You may not know him by name, but he has probably already hugged you.

At least one hallmark of autism is some type of sensory problem. This, you will find, can manifest in several different ways. For example, some people can't deal with loud noises, while others can't function if their clothes are scratchy. Equally as varied is the way autistic people deal with sensory overload in order to find a comfort level which allows them to function. You've probably seen a kid who rocks back and forth, or a kid who spins like a top.

My son is a hugger.

Actually, it is more accurate to say that he needs to be sqeezed. Frequently. Oh, and it really doesn't matter if he knows you. I'm just warning you. His doctor belives it is a symptom of not "feeling" one's body...a heady, drunk "medicine head" feeling. For those of you who haven't felt that way/don't know anyone who can't "feel" their own body, think Jerry Lewis in the Disorderly Orderly. Okay, that should give you a fairly accurate picture.

Temple Grandin is a fascinating success story in the world of autism. She, as a teen, invented a squeeze machine to help her relieve anxiety attacks. She describes the squeeze machine here: http://www.autism.org/hugbox.html

For many people, like my family, this device would make too big of a dent in the family savings...and probably take up too much space in the family room.....so the other option is the weighted vest.....



Now, I haven't personally seen one of these yet, but I'm going to guess there are pockets for the addition of weights. I'm interested to know how much weight can be added. Can I add enough weights to keep my son from running toward a person to hug them? Can weights be added to prevent my son from running and JUMPING onto a person to hug them?

If anyone has had experience with the weighted vest, I would be interested to hear your comments!