MatthewCast (St. Louis Weather)

Some of you from around the country may get a kick out of this. My autistic son, Matthew, is very good at indicating rainfall. We've been tracking this over the past 5 years, and he is more accurate than the TV guys....which isn't saying much, I know.



However, I have started doing this on Facebook for some of our family's friends. I have even had people from my wife's school "friend request" me just for the information in winter time. These people are now swearing by his prowess.



I often tell people that if I had continued to pursue meteorology as a profession, I would be using this as a gimmick on television stations. And, I would relish in the times I lose to my autistic son. Something about this familial competition on local airwaves makes me think this would create a ratings bonanza of laughter as people love to watch an autistic child crush his own weatherman father right there in their living rooms.



With the preface laid, and this is truly rather ridiculous, I may post a few times in here when Matthew calls for rain and the weathermen don't. He's already caught them twice this summer. One other thing about Matthew, his timeframe runs about 36-48 hours out. How do I know when he's telling me it will rain? He gets maniacally hyper. Uncontrollably. My wife and I have to double-check each other to make sure we gave him his meds because it seems like he was given placibos.



Well, last evening, he started jumping down the hallway and slamming doors with a scary monster voice. (It's pretty entertaining when he "loses it.") Today, the growling and door slamming is back. The endless running around the house is revving up.



That means it should rain sometime in the Thursday night/Friday time frames. I'll let you know if it rains. We need rain SO badly around here! And, the weathermen are only calling for a 20%-30% chance over that time.....even though they admit it's the best shot we have for the week. So, in fact, Matthew and the weathermen sort of "jive" this time out.



We'll see.

I hope Matthew's prediction is true for you needing the rain.

I hope the fact that is is going to rain doesn't 'hurt' him inside himself somehow. With the hyper activity, it may be a telling sign.

quiltbea wrote:I hope Matthew's prediction is true for you needing the rain.

I hope the fact that is is going to rain doesn't 'hurt' him inside himself somehow. With the hyper activity, it may be a telling sign.

Nobody has ever put any stock in it causing him pain of any sort, doctors included. We have told every doctor about his increased hyperactivity when rain approaches, and they all seem befuddled. The best they come up with is, "Like when a football player's knee acts up?"



We think it has more to do with his sensory systems. He is a "contact kid" that loves "deep" pressure.....like bear hugs, blankets, and rough-housing with Daddy. He jumps and hops around more, we believe, because he loses a little of the ability to feel the ground. So, he sort of jumps/pounds more to center himself, proprioceptively. If that makes any sense.



Most of us "typical" people aren't as finely tuned as he is. We don't feel the changes he does, or we have just grown to ignore these changes as unimportant to everyday life. I hope he never loses this sensitivity, personally. Now, if it causes him stress or trauma, then, obviously, we want to figure it out.

Two days ago, there was a 20% chance of rain. Once again, Matthew was correct. We just got a much needed 1/2 inch in 20 minutes and it's still raining a little.

Matthewcast proven right yet again.

Well, Matthew went nuts again tonight. Should rain on Monday around STL.

Does oncoming snow affect him as well?

GG

Goosegirl wrote:Does oncoming snow affect him as well?

GG

Yup. He was money in the bank last winter. That is what attracted so many to the gimmick on Facebook. He was calling snow days (doesn't take much down here to cancel school) with 2 days advanced notice. People started counting on him, until we got sick of all the snow. Then, they started booing my Facebook updates even though he was still right...lol. I could even use his "superpowers" (lol) to tell when the weathermen were calling for snow that was NOT going to happen. Matthew would remain calm when the tv guys were swearing we were going to get whopped. It really can be uncanny.

It still amazes me. The shocking times are when there is no rain forecast. My wife and I will look at each other and say, "Do you think? Really? But, the tv says no chance." And, we still bet shocked. It has taken us several years to become "believers" in our own son, and we've seen it time and time again.

I guess I'm starting to get more vocal about this with more people because I am looking for a "direction" to take this. With the Autism, I think there's a connection. I am wondering if this "ability" can be either defined or put to good use, if it can even be proven or relied upon.

Haha, I suppose that's my mini-rant for the day. And, all in response to a simple question.

That is so fascinating to me, because of Aspie Hubby. With a brain that literally is wired differently, his nervous system in so many aspects is hypersensitive compared to neurotypical me - but especially sound and taste. I would SWEAR sometimes he has bionic ears! I have learned that if he asks 'what is making that sound?' to just go check where he directs - it ALWAYS is real even tho' only he and the Bionic Woman could have heard it! I wonder if Matthew's nervous system is hypersensitive to pressure changes or something like that that most of us would never notice.

