Autism Lockdown Stories – Paris and Kitty

As the UK begins to move out of lockdown and get used to a ‘new normal’ I wanted to share with you the last in my series of autism lockdown stories.

Up until now, at all my lockdown guest stories have been about young boys, all of a similar age and you can glean from them that they are all still very different. You can read about those stories here – Keeley and Preston , Jasmine and Caelen and Tuesday and Sawyer.

This time I am delighted to share with you a lockdown story from a Mum and her little girl. It’s a great story with plenty of differences and similarities to the previous stories. Enjoy!

Paris and Kitty’s Autism Lockdown.

A global pandemic has been gripping the world outside and yet inside our home we are on our 267th (or thereabouts) birthday party. It’s not Kitty’s birthday. Kitty doesn’t even really know who ‘Kitty’ is as she struggles with identity, often referring to herself as Peppa Pig in the mirror. But, with all the added pressures of life at the moment, the figuring out our way through hospital appointments, blood tests, shopping trips with the ever changing ‘rules’ and ‘regulations’, the daunting faces in masks, the closure of parks and the busy outdoor spaces, the bored and agitated siblings at home, the stressed out mum and dad going through the EHCP process, a birthday party wasn’t a bad provider of some calm and happiness at all to be honest! Plus, everyone likes cake even Kitty! 

Kitty is our almost 4 year old, diagnosed with ASD and a global learning delay she is wild, hilarious, unpredictable and the light of our lives. Kitty loves nothing more than her blankets, quiet spaces, the outdoors, birthday parties and her shoes. Do. Not. Touch. Her. Shoes. 

Kitty is at times extremely anxious, and often very obsessive, her more challenging behaviours include violent outbursts, extreme hypersensitivity, a communication and processing delay, the fact she thinks everyone is a mind reader, her innate capability to destroy anything from radiators to furniture to toys and electronics, to very severe pica (mouthing and eating non-food objects) which has resulted in elevated lead levels- drama! 

But all of the challenges, the trials and tribulations, the broken phones and kicks to the nose, Kitty is making incredible progress with the wonderful continued support from the team around her. From phone calls from her consultant, her OT, her SALT and check ins from portage and CITEY to her incredible beyond words nursery who have continued to provide her with love and support during these challenging times. It’s been tough but everyone has tried so hard and we are a truly thankful family. 
Kitty looks forward to attending a Special School in September and we are all extremely excited for her. But until then, it’s another birthday party

So a big thank you to Paris and Kitty for sharing their lockdown story.

How have your lockdown experiences been? Similar to Kitty’s story or completely different. I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.