Ways to describe Autism Spectrum Disorders

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We are just starting to discuss my son's diagnosis with him, and I am trying to come up with language to explain his difference, and also language he can use if he chooses to talk about his difference with his peers. My son is very, very "high-functioning" (there are so many terms that I just hate, that being another one) and I think his biggest challenge is not how he is but how he is percieved to be.

At any rate, I've been toying with the differences between Autistic thinking and NT thinking and thought of a couple of metaphors that might help NTs understand both the difficulties and the advantages of an autistic brain. I'd like more suggestions and opinions on the two I came up with:

1) Using a flashlight. This has the advantage of being demonstrable, and most people have used a flashlight in the dark and understand how it changes one's perception. The metaphor is that the NT brain is like seeing in a well-lit room; you have a good general idea and you can orient yourself fairly easily. The AS brain is like having a flashlight in a dark room: you can see whatever it's pointed at very clearly - probably more clearly than the people in the well-lit room because there is no distraction - but searching for a different object in the same room will take you a lot of time and effort - and you would be more startled by a loud noise or a touch.

2) Seeing through binoculars (meaning, metaphorically, NTs see without them.) The metaphor is similar to the above; it's hard to search for anything with binoculars but you can see what you're looking at clearly. This one has the advantage of illustrating the power behind the focus of the autistic brain; you get much more detailed information with binoculars than with your eyes.

I'm still looking for other ideas to explain to my son why he's different and why that difference can be an advantage. He is open to the metaphor at this point (though we had to change "binoculars" to "sniper rifle scope" but he got the idea.) It did explain to him why he reacts so strongly to unexpected touch - but it doesn't really help him understand the social issues. I am also not sure that he understands the power of his mind, which is considerable. Any ideas, or tweaking of the existing ideas would be welcome.

If he knows how a radio works, he can suggest to folks that it is often like tuning a radio. Sometimes the signal comes in loud and clear, (sometimes too loud) and other times it is like the signal is between stations and he has to concentrate to tune it in again with all the whoops and whistles and blaring noises until he fine tunes the signal again. When two people talk to him at the same time (being helpful, people call it) it is like he is getting two radio stations on the same frequency and he can hear both stations at once, but it is very difficult to follow both statements at the same time.

And sometimes, he just tunes out because it is less stressful than trying to get signals that he has to work so hard to decipher. That is even made more difficult because he probably doesn't want to 'ignore' other people, it is just that it is beyond his perception for a while.

Merle

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As our friend 'eddydog' (at age 11) would say:" My brain has a mind of its own!"

Wow. I love your descriptions. They "feel" so accurate to the way I seem to process things.

I tried explaining it to my wife by saying it was like I was in a shell that had a little slit in it through which I can view the outside world. I have to assemble a picture of the outside world by moving the slit around and gathering pieces. What gets assembled is correct, but problematic because it always has holes in it and things change faster than I can move the slit.

Thank you both!

I like the radio idea because of the manual tuning - some of the difference, near as I can tell, is that AS people have to do things in a much less automatic sort of way...maybe preset buttons (NT) and dial (AS?) This also allows for all the stuff NTs miss because they go directly from point A to point X and skip all the other points.

It depends on the child as children are different (my view). Also wonder whether an explanation is or is not helpful for every child. Personally, I would tend to lean toward something like a computer where there is either a small, missing computer chip (feedback loop) or a small, extra computer chip (feedback loop) which makes the computer a little different (in a way) than standard computers which come off an assembly line. Also, I tend to lean toward the idea of autism as being a kind of an associated condition to mild invisible/almost invisible cerebral palsy. I wonder whether an explanation (trying to explain the perplexing neurological glitch which is behind Autism/Asperger's) helps every child or not. Everyone is dealt an assorted hand of cards at birth and very few receive an absolutely ideal card combination. Generally speaking, all of autism and all of Asperger's is outside the control of anyone. Autism and Asperger's just happen (so to speak)(simplified). Autism/Asperger's is a spectrum. One will never find two persons with autism with identical fingerprints, not even identical autism twins. Good luck.

I have thought about the computer metaphor - but I don't like the associated connotations of people on the spectrum being compared to emotionless machines, especially when some have heightened emotional reactions that are difficult to explain.

For a kid who appears to be just like any other kid, even to himself - except when he's emphatically not - a rational explanation is important. Especially one that illustrates that a difference doesn't have to be a disability.

momsparky - I have thought about the computer metaphor - but I don't like the associated connotations of people on the spectrum being compared to emotionless machines, especially when some have heightened emotional reactions that are difficult to explain. For a kid who appears to be just like any other kid, even to himself - except when he's emphatically not - a rational explanation is important. Especially one that illustrates that a difference doesn't have to be a disability.
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A neuron in the brain/mind is electro-chemical in nature (neurotransmission)(the epilepsies/the ADHDs, etc.) vs a computer chip in a computer which is closer to electrical in nature (my understanding). At the same time, there have been a number of electrical switches invented which are electro-chemical in nature. Batteries which run computers or serve as backups during an electrical power outage are electro-chemical. There really is a lot of motion going on in computers on the molecular level of computer chips. Humans sometimes view emotions as being drops of chemicals released in the brain. A difference does not have to be a disability. Is a black and white TV inherently worse than a color TV? Is a computer which runs at one speed inherently worse than a computer which runs a little faster? The movie, Shrek 1, was made largely using computer programs so I do not myself associate computers with a lack of emotions since emotions/emotional programs can be written for computers and show up as emotional images on a movie screen. That's how I tend to look at it but it's all up to you. Do as you feel best.

