Amazed

Today marks 10 days since we have gotten therapeutic glasses for Eli from The Mind-Eye Institute in Northbrook, IL. I was very excited about these glasses because I knew they were the next step in helping our little boy, 6 years old and on the autism spectrum. We have been dealing with my son’s struggles in school with behavior, and I thought these glasses could help. I was cautioned that it wouldn’t solve all the issues, but would help. I just wanted his world to be less confusing and thought that might help him to interact with his world and people better. As it turns out, these glasses have helped TREMENDOUSLY! :) Maybe I know my child so much that I can see the changes more than most people, but I’ve queried others and they’ve seen changes too! And in just 10 days- it gives me great hope that things will continue to improve and knowing his brain is growing and changing every minute of the day he wears these glasses really excites me! Here are some of the changes we have seen in this short time:

• Better eye contact (an outside person noticed that, too)
• Better at responding to questions
• Better interaction with others (today he told his sister he really wanted to play with her, when she is normally the one to pull him into playing)
• Extended play times with his sister and less fighting
• No incidents at school in one week!!!!!
• Participated in PE with no incidents for the first time at his new school, which he has been at for about a month!
• While he had a few issues towards the end of this week, he was able to calm and return independently to class. Even that is such progress!
• Easier with bedtime routine, him being able to follow the routine and us not having to repeat the steps to get him to do it (for example, we’ve asked him 20 times in one night to brush his teeth and he has done it with 1 time asking the last two nights)!
• Got dressed in PJs independently for the first time in about 6 months!
• Doesn’t need melatonin to fall asleep for the last 6 days!!! This had been a regular thing we needed to do for the last few months. 
• Got on the bus, for someone other than mom, for an entire week!
• No meltdowns for any reason!!
• Calms quicker when he is upset
• Seems easier to persuade to do things he doesn’t want to do
• Got on a big horse at horseback riding, which he was previously not willing to try!

I wanted to list all the things we’ve seen because it shows how amazing it really is. I never thought his sleep would be impacted (is his brain growing more and therefore tiring him out?). I hadn’t thought about how he would be less upset over things (has his overwhelm been reduced just enough that he can cope better with things that upset him?). I’m going to continue to monitor and see what things we notice. I’m in awe of these therapeutic glasses and keep telling everyone about them! :)