A lot of families during the Coronavirus Pandemic are experiencing so many feelings and emotions. Stress, anxiety, panic, fear, worry, boredom, uncertainty and more. For our household, we’ve seen what this uncertainty and struggle can do to a young boy with autism.
Every day we hear the same few things from Dian. “go to the shop”, “wanna go to Finn’s house” (his cousin) and “wanna go to McDonald’s”. Explaining to him that everything is closed and we’re all on lockdown because of coronavirus isn’t so simple and straightforward. You can see the frustration fill his body and how upset he gets. He feels we don’t understand what he wants but we do. We just can’t give it to him.
Every day is filled with meltdowns and tears because he doesn’t understand what’s going on around him. We’ve told him it’s “sick holidays” and that “Freya’s waiting for McDonald’s to text her it’s open”. He wants to leave the house so badly, so we bring him on walks and to the local lake, but we know it’s not enough for him. He just wants to go and get out.
Every day we try give him new things to focus on and cheer him up. I know a lot of autism homes would be facing the same problems we are. We are all adapting to the new fears and struggles this pandemic is bringing into our homes. I know the frustration you feel when you hear people meeting up for parties or overcrowding beaches, because they’re the reason we’re stuck inside a little longer. If only people could experience what we experience in a day they’d see what it’s like in an autism home during a crisis.
The Coronavirus Pandemic is a struggle for us all, but we know what’s happening and why a lockdown has been put in place. Imagine not knowing or understanding why you can’t leave your home. That’s what Dian is facing every morning he wakes up. He’s struggling and it breaks my heart that I can’t make all of this go away quicker.
…………..
I am a sibling of someone who has autism. I believe this is the best thing that ever happened to me because now I see the world through the eyes of possibility. https://autismsiblingsireland.blogspot.com/