While this is true - I don't think most NT humans view emotions that way, nor are they capable of making the leap you make between computer programming and human thought. There are people who think that if you don't show emotions and are like a computer, you must not have emotions like a computer...and in a worst-case scenario, this can offer them an excuse for bullying. It's not right, it doesn't make sense, but it happens.



That isn't the sense of value that I am driving at - I think a more apt metaphor to illustrate difference as opposed to disability might be a manual drive car vs an automatic car - there are situations where one might prefer one to the other - for instance, racecar drivers tend to prefer manual or semi-automatic transmissions because they have more control. Moms who have other stuff on their minds and who just need to get somewhere might want an automatic, because manual transmission cars are harder to drive. Whether one is "better" than the other depends on the use.

OK, here is another one: Most of my DS's deficits are in communication - which is really confusing for most people, since he excels in language and in reading comprehension. He also has good days and bad days that are hard to explain.

DS is in a dual-language program, which made me realize this: my son has no first language. ALL communication - verbal and nonverbal, to him, is a "second language." This would explain why he excels at reading (many people can read or write in their second language, but can't speak fluently) It would also explain why he is sometimes able to interpret things correctly, and sometimes not: anyone who speaks a second language knows that you have days where you are more fluent than others.


How about this - does it seem to fit?

Here's yet another idea (and I'd love feedback on all of these, jump in anytime)

I realized that the metaphors above don't necessarily cover all the sensory input/feedback, and I thought of this:

Imagine you are standing in the aisle in front of the bank of televisions at a major department store. Imagine, also, that the sound on all these TVs is turned up quite loud. Immediately in front of you is your favorite TV show. Up and to the right is a documentary you are supposed to be watching, and that you'll be tested on. At the bottom, there's some kind of cop drama where people are screaming and shooting each other, there's a soap opera on which a woman is sobbing, and on one channel someone is saying your name over and over and over again. On another, there's a kid's show where there is music and another is just a loudly dripping faucet.

While all this is happening, people in the department store are hurrying past you. Some bump into you so you have to keep your feet under you, some stop and talk to you about how loud the TVs are, some walk in front of you.

Now, take a test (right there, standing in the aisle) on the documentary. At the same time, turn to your neighbor and make a pertinent comment about the woman sobbing in the soap opera, or the people being shot in the cop show.

I think this is kind of like what school is for my son.

For the sensory issues, I've figured out how to explain it to people who've done a particular thing in science class - the tasting a particular type of piece of paper to see whether or not you can taste it (some people can, some can't). People get confused by me because I did taste it and have no strong memory of the instance, while all of those NTs who could taste it have distinctive memories of it. For them, it was a special unusual thing. For me, that level of sudden, bad sensory input as well as that strongly negative because its just wrong is such a daily thing that I have no distinctive memory. What for them is unusual is just a regular occurrence with all my senses.

How about this one? All NT's are right, and wander around the room in pitch darkness talking so much they only see what they hear! Your suggestions are loaded with the bias that high functioning autism is a deficit and NT is the normal condition. perhaps you could say ' you have the ability to think differently and solve problems in a new way. duh

patiz, statisically, most people are neurologically typical. Thus, to be "normal," statistically, is not to have autism.

Also, for many, many people on the spectrum, autism IS a deficit. In fact, in order to get a diagnosis, one of the criteria is that the person must be "significantly impaired" by the condition.

Momsparky, I can't really understand your first too ideas (I think I'm too literal), but the one about the TVs is a lot like what I experience.

patiz, why are you assuming I'm NT? I started this thread because I think a dialogue is important, but I'm not of the opinion that all aspects of autism are disabling, and I am of the opinion that many of my and my son's strengths come from autism; I wouldn't want to change the way I am, or the way my son is.

However, a way to communicate the differences and explain the disabling parts (and most people who are adversely affected by extreme sensory issues are disabled by them) would be very helpful to both NT and AS. I would ask you - are you ableist? Do you think there is something wrong with admitting to a disability when there is one?

Thank you, SouperTrouper - your feedback is really helpful, as always.

I like the computer metaphors. Computers were originally designed on the functioning of the human brain - and inorganic 'replica' of the organic one. Also, the computer analog usually includes references to both NT and AS equating both to differing operating systems. I don't see that as 'dehumanizing' as in any way.

patiz, statisically, most people are neurologically typical? What study shows that! stats mean nothing.

I agree debate is good, but unless we as a asd community, set the boundaries of the debate and importantly the language of the debate we will always be subject to the predatory language of NT's, who seek authority over minorities.

Am I a ableist, no I am a individual who is discriminated against because I do not fit in with what the NT's call the social norm. You may not be NT, but you seem to use NT language, maybe to compensate for what you call a deficit, I simply say I will not conform to NT social paths and I will not compensate by using their language which is hierarchical, we should encourage the new generation of ASD individuals to think of themselves as the group who will bring the new advances in thinking, mathematics and technology, such as Newton, Einstein and Turing.