Day 25 - Triggers

It is widely known that children with Autism and other special needs have a developmental delay. What is not easily known is that these children can't easily get back on track when routines are changed or something gets thrown off for them.

When we encounter something that was not expected we can rearrange our thoughts or actions and get back on track.

When children with disabilities have their routine altered, because their way of processing and coping is so different than a typicals way, they can't easily redirect themselves back to what they were doing and get focused.

This is why when a child is triggered, you see them in disarray for 10, 20, 30 minutes and even longer.

Triggers can happen in many different ways. A couple of them can be a routine adjustment or a reaction from getting a food their body is sensitive to.

Over the years I have learned a lot of what triggers Jordan. He has outgrown a lot of them thank God.

Here's one example.

I give Jordan a lot of freedom when it comes to making his food, whereas daddy tends to do more because Jordan will try to go further each time and end up doing something he shouldn't, like putting food in the oven when it's hot or rushing and breaking something. The difference in how we go about making his food can send him into a tantrum.

Jordan not being allowed to do things on his own is a trigger for him. He has always been an independent child. He has for the longest time dressed himself, fed himself, cleaned up after himself and anything he sees you do he tries to do as well.

Now as his mother I have to know what will send him over the edge, to keep his tantrums and meltdowns at bay. Unfortunately the allergens is something I can't do anything about.

Proverbs 18:15

"An intelligent heart 

acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the

wise seek knowledge."