Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Panic!

Most parents who have a child on the spectrum have probably dealt with a panic situation.  There will be a trigger that causes a child to go into panic mode: hands over ears, screaming, and possibly running away, seemingly directionless.  It is not only heart-wrenching to see; depending on where it happens it can be really frightening, as well.

When Girlie was younger it happened fairly often at school, and the staff there quickly learned to have someone take Girlie out of class if there was a planned fire drill.  At home, it was almost nightly for quite a while because Girlie was terrified of the sound of trains - both the rumble of wheels on rails and the train whistle.  We don't live all that close to the crossing, and if the television is on or there is any other background noise, we can rarely hear the train.  Unfortunately, there is a train that runs around 11:30 every night, and when Girlie was younger she could hear it coming before anyone else.  Often I'd be sitting with my oldest son while he was still at home and we'd be unaware of how late it was getting until we heard the wail from Girlie's room.

We can stop it if we know it's coming, right?  No, in fact the problem is that there seems to be very little one can do to stop the panic once it starts; only offer support and comfort while trying to keep the child safe.  This can be frightening, and very dangerous, if it happens away from home.  Although Girlie is much better able to handle her anxiety now, there are situations that get the better of her.  Last summer, on a much-anticipated outing to the fair (some folks will spot that phrase, "much-anticipated", and know that trouble is coming), we parked at the carnival end where all the rides are.  On our way in, a ride started up with an incredible racket and several things happened within just a split second: Girlie screamed, clapped her hands over her ears, turned to run, and my arm shot out to block her while the other arm came around to enfold her.  Nothing like that had happened in such a long time I didn't even consider the possibility!  As I noted (albeit in hindsight), the fact that there was so much excitement attached to the outing put Girlie on a heightened awareness.

I talked almost non-stop quietly in her ear, and as soon as the ride stopped we hot-footed through the gate and went as quickly as possible toward the opposite end of the fairgrounds.  Luckily one of the first attractions we saw was Chris Biro's The Pirate's Parrot, which happens to include an Eclectus that was in our care for a while, and that Girlie really loved.  Even though Midori wasn't out for that particular show, Girlie was able to calm down while watching the other birds.

Girlie at age 9. Midori was trying to take the candy from her.
When a child is known to be prone to panic, especially if he or she tends to bolt or run away, it adds stress to the whole family.  Everyone has to be prepared to react in whatever proves to be the method that works best for the child.  Some people, including me, may be more susceptible to the 'overflow stress'; meaning, I have to deal with the extra adrenaline after the emergency has passed. Don't panic - thank goodness, I have my knitting with me :-)

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