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Aspergers/HFA Children and Literal Thinking

“My son with high functioning autism takes everything literally. I have to be careful to say exactly what I mean. For example, recently I was in a hurry and told him to ‘Step on it!’ – which utterly confused him. If I don’t keep conversations focused and simple, he’s lost. Plus, he only wants to talk about the 1 thing he is really interested in at the time.”

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

My son's teacher expressed that when he did < > she felt like it was a "slap in the face" because she had worked so hard.... Well, my son was almost in tears and looked at me and said, I DID NOT SLAP HER IN THE FACE!!! ( my son is 14, btw....)

Anonymous said...

My Son is very literal also. It's hard at times, but can also be a blessing because most of them don't lie. My Son faces the challenge of perfectionism, especially in written expression. He can't just "beat around the bush" on an essay, it has to be just the facts mam, just the facts.
about an hour ago · Like

My son, my husband, my FIL--all very literal. Used to drive me crazy but now I understand it's a brain difference.

Anonymous said...

DS is 3.5. He pointed to a truck parked on our street. I told him it was a moving truck and explained that the neighbors were moving and needed to pack up their stuff and drive it to their new house. He disagreed. He pointed to another truck that drove past the house and said 'see that's a moving truck'.

Joanna said...

Literal interpretation + misunderstanding conversations =
NT son to me "mom, can I have as snack?"
Me to NT son "have an orange, they're delicious, fresh from Araceli's yard..."
AS son, interrupting, to NT son "did you know they have a chihuahua?"
Me to NT son "I just had one."
...you can see what's coming next....
AS son to me "YOU ATE A CHIHUAHUA?!!!"
God, I love that kid.

gina rex said...

As an adult with Aspergers, I have one thing to say: NTs assume they know what's going on with Aspergers children, but they are almost totally wrong. NTs see the world through their social (self-centered) brains and do not understand that we live in a LITERAL universe described by the literal language of mathematics. Literal thinking is a rare talent which ought to be cultivated in Aspergers, not discouraged! NTs have very little understanding of how the world works.

Unknown said...

My asperger's daughter lies all the time and thinks nothing of it. If it gets her what she wants or keeps her out of trouble she'll do it. But she will be brutally honest that she is lying and why if asked.

Human being said...

Being social is the opposite of being self centered
Its the ability to understand how other people work. It’s a very important skill - some people are taught this skill and some are born with a natural understanding of social situations. Each type of brain has its own specialty and strengths. But
communication is important. It’s important that people are taught to understand idioms and non literal language. They don’t have to change the way they think, but it’s important to expand their knowledge of how other people function as well.

Cindy said...

I agree as a parent of a very literal Asperger daughter I’m trying to find adult like you to help mentor me on how to best raise her and address issues I have. This is a very hard thing to find.

My child has been rejected by his peers, ridiculed and bullied !!!

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the ASD child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually.

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How to Prevent Meltdowns in Children on the Spectrum

Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's or HFA child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and your child are totally exhausted. But... don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next - the meltdown can return in full force.

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Parenting Defiant Teens on the Spectrum

Although Aspergers [high-functioning autism] is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager on the spectrum are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

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Older Teens and Young Adult Children with ASD Still Living At Home

Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

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Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

Two traits often found in kids with High-Functioning Autism are “mind-blindness” (i.e., the inability to predict the beliefs and intentions of others) and “alexithymia” (i.e., the inability to identify and interpret emotional signals in others). These two traits reduce the youngster’s ability to empathize with peers. As a result, he or she may be perceived by adults and other children as selfish, insensitive and uncaring.

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to read the full article...

Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and HFA

Become an expert in helping your child cope with his or her “out-of-control” emotions, inability to make and keep friends, stress, anger, thinking errors, and resistance to change.

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