Guest guest Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 My son doesnt act out for attention but that is a comment that I have heard many times from parents of children with AS "they are looking for attention". Often times the attention just happens to fall on my son because he is not socially aware and often times unfocused to the point that he needs to be redirected. I dont think that it is a way of saying that he needs attention as much as it is a way of just him being himself. Some kids just need to be constantly reassured of what they are doing (mine was like that for years) and that can be viewed as seeking attention. This is not to say that your own child is not seeking the attention that he needs to feel comfortable. He may need the guidance to feel comfortable. If it is putting his hands on others then he may just need to get that 'bubble' populated really work on the 'this is my space' with him, pointing out different situations on shows and in real life to hit it home. ( ) Attention seeking I recently attended a workshop lead by a doctor who specializes in ASD. He said that autistic/asperger kids do NOT act out for attention. This completely confused me as it seems most of my son's behavioral issues are for attention. His OT has even commented that part of his behavioral issues are sensory related but most seem to be for attention, good or bad. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself at home and school and is constantly needing the attention of at least one person. He just doesn't know how to get it in a socially acceptable way.Do any of your AS kids act out for attention? If so, how do you deal with it? This doctor's comment has left me wondering if my son has the right dx, even though AS fits with all of his other behaviors.Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 I am very interested to hear the replies on this one - my as yet undiagnosed dd 8 fits every box of the AS dx but does indeed act out for attention. However most of this is by interrupting conversations, hanging off of me, trying to bite my clothes and generally refusing to share me with the greater world. She will attempt to interrupt a general conversation to start a private one with me and this is not just a lack of awareness of others around her, this is a trying to "own" Mum exercise that she has done from being a baby. I have always felt like she considers me her private property and she does all she can to reinforce that (obviously I don't constantly allow this but it doesn't stop her trying). From: Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 1:55 PM Subject: ( ) Attention seeking I recently attended a workshop lead by a doctor who specializes in ASD. He said that autistic/asperger kids do NOT act out for attention. This completely confused me as it seems most of my son's behavioral issues are for attention. His OT has even commented that part of his behavioral issues are sensory related but most seem to be for attention, good or bad. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself at home and school and is constantly needing the attention of at least one person. He just doesn't know how to get it in a socially acceptable way.Do any of your AS kids act out for attention? If so, how do you deal with it? This doctor's comment has left me wondering if my son has the right dx, even though AS fits with all of his other behaviors.Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 Hi, I don't see my son acting out for attention. When he "does his thing", it's because he's frustrated and has either had enough or has no clue as to what to do anymore...so he freaks. It took me a while to see this, though. Wondering what he could control and what was just being a "stubborn" or "naughty". Breaks my heart now,,,,,,,,,,thinking back to the times when I should have stood up to him more instead of almost making it worse by not "giving in"....if that makes sense. Or,,,,,,what really makes me feel guilty, even to this day, is when I'd let other parents, teachers or complete strangers reactions' to my son dictate how I treated him. Instead of being his "defender",,,,,,I was probably embarrassed and angry and frustrated because I didn't' know what to do. Ugh. It's taken time,,,,,but I refuse to believe that, being the attentive, loving and almost hovering parent that I am,,,,,that his "actions" are attention-seeking....ya know? Once we started addressing his "actions" and either leaving and removing from the situation or doing whatever we needed to do (to a point)............things got better for him and us.Sorry about the book.........good luck. Robin From: <drewkoala@...>Subject: ( ) Attention seeking Date: Monday, January 11, 2010, 7:55 AM I recently attended a workshop lead by a doctor who specializes in ASD.. He said that autistic/asperger kids do NOT act out for attention. This completely confused me as it seems most of my son's behavioral issues are for attention. His OT has even commented that part of his behavioral issues are sensory related but most seem to be for attention, good or bad. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself at home and school and is constantly needing the attention of at least one person. He just doesn't know how to get it in a socially acceptable way.Do any of your AS kids act out for attention? If so, how do you deal with it? This doctor's comment has left me wondering if my son has the right dx, even though AS fits with all of his other behaviors.Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 My 13 yr old daughter does this as well and they are saying that she has Aspergers Syndrome as well. One of the things that she does to get attention is to say that she is going to take a knife and kill herself. The doctor told me to try telling her when she does this " ok, when you are done, you don't get to play the wii for the rest of the day " . I tried it the other day and amazingly it worked and she hasn't done it since. They said to keep calling her on things when she is trying to get attention-especially the bad type of attention. Theresa ( ) Attention seeking I recently attended a workshop lead by a doctor who specializes in ASD. He said that autistic/asperger kids do NOT act out for attention. This completely confused me as it seems most of my son's behavioral issues are for attention. His OT has even commented that part of his behavioral issues are sensory related but most seem to be for attention, good or bad. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself at home and school and is constantly needing the attention of at least one person. He just doesn't know how to get it in a socially acceptable way. Do any of your AS kids act out for attention? If so, how do you deal with it? This doctor's comment has left me wondering if my son has the right dx, even though AS fits with all of his other behaviors. Thanks, ------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2010 Report Share Posted January 11, 2010 Our daughter, who will be 4 this month, definitely acts out for attention. I am wondering what the doctor's definition of " acting out " is though. Does my daughter have negative behaviors to try to get our attention? Yes. Are her meltdowns for attention? No. There are controllable behaviors that are definitely attention seeking. Such as interrupting on the phone, not listening, etc. Then, there are meltdowns, which she cannot control. She is definitely not seeking attention, this is how she responds to sensory overload. As far as how do we deal with it?? We try our best to ignore the behaviors we don't want to see, and offer LOTS of positive praise for good behavior. We have really started pointing out every little " good " thing she does, and the negative behaviors have decreased. > > I recently attended a workshop lead by a doctor who specializes in ASD. He said that autistic/asperger kids do NOT act out for attention. This completely confused me as it seems most of my son's behavioral issues are for attention. His OT has even commented that part of his behavioral issues are sensory related but most seem to be for attention, good or bad. