Verbal Communications Differences and Difficulties Sticky

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Oh! Labpet, I simply MUST tell you about this. I went to the local big box bookstore looking for a particular Spanish book that they did not have. They had the Arabic version. I got distracted and started looking at the nearby Autism section and there was a new book- Schuyler's Monster. It is really cool! It is about this little nonverbal girl and her family. She talks with a device. A few different diagnoses are tried out...PDD, polymicrogyria...nothing really fits. As it turns out, her father (the author) has a blog also, Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords.
I think you would find it very absorbing. The dad is not only wickedly funny and honest (as far as I can tell), but also, well, I can see how you would appreciate it on several levels: in something of a kindred way, as a neuroscientist, and also as a reader, because the book is just so interesting and well-written.

Thank you, so much, for the link riverotter. I love his sense of humor and attitude - I think I would like him and his family. The book seems to have a different perspective with regard to Schuyler. And she has a great dad.

I have a duality with my coordination in that I move really well (& have a lot of nervous energy). My fine motor skills can be superior. For ex: I use a Crystat with a microtome blade to cut neural tissue at 30 microm, and I'm smooth/fast. Part of my advantage is that I use BOTH hands, not just R or L. Supposedly I am ambidextrous. There is another less known 'version' of handedness that was once suggested to me and I suspect I'm in this category, and likely many of you here too. Bad part....unsure of the term.

But in essence it means most people are R handed, some L. And some ambi to varying degrees. Then, separately, there's a category of 'non-handed.' This means I'm likely not really ambidextrous, I just have no dominance! Often I'll need to consciously think about which hand to use and if the task 'feels' awkward then I'll switch. Same with tools - switch back and forth. I think roadracer may have this as well, unsure. I can paint and draw but my handwriting can be unreadable (it's ok; I'll have a PhD so I'm allowed). I cannot use chopsticks either.

Labpet,
Do you happen to watch Big Bang Theory? Leonards mother was on tonights episode and she was just like Sheldon, very aspie like. I forget what her degrees where in, but something like neuroscience. She was taking Sheldon to scan his brain, for her study. For some reason I thought of you

Yeah, I am 'non handed', like you describe I don't use one hand over the other. Since I pretty much cant write with my hands, I am just as good with ether. I probably don't count thow, because my problem is more with muscle tone in my hands, and as I get older they seem to get stiffer. My hands work more like a person with spacticity or CP. This is in other muscles to, like if I don't stretch twice a day my achilles tendons get to tight to be able to walk normal. Luckily nothin wrong with my legs, just my feet and upper body. Although my troubles are very mild compared to most people with something like CP.

Todd

Well I was once working one day and I was asked if I was left handed. I asked the person why they thought I might be left handed, they then said that they saw me use a tool with my left hand. I then commented that my left hand was closer to the object and the spanner, so I used my left not my right. For some tools I am ambidextrous, but for other tools I am righthanded. So I am partly ambidextrous as for some tools I am equally good (or equally bad) with either hand. Some tools which are chiral and for a right handed person only feel OK in my right hand.



Glad to hear that you are putting some practise in with the "doctor's handwriting", <joke>did you not know that when they issue a PhD certificate that they take your neat handwriting certificate and revoke it. That is what will happen just after the viva.</joke> I have handwriting which is a bit idiosyncratic, I once meet a man who was a hand writing expert. He saw the way I write and said that he had never seen anything like it before but it is nice and readable.

I am ambidextrous when it comes to playing video games - nun chuck in left hand, remote in right hand.

Yeah, I am same way with Guitar Hero, when my left hand gets tired from hitting the buttons, I flip it around and use my right. I'm just as bad at it with both hands

Todd

Just must watch - roadrunner with love this one. The annual (summertime, of course!) Alaska Challenge is the World's most reknowned & extensive wheelchair race with top racers from all over the world. I LOVE to watch those racers - I live in Fairbanks. They start in Fairbanks and race 267 miles to Anchorage - wow! These athletes train at Olympic levels. Amazing - just no words to describe.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LalIID_ ... re=related

Mostly I just posted because, like roadracer wrote, atheletes DO overcome a lot. So do Autists, even those who are NV.

