nate and the toilet

Nate is a visual stimmer. In other words, he likes to watch things move. When he was little he used to put his face up against the tv and watch the ticker tape along the bottom of the screen. A ceiling fan would keep him facinated for hours. He also used to continuously flush the toilet and watch the water spin and go down. It took a long time to get him to quit putting his face in the toilet to watch the water.

One night, years later, we were at Chevy's having dinner. One of the many bad things about Nate not talking, is you don't know when he doesn't feel well. So, without warning, Nate threw up all over the table......and again on himself....and again all over the floor. I jumped up and took Nate into the women's restroom while Tim got the check and Vicki took Nick and Noah to the car.

I got Nate into the bathroom and tried to get Nate to throw up in the toilet instead of all over the floor. Now, mind you, we have been teaching Nate FOR YEARS not to put his face in the toilet. What was I trying to do now?????? Have him put his face in the toilet. He was sooooooo confused. Even though he couldn't speak, the look on his face was priceless and he clearly thought I was crazy. I never did get him to throw up in the toilet. I owed the staff at Chevy's a huge apology.

When he stopped getting sick, I decided it was time to go to the car. To get to the car, we had to walk through the mall. Now, Nate and I are covered in vomit. He does not like the feel of this and starts to take off his clothes. Nate was 8 years old. Everyone knows that an 8 year old is too old to be stripping in the mall. So, here I am trying to reason with a child that can't be reasoned with and I hear the words, "Hi, Mrs. Hill!" Oh yes, a student and her parent............

I tell all my students about my kids in the beginning of the school year so that if we see them in public they are aware of the autism and won't be surprised if the boys react strangely.

I don't think any discussion about my boys would prepare anyone for what my student saw: Nate and I walking through the mall, covered in vomit, and Nate trying to remove his clothes.

I still laugh when I remember the look on Nate's face as I was trying to get him to throw up in the toilet.........he has since learned how.