Re: Would Like Input from Person in the Spectrum

[Guest guest]

Try WrongPlanet

I think it is .net but you can google/yahoo it. It is a newsgroup/website created by an individual with Asperger's, but I have read posts of adults with a variety of conditions and others who explore the site and have questions like yours.

Would Like Input from Person in the Spectrum

Hello,Can anyone help me with an email address or a webpage/blog of adults with autism where I can ask a question. Or maybe someone her in 's list is himself/herself a person with autism that can give me input on an issue.It is simply that my 4 year old behaves differently when he is amongst peers with autism like himself in school than with peers without autism in the community or family. (He goes to a pre-school with children with autism.) Often, when in the company of his peers with autism, he does parallel play and looks at them from the corner of his eye but does not engage in verbal communication or much physical interaction. He seems to enjoy their company though (as opposed to one year ago when he would stay in a corner of the classroom alone). Now, with children without autism, he observes their behavior more and tries to immitate them and makes an effort to communicate using words and/or making physical contact. I have a theory about why but it is only a theory and would love to hear from people with autism what they think. Why they think the differnce in interaction or lack thereof. Of course, EVERY PERSON with autism is DIFFERENT but still might have more insight than ME. Thank you!Ida

[Guest guest]

One possible explanation for this is that at school he has been

repeatedly praised and reinforced for the kind of communication that

you see him engage in when he is there. Children with autism often

have a problem generalizing from one environment to another. he might

" think " that this social behavior is for school and his other behavior

is for engaging with kids when not in school. This is just an idea.

You can try and talk to the school and see what kind of praise/other

reinforcers they use for communication between peers and transfer the

same method to other environments with typical kids. You can try to

get your friends with typical kids to come for structured play dates

and work on these issues. I used to be a very popular Mom amongst the

typical kids because a play date at my house was always the most fun

with me orchestrating activities in a way that will promote social

interactions, taking turns and so on...

Shirly

>

> Hello,

>

> Can anyone help me with an email address or a webpage/blog of adults

> with autism where I can ask a question. Or maybe someone her in

> 's list is himself/herself a person with autism that can give

> me input on an issue.

>

> It is simply that my 4 year old behaves differently when he is

> amongst peers with autism like himself in school than with peers

> without autism in the community or family. (He goes to a pre-school

> with children with autism.) Often, when in the company of his peers

> with autism, he does parallel play and looks at them from the corner

> of his eye but does not engage in verbal communication or much

> physical interaction. He seems to enjoy their company though (as

> opposed to one year ago when he would stay in a corner of the

> classroom alone). Now, with children without autism, he observes

> their behavior more and tries to immitate them and makes an effort

> to communicate using words and/or making physical contact. I have a

> theory about why but it is only a theory and would love to hear from

> people with autism what they think. Why they think the differnce in

> interaction or lack thereof. Of course, EVERY PERSON with autism is

> DIFFERENT but still might have more insight than ME. Thank you!

>

> Ida

>

[Guest guest]

One possible explanation for this is that at school he has been

repeatedly praised and reinforced for the kind of communication that

you see him engage in when he is there. Children with autism often

have a problem generalizing from one environment to another. he might

" think " that this social behavior is for school and his other behavior

is for engaging with kids when not in school. This is just an idea.

You can try and talk to the school and see what kind of praise/other

reinforcers they use for communication between peers and transfer the

same method to other environments with typical kids. You can try to

get your friends with typical kids to come for structured play dates

and work on these issues. I used to be a very popular Mom amongst the

typical kids because a play date at my house was always the most fun

with me orchestrating activities in a way that will promote social

interactions, taking turns and so on...

Shirly

>

> Hello,

>

> Can anyone help me with an email address or a webpage/blog of adults

> with autism where I can ask a question. Or maybe someone her in

> 's list is himself/herself a person with autism that can give

> me input on an issue.

>

> It is simply that my 4 year old behaves differently when he is

> amongst peers with autism like himself in school than with peers

> without autism in the community or family. (He goes to a pre-school

> with children with autism.) Often, when in the company of his peers

> with autism, he does parallel play and looks at them from the corner

> of his eye but does not engage in verbal communication or much

> physical interaction. He seems to enjoy their company though (as

> opposed to one year ago when he would stay in a corner of the

> classroom alone). Now, with children without autism, he observes

> their behavior more and tries to immitate them and makes an effort

> to communicate using words and/or making physical contact. I have a

> theory about why but it is only a theory and would love to hear from

> people with autism what they think. Why they think the differnce in

> interaction or lack thereof. Of course, EVERY PERSON with autism is

> DIFFERENT but still might have more insight than ME. Thank you!

>

> Ida

>

[Guest guest]

Well, and I guess along these same lines, if he is understanding

what behavior is accepted and expected when around " NT " children,

that to me is a HUGE step in his social skills and knowledge - he is

understanding that if he behaved that way with autistic children, he

might not be understood or accepted - so he acts and responds

as " expected " ...

My thought - for what it is worth, would be to have him in as

inclusive an atmosphere as possible, in order to ENCOURAGE and set

his expectations for behavior to be that communicative child- it

will only help his communication and development towards

participating fully.

regards

lydia

>

> Hello,

>

> Can anyone help me with an email address or a webpage/blog of

adults

> with autism where I can ask a question. Or maybe someone her in

> 's list is himself/herself a person with autism that can

give

> me input on an issue.

>

> It is simply that my 4 year old behaves differently when he is

> amongst peers with autism like himself in school than with peers

> without autism in the community or family. (He goes to a pre-

school

> with children with autism.) Often, when in the company of his

peers

> with autism, he does parallel play and looks at them from the

corner

> of his eye but does not engage in verbal communication or much

> physical interaction. He seems to enjoy their company though (as

> opposed to one year ago when he would stay in a corner of the

> classroom alone). Now, with children without autism, he observes

> their behavior more and tries to immitate them and makes an effort

> to communicate using words and/or making physical contact. I have

a

> theory about why but it is only a theory and would love to hear

from

> people with autism what they think. Why they think the differnce

in

> interaction or lack thereof. Of course, EVERY PERSON with autism

is

> DIFFERENT but still might have more insight than ME. Thank you!

>

> Ida

>