Great video labpet,
I really don't feel like I have overcome much to become a cyclist, sure maybe it has been a little harder for me, but it is more that cycling just seemed to be a perfect fit for me. The reason I talk about it and relate things to it so much is because I see a lot of people on wrongplanet that say, they are not good at sports, because they cant catch a ball or they are to clumsy or ect...... I could go on all day. Pretty much there is a sport for everybody. Even if they never want to do a sport, I still see so many people on wrongplanet that lack the confidence to take a risk and try to achieve what they dream of doing. I really admire the people on hear that do take that chance to follow there dreams. We tell kids "you can be what ever you want when you grow up" but if a adult say "I want to be a nascar racer" people laugh at him and say "yeah right". But any nascar driver would tell you how possible it is to get there. Ultimately the decision is yours and I think that most of the athletes in the video would feel the same way.
Okay, I will step down from my soapbox (again)

Todd

Impressive the idea of a 200 plus mile wheel chair race, the racing wheel chairs look a bit more advanced than those which I saw in the mid 1990s being used on the wheel chair version of the London Marathon.

I would be interested to know if the "average" wheel chair user would be able to beat the "average" normal person in a wheel chair race. As a "normal" person is not used to useing their hands to move themselves from A to B they would be likely to have less upper body strength. So a person who is a 365 day a year wheel chair user could have a good chance of being able to beat Mr average.

Yes, I am pretty sure a average wheel chair user would be able to beat the average joe in a wheel chair race.
I used to have a job at a store, where when closed, every so often we would have a wheel chair race down the isles and sure it hurt, especialy because we didnt know what we where doing.

Also I am pretty sure the average wheel chair user could go faster then the average person can sprint

Todd

The Challenger Racers can go approximately 35 miles per day and the 'road' can be at a steep incline & often wet/slippery. I should think going downhill might be scarier! The wheelchairs can be made from Titanium - pricey and very high-tech.
I know those racers, who come from everywhere around the world, are considered world-class athletes and they train intensely on all terrain.

They're just amazing. Thanks roadracer; I agree, I'm lousy at sports but active (& like to play) with a lot of nervous energy. Still my favorite has to be swinging (yes, swingset nearby).

I have found something as good or better than a swing set, and best of all it is legal ! When I get the chance I will describe this thing.

OK, I have eaten now so I can tell you about a recent experience I had.

I had some hours to wait for something and I was hanging around a town I had never visited before. I tried to write something for that blog which I keep on meaning to write but I had writers block, I was walking in a park and I noticed something novel. I hope that this gadget does not get banned like the witch’s hat which used to be in playgrounds in the UK.

It is a thing on a slope with a rail which is about 8 feet above the ground, the rail starts on a high spot which has steps which go up to it. Attached to the rail is a thing which slides along it and has wheels, so it moves with very little friction. The rail drops down for about 2 meters at a 45 degree angle and then goes for about 4 meters in a straight line. It then turns to one side and goes for another few meters before it goes up slightly and then comes to an end.

What you do is to tow the thing with wheels to the top of the rail using the length of rope attached, stand at the top and grab it with both hands. You then jump up and start zooming along holding on as tight as you can. It is like an aerial run way with an interesting twist, as you make the 90 degree turn you feel your legs whiz out to one side and a few seconds later you come to a stop when you hit the end stop.

I think it was designed for children and as woodpecker is a tall man he has the problem that his feet tend to bounce onto the floor at the bottom of the 45 degree slope, I think it would be better for a slightly shorter person such as LabPet. After having a few goes I then went back to the swing, I was soon swinging through pi radians and I was able to look over the top bar at the horizon.

I recall having read the following article some years ago

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 55860.html

This is about a able bodied man who became involved in wheel chair racing, I hold the view that as long as he is open about the fact that he is able bodied AND the disabled athletes agree to it then he should be allowed to join in with the races. I think it was wearing the "official Paralympic kit" which got him into hot water.

Hm... my selective mutism is getting worse. Right now in the Day Treatment Program and I found myself unable to speak for hours on end - which has never quite happened before. I was only able to speak again when the day came to a close. Maybe I'll have a better day tomorrow.

I know how you feel, I have good days and bad days with speeking, although I usually don't think of it like that, but it defiantly can be very frustrating, especially when you want to say something so badly, but just cant talk.
What is a day treatment program? Is this speech therapy or something like that? I am in the process of trying to get speech device, not sure what it is like in Canada but here they make you jump a bunch of hurdles to get one, then I am not even sure they will give me one.

Day Treatment Program is intensive cognitive behaviour therapy, geared towards those who have attempted suicide and/or dealing with suicidal thoughts.