Hoarding and My Autistic Son (VIDEO)

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Hoarding. It’s a very real behavior in our autism world. Take a peek at what our son hoards and the sheer amount. I have a feeling a lot of parents will relate, smile (and cry) at this one.

Photos, DVD cases, DVD’s, VHS tapes, books, receipts, pieces of paper, etc. He gathers them all up and visually stims on them. And then once done, he chooses his favorite few, and the rest get stuffed behind dressers, entertainment centers and under beds and couches. Every Saturday I clean up his piles.

Questions:
1. Yes, he will clean up if I ask.
2. We allow behaviors (to an extent) that bring him joy and are NOT dangerous.
3. He does not have PICA.
4. When we add a small does of Zinc into his diet he stops mouthing paper. We stopped for a while and I see we are going to have to start again.
5. He refuses to use a backpack to carry the items.
6. He does not want the photos in an album. He likes to hold them and carry them one by one.
7. I love that he communicates with photos. I am sad that they get wrecked. We have started printing off photos just for him to have.
8. You should see how much joy this stuff brings him. It’s almost hard to describe.
9. Cooper is severely autistic and nonverbal. I share videos like this to give a glimpse inside our secret world.
10. If you tell me to spank or beat my child your comment will be deleted and you will be banned. Save your energy and don’t bother typing it.

Take a peek at our world!

https://www.facebook.com/findingcoopersvoice/videos/1965954913520487/

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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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2 Comments

  1. Paul Mart on August 29, 2018 at 6:22 pm

    Hello! I definitely smiled @ your story. Our 9-year-old son exhibits many similar behaviors. He loves flashcards & builds intricate pathways around the house with them. He gets into his “zone” & thoroughly enjoys it.
    Thank you,
    Paul



  2. Kerri on November 7, 2018 at 10:46 am

    Someone else gets it!!! My seven-year-old hoards as well, toys mostly. But also rocks and sticks and trash from the playground. I can completely relate to the piles. Just piles of stuff that he calls his treasures. We work hard to limit while not taking away something that provides him so much comfort but it’s a struggle.