Restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests are
among the three main symptoms of autism. They include repetitive movements with
objects, repeated body movements such as rocking and hand-flapping, ritualistic
behavior, sensory sensitivities and circumscribed interests (unusual preoccupations
that are intensely focused).
Josh has many restricted and repetitive behaviors. As he
gets older he is definitely learning how to manage them better. He also knows
how to control them, to a point, when out in public. This is when I hear from
others how he “looks” fine, “I don’t see anything unusual”, or my favorite “he’s
just shy”. I’m also always hearing from others that they were unaware because “he
seems so social”. Josh can be extremely social but if you take a closer look
you’ll notice he gets along much better with younger kids or family members. I
have a theory on that… Josh tends to be intensely focused on things that are of
interest to kids about two or three years younger than he is, probably because
that is where he is on an emotional maturity level. The younger kids LOVE Josh,
if given the choice to play with his eleven year old peers or an eight year old
Lego enthusiast he’ll choose the eight year old almost every time. It’s not
that his peers leave him out, because they don’t, he just simply feels more
comfortable around the younger group. When he is with this younger group I don’t
think he feels the need to disconnect from our world so much. It’s much easier
for him to pull them into his world. My biggest concern is that as Josh gets
older and his repetitive behaviors and interests remain the same it will become
increasingly more difficult for him to find friends to hang around with. I’m
hoping he will continue to surprise us all…
Now at home it’s a whole different story!!! At home when
he is around all of his FAVORITE things he can easily slip into what is called
an autistic disconnect. The anxieties of the world have taken its toll and now
he needs to decompress. While on the computer playing Minecraft or completely
engulfing himself in the latest video game craze you will always find Josh
jumping and flapping his arms. I swear I will find him on the ceiling some day.
He becomes completely obsessed and enters another world. Don’t bother trying to
talk to him, he can’t hear you. Don’t question why he sniffs his hands
constantly while playing, he just does. Don’t think he will eat if he gets
hungry or drink if he gets thirsty, he won’t. Don’t think he’s trying to be
rude or disrespectful, he’s not.
While in his world he is constantly trying to process
what he is doing. When he gets “stuck” on something of interest and starts to
obsess about it get out of the way and clear the hall. Here comes Josh running
laps around the living room and then pacing up and down the hall. Up the hall…
Down the hall… Up the hall… Down the hall… Don’t bother talking to him; he can’t here you
he’s “thinking”. Another way Josh processes information is through a repetitive
behavior called echolalia. Echolalia is repeating or ”echoing” what another person has said.
Children who are echolalic imitate what they have heard someone say in everyday
life, lines they’ve listened to from a book, lyrics to a song, or a script from
a show or movie. If you ask Josh a question listen closely, he’s more than
likely to repeat that question before trying to answer it.
Now it’s
time to leave his sanctuary and head out into “our world”. This can be a very
difficult task. It’s not easy for him to leave the comforts of home. Welcome now
to my world of rituals! Everything must be lined up and/or put in its correct
spot. Don’t touch the Legos, it’s his newest masterpiece in progress. Computer
door shut, bedroom door shut and one more check to see the Xbox and games are
put away correctly. Now repeat. Now repeat. Now repeat, get the idea. Oh and I
have to pinky swear, several times, that I won’t go into his room, touch his toys
or go on to his Minecraft account. This is done EVERY DAY before leaving the
house. And you thought you had a difficult morning routine…
Now he is out
“re-connected” to our world. Playing with the kids on the playground while
trying to manage his behaviors. If you pay attention these behaviors do pop up
in public. He is learning how to manage them however, under extreme anxiety it
becomes difficult. He may just need to take a snack break, go for a walk, do
arm pushups (deep pressure really helps) or he’ll ask to go to the bathroom.
This is a good time to warn all middle school teachers, beware Josh will ask to
use the bathroom a lot. No he doesn’t have to really go it’s his way of saying
I need to take a break and go for a walk. Just remember, even though Josh is
learning how to manage in public now and then it is still necessary for him to disconnect
into his world in order to reconnect into ours.
Thanks for giving me a moment of your time,
Ann
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