The public meltdown

This afternoon, I almost had one.  But, alas, it was my son's meltdown that I reference.  A trip to get what was supposed to be a 5 minute haircut turned into a near-total catastrophe.  The only thing that redeemed the experience was the fact that Andrew did end up with much shorter hair.  I won't be mentioning to him how handsome I think he looks.  I don't want to give the event any more attention than it's already had.

We've gone to the same hair stylist for A for almost a decade.  We love Anita.  I would drive twelve hours to see her.  The patience she exhibits, coupled with her tremendous skill with a pair of scissors, make her a favorite of many of my autism mom friends.  Her friendly demeanor with all kids make her a favorite of moms of completely typically developing kids.  Did I mention we love her?

Armed with two ABA therapists, the process went as it has 50% of the time A has ever gotten his hair cut.  He hates how it feels.  Unlike girly-girls like me who love trips to the hairdresser for the scalp massage during the shampoo alone, the experience of someone touching his head, and the sensations from the buzzer (only for "clean-up"),  make A miserable.

It's different when your kiddo is 5 years old and taking a fit in public.  A was little, his meltdowns less intense, and he was cute even when upset. Mostly, it's not entirely uncommon for a 5 year old to melt down in public.   Of course, people stared and many along this road made snide comments, which stung no matter how much I wished that hurt away.

It's an entirely different experience when your autistic child is 12, two inches taller than you, and weighs 140 pounds.  No one thinks he is cute.   Everyone thinks he is crazy.  I feel like people are staring at me (well, many are at least glancing at me wondering what the hell is going on), having decided I am an terrible-awful-no good-very bad mother.  I love my son.  That doesn't translate to "I love autism" and understand what to do all the time.  I wish I did. I wish all the money we and others raise for autism research felt like it was helping; that anything was getting better for treatments or that anyone was close to finding the root cause which cold lead to a cure.  Days like this, or those when he runs out of the house screaming or melting down because all the circuits in his brain can't and don't connect, make me sad.

He got through today.  I got through it, too.  Anita is an angel.  Andrew will need, and get, another haircut in 10-12 weeks.  And so the story goes, again and again and again...