Asperger's, ADD/ADHD, and Response to Sensory Information

[Crabapple]

The only thing I can think to add is that when my younger son was "stimming" in an inappropriate way at school, they taped some textured fabric to his desk to give him something else to play with. Thank God for an understanding teacher and a clever speech therapist.

Wow, what a great teacher! And therapist!
I might have done something similar in kindergarten... but I'll never 'fess up now.

And if you weren't already aware. I have Asperger's Syndrome, and some of what is written about it on the Internet is quite wrong.

Yeah, I picked up on that when you mentioned the Asperger's furher (Oops, Freudian!) further back in the thread.

As for what Asperger's is, I haven't read much about it on-line. Would anyone agree that most "diagnoses" leave out individuality or just say that one is atypical when one doesn't totally match the symptoms or agree with the diagnosis, or something?... As far as I'm concerned, reading about mbti or autism can be enlightening, but no personality type or diagnosis can encompass the totality of who one is... They're kinda helpful, but "as through a glass, darkly", if you catch my drift.

I might be wrong. I certainly haven't studied these issues.

I'm gonna go read the website Uberfurher mentioned....

 

[cafe]

I agree with crabapple. Some of the criteria do not fit every person on the spectrum.

My older son is most likely an extroverted sensor (ESTJ, if I just had to guess) and both of them have always been very snuggly and had no problems with eye contact. Older son doesn't flap (he chews things, especially shirt collars). Younger son does flap a little.

Neither of them have a thing for lining things up. Younger son does like things that spin.

Older son doesn't flip out from most loud sounds and is loud himself. Younger son will start screaming if you start the vacuum without warning him and if he can, he will leave the house until the noise is over.

Both sons are well-above average at math for their grades. Older son doesn't like reading, but reads well. Younger son is having issues with reading due to his rigid way of looking at things.

Older son really only cares about video games. Younger son loves all kinds of science. Animals, machines, space.

Taking things literally is a standard family joke. Even the neurotypical NF daughter does it.

 

[The Ü™]

I agree with crabapple. Some of the criteria do not fit every person on the spectrum.

Yes, but can't we generalize? It makes things so much easier (and satisfying)!

 

[Crabapple]

Aside: I am glad that there's less stigma and more understanding than in the days I was a kid.

 

[cafe]

Aside: I am glad that there's less stigma and more understanding than in the days I was a kid.

With some of the activist moms out there, a person is taking their life in their hands to stigmatize autistic children.

 

[wildcat]

Whenever I see connections between things, I obsess about them.

And if you weren't already aware. I have Asperger's Syndrome, and some of what is written about it on the Internet is quite wrong.

I am curious to know as to what is wrong written in the net.
Do not give me the links. Just narrate it in a nutshell.

 

[The Ü™]

Well, there is a certain conception about what's described about AS and HFA on the Internet. The perception is that people with these disabilities are concrete in their thinking and lack imagination because of a lack of desire to engage in imaginative play with others.

 

[wildcat]

A lack of desire to play with others has no connection with imagination.

Concrete thinking is not the negation of abstract thinking.
The reverse is true.

Neurotypicality and neuroatypicality disagree in a kind of ability.
Not in a measure of ability.

The autists do have specific disabilities. The neurotypicals have another set of disabilities.

To call the autists disabled per se .. is prejudice.

 

[Crabapple]

Hmmmm.... Differently abled?

 

[wildcat]

Hmmmm.... Differently abled?

you hit the nail on the head sister

 

[Crabapple]

I don't know if I agree with differently abled. I may appear fairly able now, but as a kid I was definitely dis-abled. I mean, It wasn't until I was three that I figured out what people were doing when they made mouth noise (spoke). My sister and I had made up a language of gestures, which is an ability- but not being able to speak (until eight) so as to be understood is definitely a disablity.

 

[wildcat]

I don't know if I agree with differently abled. I may appear fairly able now, but as a kid I was definitely dis-abled. I mean, It wasn't until I was three that I figured out what people were doing when they made mouth noise (spoke). My sister and I had made up a language of gestures, which is an ability- but not being able to speak (until eight) so as to be understood is definitely a disablity.

Exactly.

Differently abled and disabled. Definitely.

 

[Crabapple]

Exactly.

Differently abled and disabled. Definitely.

Huh? How can it be both?

 

[wildcat]

Huh? How can it be both?

