how can i exercise while caring for an autistic child?

mamaminxy
mamaminxy Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Over the last 4 or 5 months i've found i had less and less time to devote to exercise as my son was becoming more difficult, last week we got a diagnosis of autism which they think to be severe and he will need alot of care through the years. He is only 22 1/2 months at the moment so i can walk around with him in the pram quite a bit, between 2 and 3 hours a day which is around 6-8 miles but i'm lacking the time to do anything that actually exerts me so i know i'm not getting the full benefit, are there any exercises i could maybe do that are high impact but wont interfere with my son's care. Thank you in advance

Replies

  • hkmurphy83
    hkmurphy83 Posts: 262 Member
    Does he take naps? There are a lot of workout videos that you can do in the comfort of your own home in 30 minutes. Jillian Michaels, for example, has a bunch that are free on YouTube.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    awe blessings to you and your kiddo. God must think you are a very strong woman. 6-8 miles sounds pretty good to me have you looked at those slicked our strollers that you can use for jogging. Push yourself really hard with him. Maybe load the bottom with some heavy weights or look for a hill to climb. I bet he'll get a kick out of mommy panting. A real brisk walk that gets your heart rate up and maybe before bed work on resistant training might be all you need, and until he's a bit older this might be a very difficult time for you.
  • Mochila09
    Mochila09 Posts: 51 Member
    Hi. My daughter has multiple disabilities. I was a single mom for about 15 years (she's now 26) and found that working out first thing in the morning, before she woke up worked best for me. I just did DVD workouts in the living room. There are tons of great workout videos that can be accessed for free on YouTube, and fitness sites such as FitnessBlender, Blogilates, etc. that may work for you. I still prefer working out at home first thing in the morning and am currently focusing on kickboxing and weight lifting. Walking is also great for your body and mind, so keep it up! Also, did your son's doctor refer you to social service agencies? I'm not sure where you live, but you may be eligible for early intervention services for him, as well as respite care for you. Good luck to both of you on your journey!!
  • alibab36
    alibab36 Posts: 51 Member
    Hi i am a mum to 2 kids on the Autism spectrum . Basically for the first few years i did not do much a mix of getting a diagnosis and sorting out eduction etc . Now they are both in school Monday to Friday for a few hours i get in my exercise then but i really only started when the youngest was 5 about 2 years ago . I know i was coming to terms with it all myself and my weight ballooned with the stress etc . Its was about 3 years after they were diagnosed before i started on myself so you are doing fab to be even thinking of it . I am also a single mum and liable to remain that way due to the way my life is so i do it all for my mental health and to feel good about myself .
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    Start jogging instead of walking?
  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
    My youngest child has always been a little on the clingy side. Whenever she saw me exercising, she would want to climb aboard whatever machine I was on. Finding time has been hard. Here's some things I've started doing:

    - I've set up a bike in front of a TV. Anytime I watch TV, I try to do it in front of the TV.
    - Exercise videos are great when you can't get to the gym. There's some very good ones on YouTube, too!
    - Do you have a stroller? Even better, a jogging stroller? Make sure to get a mosquito net for the stroller.

    I know it's not the same but I hope this is helpful.
    Best of luck!
  • ohheyitsfelicity
    ohheyitsfelicity Posts: 80
    I work with individuals who have developmental disabilities (Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down's Syndrome, etc.) & self-care for the caregiver is so very important. If you're wanting to lose weight, and that's your self-care goal, do some exercises after you put him to bed at night. I love Blogilates (google it), she has many suggestions. This may sound hard, especially as your son was just diagnosed but make a self-care plan for yourself, and create a few goals to further your goals. In the classes that I had to take, I had to do this for myself, which was extremely hard even as just a student. One of the goals that I did was: "to lose weight the healthy way" and some minor goals that I did with this, were "make sure I take the time to eat 3 meals a day", "avoid fast food" and "exercise for 30 minutes a day". Instead of looking at the big picture, work on minor things - it'll make your goals seem more realistic. Good luck to you and your son throughout your journey! By the way, have you ever spoke to anyone about respite services? You would definitely qualify for respite hours :)
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    I have an autistic son. I feel your pain. I had bought a jogging stroller when he was young and we would go on 2-3 hour walks all around the city. I also bought him a trampoline. He loves it and now has a huge one. He likes the pool too. You can do a lot even though your child is going thru this. If hes active like my son you will need the strength.
    Get DVDs like insanity or P90X. Exercise while he is asleep.
  • mamaminxy
    mamaminxy Posts: 6
    thank you for all your advice, i'll look into the blogilates and i was going to purchase a jogging stroller but he's too tall for most strollers so i'm having to wait for his disability benefit to start before i can afford one big enough as i'll have to got for a special needs jogger. he doesn't sleep much at all he'll only sleep 6 hours including naps but i'm sure i could try and fit in a half hour workout at some point so will look on youtube for some videos.

    thank you all so much
  • mamaminxy
    mamaminxy Posts: 6
    I work with individuals who have developmental disabilities (Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down's Syndrome, etc.) & self-care for the caregiver is so very important. If you're wanting to lose weight, and that's your self-care goal, do some exercises after you put him to bed at night. I love Blogilates (google it), she has many suggestions. This may sound hard, especially as your son was just diagnosed but make a self-care plan for yourself, and create a few goals to further your goals. In the classes that I had to take, I had to do this for myself, which was extremely hard even as just a student. One of the goals that I did was: "to lose weight the healthy way" and some minor goals that I did with this, were "make sure I take the time to eat 3 meals a day", "avoid fast food" and "exercise for 30 minutes a day". Instead of looking at the big picture, work on minor things - it'll make your goals seem more realistic. Good luck to you and your son throughout your journey! By the way, have you ever spoke to anyone about respite services? You would definitely qualify for respite hours :)

    I have asked his doctor and they said they'll get him into nursery but he wont be able to start until october and i need to take him for a 4 hour long assessment to get his SEN certificate before they can consider me for respite hours and thank you for your advice and kind words
  • 1234terri
    1234terri Posts: 217 Member
    great answer, I know the moms/dads will have some excellent advice!
  • Mochila09
    Mochila09 Posts: 51 Member
    Just thought of another one: You Are Your Own Gym has a great app. You can enter the amount of time that you have (as short as 2 minutes), and it will create a strength training workout for you that is timed and uses video demonstration, making it easy to follow. No equipment needed, just your own bodyweight. Also, you may not have to pay out of pocket for a specialized stroller. Depending on what your disability benefits are like where you live, you may be able to get his physician to write a prescription for one.
  • laele75
    laele75 Posts: 283 Member
    My son isn't on the spectrum, but I can relate. He had extensive medical issue and problems, especially at that age. I couldn't even take a shower when he was awake and mobile. While people have some good suggestions, here's some more.

    1. Exercise after he's in bed. (He does sleep, doesn't he? This is not a joke question. I have known severely autistic children who do not.)

    2. At his age, he can still be gated into a room or given something to distract him while you're working out. Do something low impact and less 'scary' while he's awake. Like yoga. That way if he wanders too close while you're exercising, there's no danger of anybody being hurt.

    3. If you can get respite, use it to work out if you like. Respite is hard to come by in most places, but if you can get it, use it.

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