Follow up to last post

The recent uproar about the Savage Nation has helped me reflect on my last few weeks. I mentioned that the week preceding July 13th was bad...

After the backup baby sitter backed out after the first day, I altered my schedule to spend my afternoons with Des.

I took him with me one afternoon, with high temps around 110 degrees, to the locksmith to see what it would cost to get a lock on the front door, that we could lock with a key from the inside. Des has gotten so good at dragging and piling up furniture at the front door to get to and open the latches that we have added. I decided that the only way to keep him from getting out of the house was to add a key lock inside, and everyone needs to keep their key in their pockets.

At the locksmith there was a candy dispenser. It was late in the afternoon, about the time Des will melt down if he hasn't had any solid sensory input. He did melt down, falling on the floor and screaming. I was tring to find out what I needed to know, and waited patiently behind a man, who I assumed would be understanding. As he turned to leave, he said, "I think someone needs a spanking." I said, feeling somewhat lame, "He has autism, that wouldn't do any good."

Since that event I believe that I have become paranoid. I will still take him with me when I go to stores, I don't see how I can improve his behavior in that environment if I don't take him into it. But it is set up to be difficult; long slow lines, shopping carts that he is too big for now, candy at the checkout counters, and of course, lots of intollerant people.