Solutions.

Since having Deak, I have learned that solutions to any problems or issues I may be having with him, do not come packaged as cleanly as they sometimes do with Ab. Solutions require inventive thinking and patience, and unfortunately for Deak, I did not come with a whole lot of either of those. The team of therapists that work with Deak provide me with a plethora of solutions, some work and some don't...but, at least I have some ideas.

Deak is appearing to be having some issues with auditory sensory processing. Basically, anything he hears is over-processed to a certain degree (especially in new or unexpected situations). This causes a "Wild Rumpus" of sorts in his brain; all the yelling, whistles, car honks, etc...that come along with being outside in crowds is extremely overwhelming. If it is bothersome to us, it is nearly intolerable for him.

This sensitivity has become more apparent over the past year, and notably at Abby's soccer games. Deak has had a hard time filtering out the psycho screaming parents and coaches and random whistle blows, and by the end of the games he has usually entered into an uncontrollable screaming fit. The second we leave the area, he can self-soothe and calm himself down.

Needless to say, people stare. They don't usually ask to help (and last season, I was ALONE every game), they just look at me like I am not doing anything to stop my son from the crying rage that is annoying them. I haven't really cared, because even though I love my Deak, there are times when I am also needed as a support to Abby, and her soccer games happen to fall into that category. So, the staring and screaming has become a staple of my Saturday afternoons.

Until yesterday...

Our occupational therapist at Shriners also specializes in sensory-processing issues. I happened to mention a couple of weeks ago that Deak and soccer games were not friends.at.all. She quickly said, "Wait here one second..." and she took off into another room. She returned with some gigantic headphones...or so I thought. Being as that I tend to lean a little more left than the political crowd in Utah, I haven't had any experience with gun safety. Had I, I would've known that she came out with noise reducing headphones that hunters apparently use when they shoot Bambi. In our case, they were going to be used to save my sanity (yet again) during soccer games and other crowded and loud events.

Look at this face...

It worked better than I could've hoped. Deak was happy and content, and actually entertained by the soccer game. I was able to watch an entire game for the first time in a year. I knew the headphones were working when Deak kept handing me his Diego toy to "turn on" because he couldn't hear the sounds it was making.

So, maybe we had a few more stares due to the giant earphones Deak was sporting, but really, I didn't care. I'm learning to ignore those stares. I just enjoyed my peace...