In this brief blog, a mother highlights her experiences of her son exhibiting behaviours that challenge, and how we at BitePRO® could help.
(Warning: images of cuts/injuries):
My teenage son has autism, with related communication and sensory-processing issues. He is a sweet and helpful young man. However, he has outbursts of challenging behaviour due to overload, frustration, and anxiety. He reports that he gets no warning that this is imminent, and that his head feels hot and ‘enters a vortex’ (his typed words).
These events, lasting just seconds, can be out of the blue, despite being able to identify some triggers… usually retrospectively. When this happens, he seems to need to bite into the nearest thing, usually me. He generally goes for my forearm, wrist, or hand.
Maybe my reaction, although I try not to, also contributes to the sensory feedback he gets from grabbing me and biting. He is always shocked and remorseful afterwards.
It is very painful and upsetting for me too, and as the skin is usually broken (through several layers of clothing) it can sometimes take a very long time to heal.
I learned to understand that I needed to protect myself somehow... for me and for his self-esteem.
I searched for bite-resistant arm guards and found BitePRO®. I phoned them and spoke to the team, and they understood my needs exactly and I purchased a handful of garments for different environments and time of day.
I understand that this will prevent the skin breaking and reduce the chance of infection or scarring. The sleeves are surprisingly comfortable (particularly the shrug for me).
Below are the BitePRO® products this mother purchased:
- BitePRO® Bite Resistant Arm Guard Version 3
- BitePRO® Bite Resistant Arm Guard Version 5
- BitePRO® Bite Resistant Jacket
If you have your own personal story or just want to share your experiences with behaviours that challenge, please get in touch and see how we can help you.
We are keen to gain a greater understanding of the complexity of challenging behaviour and how it effects family members, teachers, and educators, as well as healthcare professionals.
Please view our complete product range and contact us if you believe we can be of help.
