An article on ASD and imitating behaviors

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http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pos ... ty-imitate

I'm so glad to see an article like this in the general public! I learned the same thing this author did via wrongplanet and my son. ASD kids don't have to learn everything natural to NTs. Some really don't have any value, especially to the ASD kid. Why waste their time and patience? When something is necessary and the person sees the value in it, he'll learn it. I particularly appreciate learning that my son can't look someone in the eye and think at the same time. Yes, there are times it is important to look someone in the eye, but being brief is okay, especially at his age.

The author of the article seems to be making some generalizations. My 8yr old ASD daughter has become obsessed with a girl in her class and is imitating everything she does from behavior through to the way she talks.

I have always imitated other people and apparently it was a problem for my parents because I would learn the wrong things. Also if you have a child that way, you do not want them in a class with special needs kids or in a special school so it makes it a catch 22 for the parents.

My little guy is in a HFA preschool class. He has this very distinct "Oh, no" he picked up from some YouTube video, it is really adorable and funny. My husband says that 1/2 the class now says "Oh, no" just the way he does now. I know he picks stuff up all the time from us, videos and other kids. However he only does it if he thinks it is funny or interesting.