Ten-Finger Exercises

autistic spectrum disorders

I’ve been reading a bit about autistic spectrum disorders, and I find them very interesting. My only picture of an autistic child comes from television, where the children are wearing helmets and bashing their heads into the wall, or making strange vocalizations. Those are extreme examples.

On the other end of the scale are the children who don’t socialize well, don’t pay much attention to other children (unless they’re siblings perhaps,) but look, talk and move like any other child.

The book I’m reading is Autistic Spectrum by Dr. Lorna Wing. In talking about social impairments, she divides children into four groups: the aloof group, the passive group, the “active but odd” group, and the overly formal group.

Children in the aloof group behave as if no one else exists. They don’t respond if you speak to them, they don’t follow commands, they do not look at other people except an occasional sideways glance. They do not cuddle, and may even pull away when touched. If they want you to do something for them, they may grab your arm and take you to the object they cannot reach, but they don’t put their hand in yours. When you’ve done what they wanted, they will once again ignore you.

They may enjoy rough and tumble play, and even look you in the eye during that time; but when it’s over, they’re back to being aloof.

These children may be indifferent to or alarmed by other children in their play group or pre-school.

Children in the Passive group have poor eye contact like the aloof group children. They have the least behavioral problems of any on the autistic spectrum. They respond to other children, but do not initiate contact. If a group of children is playing a family, they are the babies.

Dr. Wing apologized for the name “Active but Odd” group, but said it was the best description she could come up with. Children and adults in this group will make approaches to others, but usually to the person in charge rather than a peer. They do so to request or to make demands, unaware of the concerns or feelings of anyone but themselves. They may have poor eye contact, or may make and break that contact at unusual times. They may hold or hug a person too tightly, and may become aggressive if they don’t get their way. They ignore children their own age, or may act aggressively toward them.

This is a hard group to diagnose because their ability to initiate a social interaction covers up their lack of social skill.

Factors other than impaired socialization that are part of a diagnosis for these children are these: communications disorders, impairments of imagination, repetitive movements and rituals. Language may present difficulties, but also non-verbal communications.

That’s interesting to think of people who are not comfortable imagining anything, but I know adults like that as well as children.

Right now, I imagine it’s time for me to get supper going, no matter how small and insignificant it is.

I hope this topic is interesting to somebody besides me.

Here's the link for the pond tour I promised:

http://wwhospice.org/pondtour07/

As for dinner, we're still doing Nutri-System, so it wasn't too wonderful. He had tacos, which I dolled up with fresh tomato and lettuce and fat free sour cream. I can't believe it, but I've gained two pounds on it! The calorie count is less than 1000, so I cannot fathom how it's possible. I don't like it well enough to eat all the stuff either, and am not subbing something else instead. Bill has lost five pounds though, and he's the one I really want to help, since his pilot's license depends upon it.