Expert: James Michael Roan - 10/1/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear James,
I had written to you about a couple of weeks back, asking for help for my 5 1/2 yrs old daughter who has high function autism. Remember, I had said that my little girl doesn't want to go to her new class (KG 2)!!!! Well, to tell you frankly your idea didn't work, but I am happy to tell you that just last Thursday, she came back and started telling me that KG1 is for babies and she's a big girl now, so she started sitting in the KG2 class!!! I had been constantly telling her this and it somehow worked!
I haven't told you before, that until about a couple of months back, my child DID NOT at all watch TV, not even cartoons or any kind of kids' program, so much so that she didn't even let us watch anything. This used to be very very tiring for me. In July, we had some relatives come over and stay with us for a few weeks and then she slowly started watching Tom & Jerry,  and now it’s her favorite show on TV and just recently started enjoying Mickey Mouse and a few others. TV time is very limited, I don’t let her overdo it. She watches half an hour (Tom & Jerry) in the morning while waiting for her school bus, and then when she comes back at around noon she watches another half an hour. In the late afternoon, there’s a very nice program “Word World”, which she watches for half an hour. This is her daily TV schedule.  On the weekends, however, I let her watch one hour of Tom & Jerry per day, anytime of the day. Is that too much?  Now, the problem is, it seems she’s very influenced by T & J, she’s started acting like them. When she bumps on something, she reacts and jumps like T & J!!!! Most of the time, she’s holding her imaginary Jerry in her hands, when she needs to do something, like when using the toilet,  she puts her imaginary friends in my handbag and then carries on.  It looks like T & J have taken over her. I have to repeat my questions to her more, before I can get an answer from her, even though I know she’s heard it already. What should I do??? It's getting a bit too much. The positive thing about this though is, she’s learned so much too, like vocabulary and forming sentences and even calling out to me when there’s an interesting thing coming up. But, like I mentioned before, she just can’t get over them. Oh by the way, her teacher told me, she asks for T & J even in school, every Friday is their vdo day. Please help. How can we help her get over this.
Thank you so much,
GLT

ANSWER: Hi Gunjan;

It's good you worked out the transition problem. As for the Tom and Jerry (TJ) thing, it is part of what it means to have Asperger's syndrome (AS). It's called monotropism or a narrow and limited range of interests. Don't try and eliminate it, but rather use it as a way to teach her about other things. It gives her pleasure for the moment and she will move on to other interests. Others often refer to these interests as obsessions and that is not quite right. They get pleasure from these interests and it relaxes them.

Kind regards,
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear James,
Could you pls give me some guidelines (examples) as to how I could implement my childs's interest into teaching her the basic lessons of life.
Looking forward for your help.
GLT

ANSWER: Hi Gunjan;

Sure. Remember, everything you discuss must be concrete, literal and not abstract. I suggest you make a comic strip using Tom and Jerry. For background and how to do this visit: http://www.autismspectrum.ilstu.edu/resources/factsheets/comicstrip.shtml

It is too lengthy of a topic for me to cover here via this forum, but it is very effective for teaching a number of prosocial behaviors and will work well for you.

Kind regards,
James


Disclaimer:

While James Michael Roan has attempted to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, the information is provided in good faith without any express or implied warranty. The purpose of this web site is to provide information to families with children, teens, and adults with an autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay. James Michael Roan does not prefer any one organization to another, and it is not responsible for the information listed on an organization's web site, or any disseminated information either verbal or written. Please be advised we are not giving medical advice and that circumstances can dictate different treatments. If these issues affect you or your loved ones you should seek professional advice. This site is operated for informational purposes only. At no time will James Michael Roan attempt to diagnose or dismiss a potential diagnosis over the Internet. We hope that you find our resources useful.


Bio

James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting assessment professional responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear James,
I went through the website you suggested, it's a bit difficult but I'll try. Thank you.
Now, the new problem is, just recently, I have noticed my child playing & putting dirt in her mouth. She gets busy with her forefinger collecting all the dust that's collected on certain surfaces & then puts it into her mouth. I asked her teacher in school, and she said she does the same thing there too, and keeps touching the floor. What's the cause and what should we do about it. She used to do this before, around last year, and on consulting her pediatrician, we were told it was due to iron deficiency. My child was not given any supplements or anything, but we tried to make up for the deficiency through foods rich in iron. She had stopped, but now has started again. Pls help.
Thank you so much.
GLT

Answer
Hi Gunjan;

Tasting and licking nonfood items is fairly typical behavior for a high functioning autistic child. I do not know what the cause is. It may be what your physician described as a case of pica (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pica_(disorder)), where an individual has an unusual deficiency in a mineral or vitamin and is seeking those nonfood items that can satisfy that need. There have been cases in the past where a child has died because they were not allowed taste/eat that nonfood item. You should see a physician first before attempting to eliminate this behavior.

Kind regards,
James



Disclaimer:

While James Michael Roan has attempted to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, the information is provided in good faith without any express or implied warranty. The purpose of this web site is to provide information to families with children, teens, and adults with an autism spectrum disorder or other developmental delay. James Michael Roan does not prefer any one organization to another, and it is not responsible for the information listed on an organization's web site, or any disseminated information either verbal or written. Please be advised we are not giving medical advice and that circumstances can dictate different treatments. If these issues affect you or your loved ones you should seek professional advice. This site is operated for informational purposes only. At no time will James Michael Roan attempt to diagnose or dismiss a potential diagnosis over the Internet. We hope that you find our resources useful.


Bio

James Roan is a certified school psychologist who has been consulting in the areas of autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and learning difficulties in the United States and in Ireland for over ten years (http://www.jamesroan.com). James earned his M.Ed. in School Psychology and M. Ed. in Adult Education and receives ongoing post graduate training in autism at the University of Washington’s Autism Center. James Roan has traveled to Galway, Limerick, Mayo, Clare, Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and other cities and counties across Ireland assessing children and adults, and consulting with solicitors (lawyers) in defense of children with disabilities. James Roan was the consulting assessment professional responsible for many of the autism and AD/HD screening tools and other content for Access Special Needs.Com. James Roan consulted with the graduate department of the Waterford Institute of Technology in Waterford Ireland in the development of their graduate program for the certification of private autism tutors. James has conducted formal assessments of students in the Autism Unit in the Claddagh National School in County Galway Ireland.