So, question.
One of Jonah’s defining “autistic” traits when he was younger was “covering his ears.”
He wouldn’t necessarily do it because it was too loud or overstimulating, he would just cover his ears ANY time there was “tension.”
It seemed instinctual.
New place? Cover ears.
Familiar place with new people? Cover ears.
Excited? Cover ears.
Surprised? Cover ears.
Anxious? Cover ears.
Impatient? Cover ears.
You get the picture.
We tried ear defenders once, but Jonah would not tolerate them, instead opting to just cover his ears with his hands if needed.
I often had to explain to people that “no, it wasn’t necessarily too loud for Jonah, this is just what he does whenever he feels an overwhelming amount of sensory input.”
It wasn’t a NEGATIVE response. Just his usual one.
He might be elated or excited and react the same way as if he was anxious or afraid.
I’d tell them, “He’s fine. He’s just getting used to his environment.”
He did it ALL. THE. TIME.
Anyways, all this to say, Jonah is 10 now. I don’t remember the last time he actually “covered his ears” in this kind of setting…
It’s probably been a couple YEARS.
Actually, in ANY setting.
No, I take that back. Jonah will crawl into bed with us in the middle of the night and cover his ears until he falls back asleep.
(One time, Mama’s alarm clock accidentally woke him up at zero-dark-thirty and that was NOT a good time, so he always covers his ears in bed with us because you never know WHEN that thing might go off. Elbows will fly in the dark when he rolls over. )
But, aside from that one setting, Jonah doesn’t cover his ears in these situations anymore at all.
I don’t know what has changed. It was never something that was addressed or brought up in IEP meetings, therapy sessions, psych evals or any of that. I never sought to “work on it” and never tried to “extinguish” that behavior.
It was just “part of Jonah’s autism” and I was (and still am) fine with it.
But now? He just doesn’t do it anymore and I don’t know why.
His responses to the same stimuli seem much more “typical.”
He does a little giddy dance like “skipping” when he’s excited.
He’ll squat down and hug his knees when he’s anxious or sad.
He’ll completely withdraw from a situation if it seems overwhelming. (ie “removing himself from the environment if he is getting upset by it)
When impatient, he will now yell verbal prompts about it. (“Come on! Hurry up!”)
He has different physical responses to these situations. But he no-longer covers his ears.
Does he not feel the same tension he used to in these settings?
Is it not as overwhelming as it used to be?
Has Jonah decided to “mask” that particular response as he’s gotten older.
Or…
Through his natural development, does he no-longer feel the need to do that anymore?
Has he just “grown out of it?”
Is that even possible?
#ausome