Autistic son likes to run water.

[MarkN]

I have an autistic son that loves to run water. We solved this by buying a small water fountain for him and setting it up on our deck.

My problem is, if he is unable to get to the deck, we find him in the bathroom with the water trickling. He will play for hours, if you let him. Some nights, I wake up at 2 AM to find him standing over the bathroom sink.

I am an industrial electrician. Which means every solution I think of has at least two wires.

I have seen the foot/knee switches, but didn’t know if someone had another ideas.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[JG plumbing]

They make remote wifi valves that can shut you water off. A buddy of mine used one so he could monitor his water when he's not home. If there's a trickle somewhere he knows about it through text alert and shuts his water off.

I'm sorry I don't know the specifics on what he got. But it's fairly easily searched online.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Moen makes a wifi controlled water valve shut off system, I’ve never used one.

 

[Geofd]

How about a touchless faucet,unless your hand is in front of the eye the faucet with come on, and when you take it away it shuts off

 

[Danny3xd]

Hi Mark,

I don't know if it would be as soothing or as much fun. But as I read your post I was thinking perhaps an indoor waterfall? They come in many shapes, sizes and costs.

Really hope it would help. Whatever you end up doing, please report and best wishes!

 

[MarkN]

I appreciate the feedback.

We know when he is doing this .... Anytime he is in the bathroom.

I suggested the touchless as the short term solution and rearranging the bathroom as the long term. (Now, he is able to sit on the commode and reach the sink.)

As for the indoor waterfall, he likes to "interact" with the one on the deck. Water is every where when he is outside for any length of time.

I appreciate the feedback.

MarkN

 

[PerplexedPlumber]

Get him a Newfoundland dog to share in the joy of water. That would certainly be more than twice the mess, but they would have more than twice the fun.

I've been trying to come up with a fresh water device for the Newfs, so they can turn on fresh water that will automatically turn off or provide a limited quantity at a time. They love fresh water, and lots of it. I was interested in putting a wall-mounted small toilet in the "mud room" but the other half wouldn't agree. None of the automatic waterers for dogs suit my interests. There are some that are recycled fountains, like indoor waterfalls - this makes me gag at the thought that any kind of filter short of advanced prefiltered RO could make such water re-consumable. And, for a kid playing in that water, it would probably go from his hands to his mouth at some point. I think the Newfs would learn to use a step-on switch, and after the novelty wore off, they would use it mainly for drinking. The more practical approach would be a low-mounted small sink with an overflow basin and a touchless faucet, possibly using a bowl or vessel sink inside another sink so the drinking reservoir can be thoroughly sanitized.

Maybe you could engage your son in water-based projects, like setting up an outdoor waterfall or koi pond, There was a gardening program long ago that had an episode on these kinds of projects, with some beautiful outcomes. There are probably many on Youtube. Indoors, I agree on the touchless faucets, staying with well-established manufacturers.

 

[MarkN]

Perplexed - Thanks for the advice. We could easily drop the water into our sand filter, which feeds the sprinkler. We currently do this with rainwater from our roof. (One of my many experiments.) I have always thought of draining the bathroom sinks into the cistern, but have not determined what issues I might have.

When my son was young, his facination with water caused all of the specialist to consider Angelman syndrome. (This was ruled out with genetic testing.)

We currently have 3 dogs. They are our early warning system. When my son walks, they follow him. (We were told he would never walk. Now, he can outrun his mother.) It is a lot easier to find a son with three dogs in tow. With my lab getting up in age, we need to look for another. Since we live near a river, I will look into a Newfoundland.

FYI - I welcome all forms of feedback, especially constructive criticism.

MarkN

 

[PerplexedPlumber]

Dogs are off-topic for this forum, but as Newfs have their own plumbing considerations, I'll offer some input:

Newfs are usually very good with kids, but there are some things to be prepared for, in addition to wet hair, wet lips and big muddy footprints. First, it is difficult to source a puppy, and it is often a challenge to learn how to rear them. There are many, many breeders who are not a reliable source for a puppy, and you don't want to take chances at a pet store or with a non-knowledgeable breeder. For one thing, health costs can escalate quickly (seems exponentially by lb.). Disposition is the "hallmark" of the breed, but that doesn't mean all breeders have even read the "breed standard", including even the ones who show. A good way to get acquainted is by adopting from a breed rescue group that is affiliated with the Newfoundland club. Many health issues that would occur will have occurred by about 2 years and those familiar with the breed can provide insights to help you with a good placement. In GA, a Newf needs, in addition to water, a low-humidity air conditioned area, preferably with a thermostat setting of 68 or lower. Then there are the grooming tools including a high-speed dryer (which btw cleans a car interior better than a vacuum). Grooming can be good therapy for humans, but groomers don't always find grooming Newfs therapeutic. (I don't leave my Newfs with anyone.) A Newf with a typical disposition that is physically sound could be a good buddy for your son, but a Golden Retriever (a companion breed that was developed with Newfoundlands) may be an easier fit in your life. That said, I can imagine how happy two water-loving creatures would be playing in a sink together. : )

This club may be close to you, if you want to learn more: Newfoundland Club of Florida - Homepage

 

[Aloha Mark]

One problem I see with remote shutoff valves is the problem of bathers having shampoo in their hair, and not being able to rinse it off. This can cause irritation to the eyes.
Has the OP spoken to a psychiatrist about the son being entranced by something while in the shower? Best advice would be to break him out of the trance with a dog barking or loud music.

 

[MarkN]

I appreciate the response. Fascination with water mirrors Angelmans Syndrome. (See above.) It is not a trance. He just likes to watch and play in water.

I agree with the remote shutoff and bathing. We opted for a touchless facuet. One problem was his walking away and letting the water run. (Typically, he follows his dog out of the room.)

What I find interesting is what he knows. For instance, if his sister is practicing the piano and misses a note/cord, he will laugh.

Thanks,
MarkN

 

[Aloha Mark]

Doesn't he also leave the water on when he walks away and falls asleep? I wonder if a flow reduction valve that gradually shuts off a faucet would work. Programmability would be a nice feature for such a valve. Yes, my son has also left faucets on, possibly for other reasons than Angelmans Syndrome. He also half finishes drinks and food, leaving the remains lying around. A robot butler Jeeves may be the answer. This is something the NIMH should look into. Service dogs are very smart. They might be the more immediate answer to our problems.

 

[Twowaxhack]

My kids play with the water and leave food and drinks laying around too.

im convinced most kids do......