In the realm of special needs, behaviors are ever-changing, and Brantley is no exception. In 8 years, he has had many memorable phases and behaviors that have came and gone with the seasons. Some have been amazing, like the time he was obsessed with doing back flips off of every surface he could. Other behaviors, like when he regularly smeared feces on us, are what my nightmares are made of.
My fear is that his newest behavior, which seems to have 2 parts, is akin to the latter. Brantley has begun enthusiastically splashing his hands in the toilet bowl. While this behavior is admittedly gross, it seems manageable. Compounding the difficulty, is that Brantley has pooped in the bathtub twice this week. Once might be chance, twice a coincidence, but three times would indicate a pattern. I am praying that his confusion of the toilet and shower does not become a pattern.
I can’t help but ponder if his new choice signals a readiness to bid farewell to diapers or if there's a deeper reason behind these behaviors. Could both issues be sensory-related? Is there a genuine confusion akin to dementia? We may never know. But as we face the continued complexities of raising Brantley, I hold onto hope for smoother and less brown waters in our bathtub.
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