Goosegirl wrote:That is so fascinating to me, because of Aspie Hubby. With a brain that literally is wired differently, his nervous system in so many aspects is hypersensitive compared to neurotypical me - but especially sound and taste. I would SWEAR sometimes he has bionic ears! I have learned that if he asks 'what is making that sound?' to just go check where he directs - it ALWAYS is real even tho' only he and the Bionic Woman could have heard it! I wonder if Matthew's nervous system is hypersensitive to pressure changes or something like that that most of us would never notice.

Thank you for sharing! This is awesome. It's not rare to hear of people on the spectrum with "super powers." We just have to learn to see the clues.



Matthew has some of the same characteristics as your husband. He frequently smells people as they come into the house. He is like a dog in that aspect. He literally walks up to the person sometimes and puts his nose on their back as they are sitting in a chair and smells them. I have no idea why, but I assume it's like a dog recognizing a person's unique smell to help him recognize them. He also HATES loud noises, especially the unpredictable ones like balloons popping on the ceiling or fireworks on the Fourth of July. He can't relate to WHEN the boom will occur, so he just freaks out and rejects any of it. Just last night, we went to eat at Red Robin. Matthew had to wait outside because he couldn't handle being inside with all the children dancing around and asking for the balloons they keep on their ceiling. He thought they were all going to pop at some point....he just didn't know when. Imagine the terrorizing aspect of that! I'd be pretty upset, too.



Do a google search on "Sensory Integration Disorder" or something very close to that. You may find a lot that helps you understand your husband even better. These kiddos, and adults, are just being figured out thanks to awareness. I'm sure when your hubby was younger, he was just looked at as weird. Today, people are actually trying to solve this stuff, and my family is lucky we were given Matthew when we were......sort of at the crest of the wave, if you will. I'm very happy we didn't have to discover all of this "in the dark" like so many before us. Sensory disorders are super common in autistic, and Aspberger's, people.



So, there is no doubt that Matthew's sensitivity to air pressure is the root of his weather predictions. He is moderating a little as the years go on because we used to see him get jumpy when the barometer dipped under 30.00 inches of mercury, or very close to that number. However, these days, we no longer see much of a correllation (sp? Boffer) there....it's more just approaching rain. However, we know it's not humidity anymore.



I'm happy this is helping you in whatever way it can. Thanks for sharing with me.

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:That is so fascinating to me, because of Aspie Hubby. With a brain that literally is wired differently, his nervous system in so many aspects is hypersensitive compared to neurotypical me - but especially sound and taste. I would SWEAR sometimes he has bionic ears! I have learned that if he asks 'what is making that sound?' to just go check where he directs - it ALWAYS is real even tho' only he and the Bionic Woman could have heard it! I wonder if Matthew's nervous system is hypersensitive to pressure changes or something like that that most of us would never notice.

Thank you for sharing! This is awesome. It's not rare to hear of people on the spectrum with "super powers." We just have to learn to see the clues.



Matthew has some of the same characteristics as your husband. He frequently smells people as they come into the house. He is like a dog in that aspect. He literally walks up to the person sometimes and puts his nose on their back as they are sitting in a chair and smells them. I have no idea why, but I assume it's like a dog recognizing a person's unique smell to help him recognize them. He also HATES loud noises, especially the unpredictable ones like balloons popping on the ceiling or fireworks on the Fourth of July. He can't relate to WHEN the boom will occur, so he just freaks out and rejects any of it. Just last night, we went to eat at Red Robin. Matthew had to wait outside because he couldn't handle being inside with all the children dancing around and asking for the balloons they keep on their ceiling. He thought they were all going to pop at some point....he just didn't know when. Imagine the terrorizing aspect of that! I'd be pretty upset, too.

Hubby HATES sudden loud noises, or any loud noises! I don't wear shoes in the house because they are too loud (mostly hardwood floors). I no longer do any loud hobbies in the house, and if I do have something loud to do I plan it for when he is gone, and warn him that I will be doing 'loud' things so don't come home early! Even outdoor loud things need to be scheduled like that (like building boxes - drill, hammer, occasional yell of thumb-whacking) because he can still hear it in the house, and he can't relax knowing at any moment there will be another unexpected sound - and with my accident-prone nature, it adds extra panic that he HAS to listen to make sure that I am okay!

GG

Eerily similar! Does the noise cause him any pain when it hits? Or, is it just the unpredictablity that drives him nuts?

I would love to ask my son, but his language is still so weak in areas that he still can't describe such things to us.

As for any rain, we were just missed by a blob on the radar this morning. And, another fizzled before it got to us. Still no rain, but we have all day for Matthew to be right.

I have almost posted twice to this thread because I just want you guys to know how much I love it. Bless you for learning new ways to communicate with your loved ones, and bless them, for showing us how to celebrate being who we are.
ETA - it just started raining here in central IL - Thanks Matthew!

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Eerily similar! Does the noise cause him any pain when it hits? Or, is it just the unpredictablity that drives him nuts?

I would love to ask my son, but his language is still so weak in areas that he still can't describe such things to us.

