Nadia
Today I brought her another lollipop, and she seemed to enjoy it for maybe a minute, but then she started crying, and Nadia crying is terribly heartbreaking. She makes a low wailing sound, and her face contorts like she is crying, but there are no tears. I tried comforting her, but that only seemed to make it worse for her. I was so upset that I couldn't do anything for her, and may in fact have made her unhappy. I really don't know what to do.
Paola
In contrast, Paola surprised me by being affectionate, interactive, and funny. Paola doesn't speak, and at Tutova she was always difficult. She'd grab the hand of an adult and pull in the direction she wanted to go. Sometimes she would try out each crib before she found the one she wanted. So I had little interaction with Paola, because she didn't seem at all interested in me, and because her behavior made me want to avoid her.
But Paola has somehow been transformed since I last saw her in January. She's much less volatile and seems happy, and, to my amazement, was downright physically affection with me. I spent about an hour just blowing kisses into her hand, which fascinated her, and she even sat on my lap and kissed me on the cheek and rested her head on my shoulder! I didn't think Paola was capable of affection but now I see I was wrong. In any event, it was so nice to really connect with her.
With every ying there is a yang.
ReplyDeletePat,although you paint frustration about Nadia, I do believe she has her special and unique way (perhaps internally) that she is processing the connection you are trying to achieve.I had a patient I worked with years ago that was very much the same.....Don't think that what you're doing is not making the difference.You are creating a bond that maybe no one else has attempted yet...Which says a lot about you.
As for our Paula, I was so happy to see how far she has come. She does have her tough times, but in understanding Autism, there are the things that one can do to calm her down, which she is learning to do as she simmers from a melt down. She is laughing an interracting more and I think this is so promising and in time I only hope with consistant and patient one on one time she will continue to be on an upward path! Keep up the good work!!