06 May 2011, 5:20 pm
Anie
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Gender: Female
Posts: 57
Location: NYC metro, a majickal place
06 May 2011, 6:04 pm
06 May 2011, 6:09 pm
06 May 2011, 8:23 pm
Verdandi
Veteran
Joined: 7 Dec 2010
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Posts: 12,275
Location: University of California Sunnydale (fictional location - Real location Olympia, WA)
06 May 2011, 8:38 pm
nirrti_rachelle
Veteran
Joined: 21 Jul 2005
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Posts: 1,302
Location: The Dirty South
06 May 2011, 9:19 pm
Todesking wrote:
There have been two times when the people responsible for them did a quick look around in the bank to make sure they got all their people loaded in the van and someone in line with me would say to them this one still has to see the cashier. The one they were talking about was me each time. I guess I come off as belonging to the group home people. 
I'm getting my master's in Special Education which requires that I volunteer for a number of hours in classrooms for kids with special needs.
One time, a teacher from another classroom came to visit the one I was in and she didn't notice me at first because she thought I was one of the students. Keep in mind this was a class in which the kids were obviously mentally disabled and needed constant help with self care.
My former coworkers thought I was "slow" to the point where they treated me like I was three years old. This was in spite of the fact I had gotten a college degree and was currently working on a Master's.
I don't think labels of "high" or "low" functioning matter that much in the real world. To many NTs, we are just a bunch of mentally disabled people regardless of functioning and trying to enforce a social hierarchy in which AS means "better" than "those other people" is ridiculous.
Last edited by nirrti_rachelle on 06 May 2011, 9:23 pm, edited 3 times in total.
06 May 2011, 9:21 pm
06 May 2011, 9:26 pm
07 May 2011, 4:15 am
Verdandi
Veteran
Joined: 7 Dec 2010
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Posts: 12,275
Location: University of California Sunnydale (fictional location - Real location Olympia, WA)
07 May 2011, 5:38 am
Bauhauswife wrote:
They are mysterious little monkeys. My son for some reason took a huge liking to his uncle this past Thanksgiving, whereas before he never really paid much attention to his uncle at all. There are times when he runs to me with hugs, and other times when he doesn't even seem to know I'm in the room, even if I call his name.
I try to see those moments of cognition as a possibility for things to turn around for him. If there's a spark, maybe one day there will be a flame.
I try to see those moments of cognition as a possibility for things to turn around for him. If there's a spark, maybe one day there will be a flame.
I would say that I never saw a lack of cognition in this particular child, but I am not sure others saw him the same way. When your son doesn't seem to notice you, it could be any number of things, like sensory issues, focused on something else, or a shutdown, or some other thing. I know a trait that I think is common in autism and ADHD both is to get so absorbed in something as to not notice other people trying to get your attention. I mean, I still get like this occasionally and I'm 41.
Something I came across on the forum when I first started reading here was interesting to me, though. People talked about being able to read some or a few other autistic people's body language and vice versa. I don't know enough information to say. But it was an interesting thought.
I don't know, I guess what I'm suggesting is that there may very well be more cognition than may be visible. Here's hoping your interventions get good results.
Er, and I don't mean to minimize anything. I apologize if I came across that way.
07 May 2011, 6:55 am
Verdandi wrote:
Bauhauswife wrote:
They are mysterious little monkeys. My son for some reason took a huge liking to his uncle this past Thanksgiving, whereas before he never really paid much attention to his uncle at all. There are times when he runs to me with hugs, and other times when he doesn't even seem to know I'm in the room, even if I call his name.
I try to see those moments of cognition as a possibility for things to turn around for him. If there's a spark, maybe one day there will be a flame.
I try to see those moments of cognition as a possibility for things to turn around for him. If there's a spark, maybe one day there will be a flame.
I would say that I never saw a lack of cognition in this particular child, but I am not sure others saw him the same way. When your son doesn't seem to notice you, it could be any number of things, like sensory issues, focused on something else, or a shutdown, or some other thing. I know a trait that I think is common in autism and ADHD both is to get so absorbed in something as to not notice other people trying to get your attention. I mean, I still get like this occasionally and I'm 41.
Something I came across on the forum when I first started reading here was interesting to me, though. People talked about being able to read some or a few other autistic people's body language and vice versa. I don't know enough information to say. But it was an interesting thought.
I don't know, I guess what I'm suggesting is that there may very well be more cognition than may be visible. Here's hoping your interventions get good results.
Er, and I don't mean to minimize anything. I apologize if I came across that way.
I wonder that also, if people on the spectrum can sense one another, sort of pick up on each others "vibes", for lack of a better word. Almost like an unspoken language. Maybe that little boy felt a comfort from your presence.
As far as cognition I think you may be right. Eric has very particular episodes of tv shows that he likes, and to observe him, it would seem as though he's not really watching it at all, but when the show is over, he comes to you to play it again. He IS watching, but in his own way. Sometimes he'll cover the tv with a towel, leaving only a one inch strip of the screen uncovered, and he'll watch it like that. Maybe watching it the way the average person views television is too much sensory input for him.
