Autistic PMS?

My God, talk about crap that's not in the brochures and advertisements.

Mo got all whiny and tearful a lot this weekend. Exhaustive efforts to get her to say what was wrong were largely frustrated.



But I did see here holding her abdomen during some of these crying jags. And a couple of times, when asked if her insides hurt there at the middle, she answered yes.



Here's the thing: I think it's premenstrual cramps. She's almost 12 and has shown signs of puberty for a while. A long while, I guess.

I applied ibuprofen and a sort of heating pad (her 'soft' you microwave). I think a reduced her suffering, but I doubt I ended it.

I can't get this kid to leave a scab alone for two minutes, so how am I supposed to get her to deal with a period? It's one thing for me to carry a couple of napkins because I know she may start needing them soon. Quite another to actually help her put one in place.

Reinforcing the notion that all this whining and crying and moodiness might be PMS, when I read her social story about her changing body she seems really focused and into the thing.

Then there was the fight. Which started with her trying to throw a piggy bank toy in the trash. I said no, stop, and she did it anyway. So I put her in time out. And a few minute sin she got up and skipped around and I told her she was adding minutes and she started to hit herself really, really hard.

So I held her wrists, and she struggled against me so hard I fear she'll bruise.



She physically fought me to the point where I had to literally sit on her, sit in her lap and hold her arms to keep her safe and in the time out chair. She's strong, and honestly she scared me. If I can't keep her under control, neither can her mother (who had a similar altercation a few weeks ago). And that's how these kids end up in institutions. Which is a place I don't ever want to go with Mo.



Anyway, it's been a rough weekend. I hope it's not PMS, because that would mean a weekend like this every month.

And if you're wondering why I have so much photographic evidence, Mo often asks for the camera when she's out of sorts.