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Monday, January 21, 2013

"HOLY CRAP"-ETERIA (LUNCHTIME OVERLOAD)

Children with autism usually have problems processing sensory stimuli. As a result, they are often hyper-sensitive to certain lights, sounds, tastes/textures, smells, and/or touch. They can become overstimulated and overwhelmed, which can make for a bad day. 

That being said, what more craptacular place to have a meltdown at school,  then in the cafeteria? It's loud and noisy, uncomfortably packed, and a smorgasbord of smells. 

In my many years of elementary school dining, I have had students who: 
* tried to dive into the "shiny place" where lunch trays and silverware go
* tackled the lunch ladies for a plate of hot dogs (the only thing this child ate)
* make loud noises to drown out the unfamiliar noise around them
* lie their heads down on the table and/or shut their eyes to shut out sensory input
* hide under the table with their fingers in their ears
* made a b-line for the door in a screaming panic

My own son flips and flops relentlessly in the cafeteria, gags on "stinky soup" days, and cannot be the "table wiper" due to it's direct correlation to puking in the trash can...

My new found Aspie-mom friend, Christina Allred, just posted a poem on her blog that sums up the whole experience quite well...

Here is an excerpt from "'Holy Crap' -eteria, An Aspie Poem":
 
"...THIS PLACE IS TOO MUCH!
ITS SMELLS AND NOISE AND SUCH!
I JUST CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE!"

And then like a flash,
With a bang and a crash,
I am racing out the cafeteria door.

After half an hour in such a stimulating place
Is it really such a surprise,
That when walking back to class, away from that hell
I am angry and have tears in my eyes?!!..."


As Christina mentioned, please try to be understanding of students in the cafeteria. 
And if you are eating out and a child has a public meltdown, don't assume he/she is having a tantrum for a cookie....it may be an autistic friend who is a little overwhelmed.

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