Your post didn't seem minimizing at all. I'm here for answers, ideas... I can read medical texts 'til I'm blue in the face, but they're too clinical, too sterile; that won't really give me understanding from a personal, human level.
07 May 2011, 7:32 am
cyberdad wrote:
wavefreak58 wrote:
I have no problem with lower-functioning autistic people and I understand that some people may be better/worse than me in different ways, but as I was there hoping to socialise with other HF autistic people I decided this group was not for me. Or to be more precise; I left feeling upset and embarrassed, but vowed to go to the next public meeting to check them out before ruling the group out completely. .
I'm the same. But situational factors do have to be accounted for.
I was in the playground with my daughter and a 12yr old boy took over the swing and wouldn't get off. He seemed a bit slow in his movements and a few other kids gathered round waiting for him to finish. Then without warning he began licking the ropes of the swing and caused the other parents to be repulsed. They gathered their kids and walked off.
I asked my daughter to wait as I talked to the boy and asked him if he could give my daughter a turn on the swing. Then without warning two teenagers appeared and blasted me verbally for interfering with their brother. I explained to them that I was only talking to him. One of the teens said he was autistic and I should be more considerate. I was left stunned, I only was trying to interact with the boy.
It occurred to me that family of LFA children maybe highly sensitive to what other people's views are. Engaging with LFA children or even adults needs to be in accordance with their families expressed permission.
This is one of the main reasons why I feel parents with LFA children(or ANY disability) should include their children into more public activities. My little guy gets a lot of stares, although I don't think he's repulsed anyone yet...YET!
There are a lot of people who lack understanding or compassion, and since their world is perfect, they don't feel they have any need for those characteristics. Maybe they feel like they aren't obligated to extend those feelings to a stranger, and I suppose they're put out by people who could use a little understanding and compassion. If they encountered more people on the lower end of the spectrum, maybe they'd be able to make room for them in their life experience.
I wouldn't react the way those kids did to you. I welcome anyone who wants to interact with my son, as long as it's positive interaction. Maybe they've run into too many people like the ones I mentioned above...I can see where after a while it might put you in a constant state of defensiveness. But they're also kids, so maybe as time goes by they'll find a better way to deal with situations like that, and not feel the need to put everyone in the same box.
Also...there's a lot to be said for Clorox sanitizing wipes.
AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Posts: 7,665
Location: Houston, Texas
07 May 2011, 10:21 am
Bauhauswife wrote:
cyberdad wrote:
wavefreak58 wrote:
I have no problem with lower-functioning autistic people and I understand that some people may be better/worse than me in different ways, but as I was there hoping to socialise with other HF autistic people I decided this group was not for me. Or to be more precise; I left feeling upset and embarrassed, but vowed to go to the next public meeting to check them out before ruling the group out completely. .
I'm the same. But situational factors do have to be accounted for.
I was in the playground with my daughter and a 12yr old boy took over the swing and wouldn't get off. He seemed a bit slow in his movements and a few other kids gathered round waiting for him to finish. Then without warning he began licking the ropes of the swing and caused the other parents to be repulsed. They gathered their kids and walked off.
I asked my daughter to wait as I talked to the boy and asked him if he could give my daughter a turn on the swing. Then without warning two teenagers appeared and blasted me verbally for interfering with their brother. I explained to them that I was only talking to him. One of the teens said he was autistic and I should be more considerate. I was left stunned, I only was trying to interact with the boy.
It occurred to me that family of LFA children maybe highly sensitive to what other people's views are. Engaging with LFA children or even adults needs to be in accordance with their families expressed permission.
This is one of the main reasons why I feel parents with LFA children(or ANY disability) should include their children into more public activities. My little guy gets a lot of stares, although I don't think he's repulsed anyone yet...YET!
There are a lot of people who lack understanding or compassion, and since their world is perfect, they don't feel they have any need for those characteristics. Maybe they feel like they aren't obligated to extend those feelings to a stranger, and I suppose they're put out by people who could use a little understanding and compassion. If they encountered more people on the lower end of the spectrum, maybe they'd be able to make room for them in their life experience.
I wouldn't react the way those kids did to you. I welcome anyone who wants to interact with my son, as long as it's positive interaction. Maybe they've run into too many people like the ones I mentioned above...I can see where after a while it might put you in a constant state of defensiveness. But they're also kids, so maybe as time goes by they'll find a better way to deal with situations like that, and not feel the need to put everyone in the same box.
Also...there's a lot to be said for Clorox sanitizing wipes.
Teenagers can be overbearing when they exercise authority. That's just the fact of the matter.
And it sounds like you played it pretty well, and this is something that's taken me a while to learn. If somebody (or two somebodies) need space, I will give them space, without the intervening step of asking if they 'should' need space. Need space, I'll give space.
Akari_Blue
Hummingbird
Joined: 14 Nov 2010
Age: 32
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 21
Location: near Seattle, WA
07 May 2011, 10:39 am
07 May 2011, 10:46 am
07 May 2011, 4:20 pm
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