Our 2nd therapist session

Together with hubby, I brought Baby Jay to the therapist last Friday afternoon. It was a relief to hear from the Mdm Sue that she did not find any autism problem in Baby Jay. If you missed out on our first session, you can read here.

During our 2nd session, Mdm Sue had a briefing with hubby since he missed out on the 1st session. After the first sesion, we tried out the following method with Baby Jay:

1. When he threw tantrum, hubby put him in one corner. It took quite a while as Baby Jay was relunctant to stay still. But eventually he cooled down. After few minutes, we praised him for been good boy. And when we went out and he threw tantrum, we totally ignored him. Eventually he stopped because he learnt that he would not get his way.

2. Playing in taking turns. Taking turns in eating his favourite food. Taking turns in clearing the toys after playing. While doing it, we said "Mummy's turn! Jay's turn! Mummy's turn! Jay's turn" and so on until we finished. This exercise is to let him know that we take turns in our daily life may it be in action or in conversation. When we talk, he listens. When he talks, we listen. Now Baby Jay is used to taking turns that when I stopped half-way when it was my turn, he will urge me to continue.

3. We are talking in sentences, instead of one or two words. He starts to copy and learn more words now.

4. Reciprocate. One night, I tried to coax Baby Jay to drink water. But he was so eager to wear his new watch. So I told him to drink water first, then I put his watch for him. But he did not want and resist. So after 3 times of telling him the same instruction, I gave up and instead put his watch for him first. Then when I handed his water bottle, he drank without resistance. So, if it does not work one way, it will work the other way. Because he listened to the instructions (maybe not "drink water" and "put on watch" in that order) but both actions will need to be executed.


Mdm Sue's advices during the 2nd session are as follow:

1. Involve Baby Jay in a social environment. Maybe group him with few friends with children about his age. He will learn to communicate and socialise with other kids. For now, he is lacked of social skill with children of his age.

2. Place him in nursery so he can mingle with other children and build his social skill, sharing and confidence level.

3. To stop him from drinking soft drink and taking MSG as both found to cause kids to be aggressive and hyper-active.

4. Be consistent. Both parents have to agree on one unacceptable behaviour of Baby Jay that need to be curb. Both of us agreed that Baby Jay should not hit or push other kids when they want to play his toys. So both of us need to be consistent in telling and reminding him in that aspects. And if he does something wrong, the punishment has to be consistent too. So he would know that if he did wrong and been punished by daddy, he would not get any help or pity from mummy because mummy also agreed with daddy.

5. Sharing. With everyone around, we have a sharing of food, such as biscuits. Daddy starts first. "Daddy is going to share my favourite biscuits to mummy (break the biscuit and give to mummy), daddy is sharing with jie-jie (break the biscuit and give to little girl) and daddy is sharing with Baby Jay (break and give to Baby Jay)". Then mummy's turn and so forth. This is to show him what is sharing and it is alright to share with other people.

Our next session would be end of May. *wink*