Support Kaiden's Sensory Shed Project for Safety & Comfort

Kaiden turns eight this August and has been diagnosed with severe autism and ADHD. Along with severe autism comes a lot of unfortunate medical issues (such as chronic pain, seizures, and insomnia) and a lot of dangerous behaviors (such as elopement, aggression, and self-injurious behavior). Unfortunately, the older Kaiden gets the more severe his behaviors are becoming. When he is experiencing pain or having sensory overload meltdowns, he often has self-injurious behavior such as biting himself, running into walls, and banging his head on the floor. In times of desperation, when he is in severe pain and cannot communicate his needs, he may have aggression towards others, including his 5-year-old sister. Because his needs are becoming so severe I’ve had no choice but to step down and work part-time so that I have more time to drive him to appointments and care for his needs. Due to this drastic reduction in income, I can no longer support us independently, so I will be moving in with family for a while until he is more stable and I’m able to work full-time again.

Me and the kids will be moving into a small, three-bedroom house. There is not enough space for me and the two kids to share one room. I have been blessed to be able to purchase an RV that was fully furnished, so that will serve as my “bedroom” and storage for my things. Even with the RV, there is not enough space in the home for Kaiden to have his sensory needs met or for him to be able to de-escalate safely. Therefore, I’ve purchased a 10 X 12 shed that I will convert into a “sensory shed.” The shed has been delivered to our new address, but it still needs a lot of work. Within the next month, we need:

• To paint and seal the porch (because the wood is already mildewing)

• We need to insulate the shed and put up walls

• Install an AC unit (because there’s no way we can tolerate being in the shed without it)

• Install mats/padding on the walls and floors

• Install rock-climbing holds, a sensory swing, and other sensory items

Summer is always a very tough time for Kaiden as his pain, anxiety, and insomnia worsen. I expect this summer to be particularly tough as his whole world is about to change. It’s imperative that the shed is completed as soon as possible so that he has a safe space to de-escalate and so that he doesn’t destroy the property of others. He also needs a place for him and Mommy to go outside of the house on nights when he can’t sleep so that he doesn’t keep others awake.

I hate to ever ask for any kind of help, but I know this shed is so necessary for Kaiden’s physical and mental health, and there is no way I can fund everything on my own right now. Every little bit helps and we appreciate all of the support we can get. I hope with this move I’ll be able to enroll Kaiden into a private special needs academy. We will also be closer to Atlanta where we will be able to have access to more doctors and resources. This move will be tough on us all but I know it will lead to more resources and support.