Overload

Thursday I was on my way home from work when Hunter's special ed teacher called me. My stomach knots when the phone rings and the caller id shows the school. She wanted to know if I could come by the school and pick up Hunter. When I asked what was going on she said Hunter was in sensory overload!! Hunter was so upset that she didn't feel putting him on the bus was a good idea. Hunter decided to ride the bus home since he could use the earphones to listen to his ipod.

It seems that Friday was field day and this coming week is spring break so the kids were so wild that they were YELLING in the hallways and really out of control. Hunter doesn't do well with routine changes, commotion or loud noises.

When I got home Hunter was in his room reading. No tv or computer, the house was totally quiet until around 7 pm. Hunter then said, "Mom, please don't make me go to Field Day"!!!
We allowed Hunter to skip school on Friday and miss field day. Not only does he not like routine changes, commotion or loud noises he is terrified of bugs in particular wasp and bees!! I could just see another meltdown and with the kids there he would be teased and would life at school so much worse for him.

When I emailed his teacher to let her know our decision to keep him home on Friday, she agreed that was a good idea. Makes me wonder what all went on at school, it struck me as odd that instead of calling it a meltdown she actually used the words "sensory overload". I have seen the melt downs and I can't describe them other than totally out of control, there is no reasoning with Hunter at this point.

It's a bit hard to understand wanting to skip field day since we always had so much fun. It takes little episodes like this to remind me how far Hunter as actually come over the years since this used to be a weekly and sometimes daily occurrences.

Thank god, for teachers and therapists that study this stuff and can help!!!