I would like to ask if anyone else has experienced an issue where something happened sensory wise and then your child reverts after making so much progress, and is stuck now? Our son is 11 and a half, and I have known since his birth that he had sensory issues. We worked for five years to help him overcome and cope. Since he was 5, until 10, we had made so much progress. We knew to keep noise-cancelling headphones, blankets, and jackets in the car, along with spare clothing, socks, and shoes, and sunglasses with us at all times, but other than that, he was doing great, trying new foods, new activities, making friends, and finally voicing his needs rather than melting down. I was so happy for him and so proud of our work as a team, him and I. Then COVID hit and he saw the newspapers and magazines at the checkout, and he was terrified about death and sickness. He reverted immediately to washing all the time and sanitizing and not touching things and staying away from others. We worked through the going out and getting back to events, but he is having separation issues again, and he asks constantly if after touching this or that if he should wash his hands. He asks about everything he does and asking after every scenario if he washed is he clean. We had the issue before of washing too much, and we had to limit the washing. Now we try and let him come to his own conclusions, saying, "You already know the answer to that, don't know?" since he seems to be asking out of habit now. He answers and says he knows and what the answer is, after we ask. Along with all this, about 7 months ago he got a little reflux once, NEVER got sick though, just felt it in his throat and now every time he even feels drainage in his throat, it is happening again. After going to the doctor and watching him and when the reflux was happening, I quickly realized that it was anxiety and dehydration induced. I tried and proved this to him day after day, and he finally saw that and now knows why, and though he is upset when it happens, he talks to me and we work to find solutions. However, other habits have happened since the reflux started. He checks expiration dates on everything and the edges of packages to see if they are sealed all the way. I don't know if the fear of the reflux is related to the fear he felt with COVID, and the expiration and closed package checks are cause he thinks the stomach issues would be caused by those elements? It is not just the food though. He refuses to go down slides that are "steep", which he never had an issue with. He swears he will get hurt. Plus, he asks if he could have a concussion from little bumps his head, like from my elbow or even a couch arm. He worries about infection with a cuts, though we always clean them out right away. The list goes on. Also, I noticed the emotional meltdowns have started again, which have not happened in years, and he is back to not wanting to do what he loves cause of fear, which we had gotten over. I feel like I am starting all over again, and this time, the tools of last time are not working. Everything is the end of the world, everything is so serious, and everything is taken personally as an attack. I am exhausted, and sad, and hurt for him; I want us to be back to where we were, when he was happy, trying, and making friends, not back alone, him scared, and so negative. My husband is working all day, and I homeschool him and deal at night with him when there is issues, so it can be overwhelming, when I know he is overwhelmed and scared and I just don't how to get us back to where we were.

Posted by SpecialBoyMom at 2022-08-15 04:57:34 UTC