It can only be both. There are many neuroatypical people here. What we have in common is different ability and different disability. The reverse of the neurotypical norm.
The neurotypicals do not see their disability as a disability. They see it as a norm. And we, who are able in the things where they fail, are invisible to them.
Most of us never enter the high school in spite of our better theoretical ability. The tests of entry are made for the neurotypical mind.
We do not understand the questions not only because of our different disability but also because of our different ability.
Ability is the other side of disability. Disability is ability seen from the other side.
Look out of the window. And what do you see? The neurotypicals going about their daily activities.
And how are they conducting these activities?
If you live in NYC maybe you do not see it so clearly.

Unfortunately autism is seen only as a disability. We are outside of the norm. And who decides the norm?

 

[Crabapple]

Now I understand. Thank you.

 

[wildcat]

Now I understand. Thank you.

I knew you would.
In the intpc they didn't.

 

[KLessard]

Wow, all of this is so interesting.
I just watched a documentary about Dr Temple Grandin and read some of these posts, and I can totally relate to many of those things, even though I've never been diagnosed with autism. I've actually never been to a psychologist or psychiatrist or anything.

The vacuum cleaner!!!!! Me too!!!!!

Introverted intuition... Yes. I also think in pictures like Dr Grandin and create movies in my head. This is how I get to write novels. I have a frightening memory for pictures of all kinds. My imagination is fueled by these. I have noticed that the most meaningful conversations I've had in my life are stored in my brain, and I can go there and relisten to the person's very words, hear the intonation and get a glimpse of the facial expression too.

I see designs and pictures and faces in wood or natural fabrics like stone or plaster on the wall. Do you?

I connect easily with people and can read their emotions easily, but not when they are superficial or small talking. I wonder what they are hiding like this? I just get mad and feel like people are making fun of me. Why can't they just be honest and say what they really think or feel?

I often feel that any social skills I might have is all learned and not very natural. That might be related to the fact that my mother would rarely give me time to play and socialize with other children. Although I've never had trouble making friends and having people talking to me.

I spoke early, though. Complex sentences, and very frank ones too.

 

[proximo]

Yeah Jennifer, those noises you mention, I get times when they drive me up the wall, too. When I'm in the staff room at work, during a break, and my colleagues are all bantering and joking around, I sometimes feel like I'm about to climb the walls or something. Times like that, I can understand the autistic people I work with, sticking their fingers in their ears and making their own noises - must be trying to drown it all out. And when they put the radio on, difficult to tolerate... I have to grit my teeth to stop myself from throwing the fucking thing in the pond.

My father was very probably an undiagnosed Aspie/HFA; my daughter's a definitely diagnosed Aspie... they say it skipped a generation with me, but I do sometimes wonder... I have always found people very mystifying, and I used to find social interaction of any kind (even close family) very stressful, and still do in some cases, though I mask it well.

I know, at least, that ASD is often confounded with introversion, which shouldn't be the case. Myself and my daughter are definitely extraverts, but we NEED our personal space, quite a lot of it, time alone, quietness, and we're pretty self-contained; I wouldn't say that those traits come from any kind of introverted temperament as we're both very externally oriented. In her, I know it comes from autism - in myself...? Maybe I've always been dancing on the edge of the spectrum...?

 

[sculpting]

My ISTP ex could not handle noises like others eating. He would never eat dinner with us as he couldnt handle the sound of people chewing.

 

[Ivy]

It can only be both. There are many neuroatypical people here. What we have in common is different ability and different disability. The reverse of the neurotypical norm.
The neurotypicals do not see their disability as a disability. They see it as a norm. And we, who are able in the things where they fail, are invisible to them.
Most of us never enter the high school in spite of our better theoretical ability. The tests of entry are made for the neurotypical mind.
We do not understand the questions not only because of our different disability but also because of our different ability.
Ability is the other side of disability. Disability is ability seen from the other side.
Look out of the window. And what do you see? The neurotypicals going about their daily activities.
And how are they conducting these activities?
If you live in NYC maybe you do not see it so clearly.

Unfortunately autism is seen only as a disability. We are outside of the norm. And who decides the norm?

Very well said, as usual, my dear wildcat. I certainly don't see autism as only a disability. And as a neurotypical person I am definitely not able to do everything.

My son requires some adjustments to deal with the way the world has been set up for neurotypical people. For example, big, echoey bathrooms scare him, so we bought him a pair of earplugs to wear when he goes to big, echoey bathrooms at school and in public places. If we forget the earplugs when we go out sometimes we have to hold his ears for him, since he can't hold his ears and aim his willie at the same time.

The flip side of having to wear earplugs in the bathroom is having an uncanny ear for music. Similarly, his issues with language we think come from being a "think in pictures" person for whom words don't always say what he wants them to say. He can take anything apart and used metaphors as soon as he could talk, but it's hard for him to ask another kid to play Legos.

Edit: Very well said almost three years ago, it appears.