Irritability has been better-Project "Save our Sanity"

Andy's irritability has been a bit better this week. It seems to be directly related to whether he is constipated or not. Andy doesn't care for juice much, but will eat half a fiber one bar each day. He also gets Miralax, and I try to have him do a bit of standing to get him on his feet. Andy's low muscle tone and immobility contribute a lot to his constipation.

Some days he tries to pull himself around on the floor, and this helps his digestion a bit as well. I also have to make sure everyday that he is getting adequate fiber and a bit of exercise to keep his bowels going. Irritability can escalate quickly for Andy if his belly isn't feeling well.

I met with a behavioral therapist for Andy. We went to an Autism and Behavioral disorders clinic. They interviewed me first about all of Andy's behaviors. Next visit will be to observe Andy, and do some other psychological evaluations to see what age level he's at. The final visit will be a feedback visit on what services might be available for him. He has not been diagnosed with autism, but if he has some form of it, we need to know and move forward.

I am starting to get better prepared for this summer. We are going to have a lot more planned out activities, so Andy won't be too bored when school is out. His boredom also leads to huge tantrums, and last summer was horrible for bad behavior.

I'm getting to know Andy's triggers for his outbursts, and I am ready to defeat them now. Constipation, boredom, him needing to move around more/exercise, and I'm actively planning my strategies. It's project "Save our Sanity".