If the noise is loud enough (sharp sounds - fire cracker, door slam...) it is immediately painful; if it is not as loud (footsteps, dishes clanking...) but is repeated several times or is continuous, it causes headaches; if unexpected it causes panic; if it is expected but prolonged it causes increased anxiety (as in, WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO STOP!!!{picture knees bouncing, hands twitching, toes tapping}).

GG



PS - He has good reason for the increased anxiety with my clumsiness - the last time he heard a REALLY big thump, he came running up the stairs yelling "You better not have hurt yourself!" and found me (as expected by the commentary) crawling across the kitchen floor with a broken foot. (I stepped off the top of a stepstool and it wasn't a single step stepstool - barefoot of course!)

UnderTheBlackWalnut wrote:I have almost posted twice to this thread because I just want you guys to know how much I love it. Bless you for learning new ways to communicate with your loved ones, and bless them, for showing us how to celebrate being who we are.
ETA - it just started raining here in central IL - Thanks Matthew!

I tell people I only take credit for my address in St. Louis. Or, the location he was when he started going bonkers. (He's done this in other places, but only with family present. And, it only takes once and they are as blown away as we are.)

Either way, though, it sprinkled here this morning right after I posted and left for work. Barely got the pavement wet, but when I keep score, anything falling from the sky counts as a correct prediction from Matthew. I can't tell if it will be a sprinkle, flurry, or 3 inches of rain.....yet. So, officially in this thread, he's 2-0. Oh, and it's always neat to watch the tv weather guys adjust their forecasts from 20% to 50% AFTER I've put out the notice to our friends. I will usually add a comment like "tv dudes are slow on Matthew's uptake!" And, of course, I just giggle to myself.

Goosegirl wrote:If the noise is loud enough (sharp sounds - fire cracker, door slam...) it is immediately painful; if it is not as loud (footsteps, dishes clanking...) but is repeated several times or is continuous, it causes headaches; if unexpected it causes panic; if it is expected but prolonged it causes increased anxiety (as in, WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO STOP!!!{picture knees bouncing, hands twitching, toes tapping}).

Thanks for sharing the details. This explains so much. I will be showing this to my wife tonight since she is equally interested in reading this particular thread now.

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Thanks for sharing the details. This explains so much. I will be showing this to my wife tonight since she is equally interested in reading this particular thread now.

Just observations of my everyday life! If any of it is any help, I am glad. Reviewed again the Sensory Processing Disorder checklist. Yep, Hubby fits the hypersensitive list. It is hard for him to describe how he 'feels' as that is what Aspies do not do well, but he can describe in terms that I can usually figure out what he 'feels'. I certainly know how he 'feels' about my garden! Dirty! Sweaty! Sunshine! Heat! Pain! But, I don't think he will turn down my watermelons when I pick them!



GG

my sincerest respect to you both. It can't be easy.

genes wrote:my sincerest respect to you both. It can't be easy.

Just hiking life's adventure trail - BBG and I seem to be on the same one!

GG

Goosegirl wrote:

genes wrote:my sincerest respect to you both. It can't be easy.

Just hiking life's adventure trail - BBG and I seem to be on the same one!

GG

Where are the roses along the trail again? Sometimes it's hard to find them to take a sniff.

Actually, I wouldn't know any other way. When life gives you what seems to be a lemon, you make lemonade.

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:

Goosegirl wrote:

genes wrote:my sincerest respect to you both. It can't be easy.

Just hiking life's adventure trail - BBG and I seem to be on the same one!

GG

Where are the roses along the trail again? Sometimes it's hard to find them to take a sniff.

Actually, I wouldn't know any other way. When life gives you what seems to be a lemon, you make lemonade.

Life in general is lemonade - some glasses are just sweeter or more tart than others!

GG

Ok, cincy has rain coming from your general area. Did Matthew predict any for you?

Not really. He's been a little crazy the past several days, but nothing more than usual. And, coincidentally, everything has missed us just slightly to the south and west. For instance, Rolla, MO, is about an hour and a half southwest of STL. They got hammered with a couple inches of rain and it washed out all of Thursday for them.

However, we did get sprinkles yesterday afternoon that amounted to about 2 tenths of an inch. Usually, he will pick up on that stuff. Hope you guys get some rain. I'm sure you need it.

NOAA says 30% chance T-Storms for you on Wednesday, increasing to 40% for Wednesday night. What's the MatthewCast?

GG

LOL....we will be watching him today and tonight. Monday is the tell-all day for Wednesday rains. We could use it, too. Matthew has been far too calm lately.

Start dancing Matthew! I hope you get a little of what we just got: 5+ inches overnight and through the morning here in town and just north of us they got 7+ inches since last night. Yes, we are in a Flood Warning, with a Flash Flood Warning added in this morning for good measure!

GG

They just upped our chances from 30% to 60% for tonight. However, Matthew did not concur the other day. I just checked the radar and ......nothing. Hmmmmmmm.......we sure could use it.