Happy Kid

I’m trying to get some work done and I can hear my son in the other room singing “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.”

Kai has been in a great mood all week during this first week of winter break. I’m guessing that most of it is due to being off from school, the approach of Christmas, and our Hanukkah celebration that we will have tonight.

While some kids with autism struggle with holidays that disrupt the usual routine, Kai looks forward to seeing his relatives and getting presents (of course).

Aside from the yuletide joy, I am wondering how much impact his new medication is having on his mood. Risperidone is supposed to reduce aggression and anger, so the happiness we are seeing may, in part, be aided by the medication. Though being home from school, he hasn’t exactly faced many stressful situations so it is hard to judge. He has, however, been less resistant to doing the extra computer work (on math, reading, and thinking skills) that we had scheduled for him this week.

One benefit of the drug that we are sure of is that Kai is sleeping much better these days. He falls asleep very quickly and usually does not get up until we wake him up. After being awaken in the middle of the night for years, I am enjoying the good nights of sleep. This week, we have all slept in on several occasions, something I rarely did even in my single days. I think I’m making up for the years of lost sleep.

With our Hanukkah celebration this evening followed by Christmas this weekend, it will be a whirlwind of a few days.

And though it won’t be a White Christmas, I’m enjoying the sunshine – both coming in from my office window, and from my son’s upbeat disposition.