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself at home and school and is constantly needing the attention of at least one person. He just doesn't know how to get it in a socially acceptable way. > > Do any of your AS kids act out for attention? If so, how do you deal with it? This doctor's comment has left me wondering if my son has the right dx, even though AS fits with all of his other behaviors. > > Thanks, > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 , your daughter sounds very much like my yet undiagnosed 5 year old Aspie -- also a girl. So ... if they have been doing this since babyhood, and we have not been able to get it to stop inspite of all of our best efforts, could this be "typical" behavior for a child with asperger's who does not perceive her social settings (thus interrupts conversations, invades personal space, etc.) and feels most comfortable with mom? I ask myself these same questions ... is this for attention or do we need to work more on "training" the way they perceive the situation and teaching them the correct way to enter a conversation, etc. This is a good dialogue and I'm going to keep reading for more help! Thanks to all of you who have more experience than we do! ----- ( ) Attention seeking I recently attended a workshop lead by a doctor who specializes in ASD. He said that autistic/asperger kids do NOT act out for attention. This completely confused me as it seems most of my son's behavioral issues are for attention. His OT has even commented that part of his behavioral issues are sensory related but most seem to be for attention, good or bad. He has a hard time keeping his hands to himself at home and school and is constantly needing the attention of at least one person. He just doesn't know how to get it in a socially acceptable way.Do any of your AS kids act out for attention? If so, how do you deal with it? This doctor's comment has left me wondering if my son has the right dx, even though AS fits with all of his other behaviors.Thanks, ____________________________________________________________ Love SpellClick here to light up your life with a love spell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2010 Report Share Posted November 22, 2010 How do you guys handle attention seeking behavior at school? My fifth grader with asperger's tries to get attention from his peers in ways that completely alienate him from his peers. I can't really think in advance of all the behaviors he might do, so it is difficult to anticipate and warn him against these things. His impulse control is just really poor. Any hints? He's on prozac and it is really helping his OCD symptoms, does this perhaps harm his impulse control, though? Thanks in advance. He did something outrageous today at school and I can't even bring myself to describe it, but safe to say, he had no friends before this and I don't really see this helping things any at all... Lately it seems like I spend most of my time being mortified at what my asperger's kids (I have more than one) might say or do say.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2010 Report Share Posted November 23, 2010 i wished i had an answer for this. My 15 year old son has done the same thing. I am going tonight to give a talk at church to his peers. All I try to do is tell him it is wrong, etc. But in his mind he is right:) Theresa > > How do you guys handle attention seeking behavior at school? My fifth grader with asperger's tries to get attention from his peers in ways that completely alienate him from his peers. I can't really think in advance of all the behaviors he might do, so it is difficult to anticipate and warn him against these things. His impulse control is just really poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 I would get him into a social skill program. I think you can help him by teaching better ways to interact with others and that will help fill the options he has. Roxanna "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Jefferson ( ) attention seeking How do you guys handle attention seeking behavior at school? My fifth grader with asperger's tries to get attention from his peers in ways that completely alienate him from his peers. I can't really think in advance of all the behaviors he might do, so it is difficult to anticipate and warn him against these things. His impulse control is just really poor. Any hints? He's on prozac and it is really helping his OCD symptoms, does this perhaps harm his impulse control, though? Thanks in advance. He did something outrageous today at school and I can't even bring myself to describe it, but safe to say, he had no friends before this and I don't really see this helping things any at all... Lately it seems like I spend most of my time being mortified at what my asperger's kids (I have more than one) might say or do say.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2010 Report Share Posted December 22, 2010 What kind of things does he do? Try to be funny, for example? If that’s the case, give him a safe space at home to do it. Teach him that this is the kind of thing you do at home, not at school. On 12/22/10 8:31 PM, " Roxanna " <MadIdeas@...> wrote: I would get him into a social skill program. I think you can help him by teaching better ways to interact with others and that will help fill the options he has. Roxanna " I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. " - Jefferson ( ) attention seeking How do you guys handle attention seeking behavior at school? My fifth grader with asperger's tries to get attention from his peers in ways that completely alienate him from his peers. I can't really think in advance of all the behaviors he might do, so it is difficult to anticipate and warn him against these things. His impulse control is just really poor. Any hints? He's on prozac and it is really helping his OCD symptoms, does this perhaps harm his impulse control, though? Thanks in advance. He did something outrageous today at school and I can't even bring myself to describe it, but safe to say, he had no friends before this and I don't really see this helping things any at all... Lately it seems like I spend most of my time being mortified at what my asperger's kids (I have more than one) might say or do say.... -- “The fact that life evolved out of nearly nothing, some 10 billion years after the universe evolved out of literally nothing, is a fact so staggering that I would be mad to attempt words to do it justice.” -- Dawkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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