Lets get a visual

I only took 3 videos of Vivian in melt down mode, because frankly I was mostly in survival mode myself. I wasn't thinking much about "how about I capture this on video?" and the times I did, it was because she was about to be assessed by the early intervention preschool, and I felt I needed documentation. SO let me set this up for you and first say I am in no way trying to exploit my child. I contemplated putting this video up from the first idea of a blog and I have chosen to do so with permission from Nick and the reason I feel so inspired to  post this is to maybe have it help someone else out there.


This was in August this year, 2013. She is 3 years old. We were headed home from Patsey's Ballet lesson and for no reason I know of Vivian melted down in the car. She had eaten a snack right before (goldfish) and had even had a nap earlier in the day. She had not slept through the night for days (really she had never consistently slept through the night).

At 3 she should be having full cognitive reasonable sentences and even paragraphs in speech. But at this point she could only say a handful of single words and could hardly string even 2 together.

This was almost everyday, and sometimes a few times  day.

This video even now causes me anxiety. She was a ticking time bomb just 2 months ago. This is only 7+ min of what was a 2 hour melt down. At the end of the video I say "ok, now I am going to drag her inside cause I'm bigger." and she literally kicks and screams the whole way in. I tried to give her enough chances to learn reason, or get some communication during almost every meltdown, but after too long I just had to put her where I wanted her, and ignore the tantrum and get stuff done.

Here is why I ask "Please, a little Quiet."

  

This was a very familiar situation, she would not want to get out of the car or car seat, but didn't want to stay in. I would shut the door after asking if she wanted to get out, or if she would scream so much I couldn't talk to her. When she is saying "that one", this is the only 2 words she had learned to put together to let us know she wanted something. If I was holding 2 things or playing the guessing game she could choose "that one" but in this kind of situation she would say "that one" meaning she wanted something but I never knew what. I have learned how to keep my cool and be calm or neutral while she's like this, except I am firm when she uses physical violence.

 Now its easy to see why the idea of nine kids is no longer appealing. Haha. It has taken all our extra time and attention to just function with Vivian. Our older two have just conceded to the back seat of our attention, which is not fair, and we have been in this state of survival, worry, wonder, and searching for answers and help.

The next post will be about her assessment with early intervention, and us coming to terms with her possibly being on the Autism Spectrum. Also how I found out what Gluten can do to kids like her and that journey we stared 2 months ago.

OH MY how things have changed. We have not seen this ^^^ Banshee side of Vivi for 2 months. I can't believe it. Its amazing.