Being quarantined at home for two weeks is a daunting thought for most, but the restrictions take on a whole other meaning for those with special needs and their loved ones.

One Cloverdale mom whose family is finding ways to cope after returning from a trip to Florida, acknowledged the exercise is important in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, in the event one of them picked up the virus while they were away.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all symptom-free 害羞草研究所� so far,害羞草研究所� Christine Williamson said Monday, of herself, husband Chad, daughters Jennah and Mikayla and her in-laws. 害羞草研究所淲e just want to make sure we害羞草研究所檙e not a part of the problem, and we want to stay safe.害羞草研究所�

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Still, the impact COVID-19 has had on the routines and therapies that Mikayla needs to help manage daily life as a person with autism and other diagnoses has been severe.

In short, 害羞草研究所渋t害羞草研究所檚 crisis mode,害羞草研究所� said Williamson, noting the sentiment is one shared by many families who have special needs children.

And, the quarantine 害羞草研究所� which, for the Williamsons, ends Monday (April 6) 害羞草研究所� has only exacerbated it.

Usually, workers and therapists are in and out of the Williamson family home every weekday, helping 18-year-old Mikayla with everything from managing her behaviours to schoolwork. But now, 害羞草研究所渟he has none of that,害羞草研究所� her mom said.

害羞草研究所淔or kids on the autism spectrum, routine is everything,害羞草研究所� Williamson said, describing her daughter as 害羞草研究所渜uirky and funny,害羞草研究所� with a love of reptiles and swimming, and a knack for the artistic.

害羞草研究所淓verything that they do is regimented. It害羞草研究所檚 how they have order in their life. And so she has none of that. On top of that, we害羞草研究所檙e now quarantined. We can害羞草研究所檛 go to the park, we can害羞草研究所檛 do anything.害羞草研究所�

To make matters worse, 害羞草研究所渂ecause we don害羞草研究所檛 have answers, we can害羞草研究所檛 calm her fear and anxiety of it.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗er meltdowns are worse and more frequent. Her level of being able to cope is not there.害羞草研究所�

No stranger to struggles, however 害羞草研究所� the family has weathered everything from layoffs to Williamson害羞草研究所檚 own battles with mental illness over the past two decades 害羞草研究所� Williamson said an important way that she and her family have learned to cope is to focus on what they can control, rather than what they can害羞草研究所檛. Things like the 害羞草研究所渢hermostat害羞草研究所� in their home 害羞草研究所� and not the one that controls the actual temperature.

They害羞草研究所檝e set up 害羞草研究所榥o-judgment zones害羞草研究所� where as a family they can say whatever they need to without fear of judgment or reprisal, and then together, work on coming up with two positives out of whatever was said.

Recognizing the impact of limited space in the home on each occupant has also been important, Williamson said; honouring expressed needs for time to themselves, 害羞草研究所渆ven if we might be put out for a bit.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淛ust a lot of things like that 害羞草研究所� being willing to be vulnerable and to speak what it is that we害羞草研究所檙e feeling in any given moment害羞草研究所� feel what we need to feel and then move on from that.害羞草研究所�

They害羞草研究所檙e skills that can be applied to anybody, she noted, giving credit to Emotions BC Health and Wellness Society, an organization that formed in 2018 害羞草研究所渢o provide and deliver programs and services to families and caregivers of loved ones dealing with emotion dysregulation caused by diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health challenges.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淓motionsBC was created to eliminate barriers and to enhance health and wellness for loved ones struggling with mental health challenges as well as families 害羞草研究所� and therefore, potentially and quite literally, saving lives,害羞草研究所� an introduction on the society害羞草研究所檚 website states.

Williamson said the society helped their family 害羞草研究所渋n some of our darkest moments,害羞草研究所� and a desire to return the favour by being a beacon of hope for others drove her and her husband to become involved not just as program participants but also as facilitators of some of the programs. Williamson also now holds the role of administrative assistant.

In these days of social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine, supports are having to be given and accessed in different ways, many of them online. For Mikayla, that means connecting with her therapy team through such avenues as Zoom, with her mom at her side to guide her 害羞草研究所� though the sessions are a far cry from the support she gained through her one-on-one therapies.

Williamson said it doesn害羞草研究所檛 take a grand gesture to assist families that are struggling 害羞草研究所� it can be as simple as offering to add a couple extra items to their own grocery list. Neighbours can also share a tea 害羞草研究所渄ate害羞草研究所� from the safety of their respective porches, just to check in.

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害羞草研究所淧ractical things like that go a long way to break the isolation,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e used to isolation, but this is different,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淎nd because there害羞草研究所檚 so much more fear and concern, and there害羞草研究所檚 no end in sight, there害羞草研究所檚 no game plan. Everyone害羞草研究所檚 affected on such a deeper, bigger level, that the sense of community, to me, means that you害羞草研究所檙e really checking in on people and giving them a space害羞草研究所� to share how they害羞草研究所檙e really feeling and what they害羞草研究所檙e really thinking.害羞草研究所�

Williamson said she also feels 害羞草研究所渟lightly strongly害羞草研究所� about those who aren害羞草研究所檛 taking social-distancing and other recommended or ordered preventative measures seriously.

Acknowledging that she was among those who initially doubted the seriousness of the pandemic, Williamson said her mind changed when she realized how quickly it was spreading and how vulnerable Mikayla was.

害羞草研究所淏ecause of all the struggles my daughter has, I am concerned for her safety,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淪he puts her hands in her mouth all the time.

害羞草研究所淚 feel that if people could understand that because we don害羞草研究所檛 know what we害羞草研究所檙e dealing with, there isn害羞草研究所檛 a defense for it. If we could just take a step back害羞草研究所� just re-prioritize a little bit, we have a chance to save thousands of lives.害羞草研究所�

Williamson said shifting her own mindset around the quarantine from one of 害羞草研究所渇eeling like the walls are closing in on me,害羞草研究所� to one that looks at abiding by the measures as a gift was an important step for her on Sunday; the halfway point.

As difficult as the journey is and will continue to be for an undetermined time, however, she said she is confident there are brighter days ahead.

害羞草研究所淲hen I look at the virus, in and of itself, I feel that we have a lot of skills and resiliency,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not that there aren害羞草研究所檛 tears and concerns and unknowns. We have already weathered so many storms害羞草研究所� you always find a way to rebuild from the ashes of what you害羞草研究所檝e gone through.害羞草研究所�

Online resources Williamson suggested include the Emotions BC website, at (for families, caregivers and loved ones), and and (for programs, training and supports for individuals as well as families).

tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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