Sensory issues and being sick.....

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sensory issues and being sick.....
6
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 2:29am

Yesterday my 10 yr old woke up with the stomache flu. Poor guy threw up all day, up until 8:00 last night.

He normally hears sounds and comments on things that are so slight. But yesterday he really, really commented on the hearing issues. He couldn't stand the tv on downstairs when he was on the couch, or the lights on, then upstairs in his room he couldn't have the light on (he normally HAS to have the light on when he isn't sick and has to have the dryer running.) and he would complain of hearing noises coming from his brothers room down the hall, so much that I had to close his door. This went on all day, as opposed to him mentioning sounds only once or twice a day, which he normally does.

Now tonite, when I put him into bed he HAD to have all the lights and sounds off (which is really strange since he has in the past needed the light and noise to get to sleep). He has been fine all day, eating more and more (thank god, he didn't eat or could hold anything down yesterday, poor guy) but today I kept him quiet and he did well.

Anyway, any opinions on this?

Lainie

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 3:00am

Are you 100% sure it's stomach flu? I get sick to my stomach with migraines and get all my sensory issues going haywire as well. If he had a headache with his flu at all I might suspect it was really the other way around with sensory issues that strong... but I'm new to learning about ASD (which I suspect both my DS and I have).

Anyway... even if it's *not* migraines... I *do* also get much more sensitive to all sensory input when I am sick. It's just not usually as bad as it is when I have migraines. I tend to wear earplugs as soon as I start feeling ikky and keep them in the day after a migraine or the sensory issues will bring back the migraine. Sounds get me when I sick with anything... but the light issues are much more a problem for me with the headaches than other sickness.

Kristy

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 3:18am

Well, I'm pretty positive it was the flu, as he also had a fever and threw up like every 60 min, unless he slept. It went on all day.

But the day before we went to a mall an hour away and my son couldn't stand the radio in the car being on (DH loves music and couldn't understand why son couldn't take the noise.. he is in denial and doesn't understand). In the car my son couldn't take the music but had to listen to his gameboy. So at least they both comprimised, that if DH would turn off the radio, then Chris would turn off the gameboy sound.... Whew.

I thought next time I would bring ear plugs for my son, as I think it will help. He has always liked the light and "white noise" while he sleeps, so I don't know if its migraines. I have had migraines about 3 times in my life (I'm so lucky I only had 3 of them) and I know about the light issue's and such.

Anyway I am in the process for getting him tested myself.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 01-02-2007 - 5:29pm

I was thinking of the headache issue too.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 10:37am

Well, frequently when I get the flu I get all over body aches, head aches, etc. I have a number of "sensory issues" myself and I will say that when I am feeling like that it makes it a million times worse or sometimes when I am sick the sensory issues are better but usually they are loads and loads worse. I mean with normal body aches or a head ache sounds and touch would hurt or be annoying. Add that to a person who already has alot of issues with touch or sound and BAM.

UGH! Poor guy. Tylenol, warm baths, and other sensory type stuff to help. Maybe some lavendar or weighted something.

Renee

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 11:29am

Lainie,


I must say, My first thougts were with Kristy: Migraine. But I think he would have complained of the headache if it was a migraine, because it's kind of a big feature (and I don't believe in "ocular migraines").


But I think Pam's

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 1:39pm

Ya, he never complained about a headache at all, just the stomach ache, and it was bad at times when it would lead up to the vomiting... But I do think I will be on the lookout for the migraines tho. He has had headaches in the past, but will fix easily with a tylenol.

It is so weird that his sensory did kind of reset! I haven't had to have the dryer on (Yippee lol) but then again, since its vacation I let him take his game boy to bed, and I do know he really likes the sound of his gameboy, so that might of taken its place.

I really really gotta get that sound machine..... When shcool starts I don't want him taking his game boy to bed. Trust me, he won't sleep all night I bet.