryan off a bit for a couple of days. I predicted the usual forms of regression – loss of useful language, potty accidents, the occasional tantrum.
I did not expect the return of behaviors we haven’t seen in months.
Don’t get me wrong – there have also been plenty of the expected regressions. I’m talking about additional stuff, above and beyond the call of duty. Ryan’s putting in some overtime.
Like, when hanging up the hand towel in the bathroom, Ryan has reverted to only allowing one inch of towel to remain visible. Alternately, he will hang the towel so all but one inch sticks out. He had stopped doing both of these things months ago.
We also had a solid month or so without Ryan’s insisting on stimming on his fork during meals. Now, the fork is once again waving in front of – and way too close to – his eyes (and mine).
He has started asking to watch tv shows he hasn’t watched since winter.
And after we turned off the light at bedtime tonight, Ryan lay in bed laughing maniacally to himself. He used to do that a lot, but he hadn’t done it in maybe a year.
I wish I could walk around inside his head and see how revisiting these behaviors is helping him re-acclimate to being home.
Share this:
Discover more from Autisable
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
He went too far back home… back to the most familiar behavior associated with the place. You need to find ways to trigger the memory of having stopped those things. This is why I have certain things I keep constant… like my morning cup of coffee. That will not likely ever change. It has been routine since I was 12. Go back over new routines as a reminder of them and they will begin to feel familiar to him again. I really wish I could put this into better words, but you just gave me a whole lot of insight into how and why some things happen to me too. It is all about triggers.
Whenever they are faced with a new sitution, no matter how banal, some regression can occur. When my oldest started college, he regressed in classroom behavior and interactins. We went to an expert on aspie behavior and she said that that is normal. So what we are making sure to do from now on,is to be more aware, take nothing for granted and prepare for any regressions that occur. Try to hold them off by prepping him as much as possible. So far he has become his old self and is doing better.