Slip ‘n Slide

I had been looking for a certified ABA therapist to work with Rhema at home. A few weeks ago, a wonderful therapist came over to meet and observe Rhema for a couple hours.

We did not make a very good first impression, I’m afraid.

Rhema did not seem to know what to do with herself and was very sensory-seeking – running around, purposefully falling on the floor, and crashing into the couch cushions. Rhema is on the hyper side, but this was a whole new level, as she was completely unable to focus. At one point I pulled out the mini trampoline in an effort to re-direct some of her energy, and my darling child bent over and took a BITE out of the side of the trampoline. Wow.

We took her outside on the swings and Rhema did much better. However, when it was time to come in, she went into major meltdown mode. Rhema is usually pretty good about transitions, but of course not on this day when I wanted her to be an adorable angel for our new therapist. (I should know better by now.)

Rhema’s screaming escalated to the point where I knew that the only way she would calm down was to put her in her bedroom for a time out. Rhema quickly quieted upstairs, but I left her in her room so that the therapist and I could have a chance to talk. After about 10 minutes, it was time for the therapist to leave so I told her that I would bring Rhema down to say good-bye.

As I went up to Rhema’s room I assured myself that even though the day had not gone so smoothly, it was still salvageable. And I could demonstrate how “in control” I was by bringing her down to say good-bye. (Rhema’s good-bye usually involves me holding her still and waving her hand … if we get eye contact, we’re really doing good!)

What I did not know was that behind her door, the following scene had unfolded. Rhema had removed all of her clothing as well as the blanket and sheet from her bed. She had dragged her mattress onto the floor, and then she peed on her mattress. Her mattress has the plastic material you find on most crib mattresses, and there was a nice, large yellow puddle of urine.
Before I go further, I should explain my 4-year old a bit more. Rhema can find a way to have fun in whatever environment – even with limited resources she has an amazing imagination for all sorts of stunts. Because Rhema’s “fun” can be dangerous, we have removed everything from her room besides her bed and some toys… no dresser or bureau, no table or chairs, nothing that can be scaled. While Rhema understands by now that she should not pee on the bed, I do not know if she fully understands that you just don’t play with the stuff. (See Poop-art).

I opened the door in time to see my naked little girl take a running leap and dive gleefully onto the wet mattress. The big yellow puddle splattered, and when she got up from the mattress, there were lots of little yellow puddles. She cheered. She had created her own Slip ‘N Slide!

Rhema was wet – her hair, her arms, her legs, her stomach. Hope began to cry in the other room – the Slip ‘n Slide fun had awakened her from her nap. For a moment, I was so shocked and mortified that I truly did not know what to do.

Instead of putting Rhema right in the bathtub, Silly Me quickly wrapped her in her blanket and marched her downstairs to say good-bye. Manners first, after all. I did not explain to the therapist what had happened, although I’m sure she deduced something crazy had occurred and that it involved a bodily substance, because Rhema’s hair was wet, she was wrapped in a blanket, and reeked to high heaven!

“Say bye, Rhema. Bye-bye,” I said while disentangling an arm from the blanket and flapping her hand for a wave.

There. Our freak show was complete. =}

Thankfully, our therapist came back, and now that she has actually begun working with Rhema, things are going better.