With razor sharp attention to detail and the drive to construct systems, their way of dealing with a train set will differ from that which we expect. Keeping this theory in mind, parents should not be surprised when their child with autism approaches his/her special interest a little differently to a neurotypical child. The authors explain systemizing as “recognizing repeating patterns” in stimuli or the need to analyze and construct systems. An interesting study (Baron-Cohen et al., 2009) argues that an association between autism and talent begins at a sensory level and it includes great attention to detail and a cognitive style called hyper-systemizing. The autistic mind processes information differently to the neurotypical mind. Spending time on these interests can invoke feelings of love and deep contentment. For adults on the spectrum, their specialized interest can be almost addictive. This may be the reason autistic people sometimes call their special interests an obsession. These days, many of us use the term lightly, to describe our love for a box set or a new coffee concoction.īut despite the term’s new mellow connotation, obsession by definition is something that the mind has a preoccupation with. The word “obsession” used to have a negative connotation- think stalking fan with a dark room full of torn newspaper clippings. I will look at how special interest may be channelled to your child’s advantage and how parents can help their child find balance, without sacrificing special interests. In this article I will look at special interests as they relate to children with autism. If your child with autism wants to spend all his/her time on computers, should you let them be, just in case they turn out to be a technology savant? Or should you control the interests of your autistic child to ensure special interests do not interfere with his/her social development and interaction? These remarks speak to the intensity and skill brought to interests by high functioning individuals on the spectrum. If you were to get rid of all the autism genetics, there would be no more Silicon Valley.” (Grandin, 2010). Temple Grandin was asked about those who would seek to eradicate autism, she responded: “Who do you think made the first stone spears? The Asperger guy. If parents accept their kids with autism may have different, and very intense, interests-is this something to worry about? Or should they subscribe to the view that such interests could potentially be developed to career-level in future? This same study found the type and intensity (but not the number of) interests differed between high-functioning children with autism and neurotypical children. So if by definition, kids with autism have special and intense interests that are restricted, is this any different to the special interests of neurotypical kids? Most people pursue their interests with intensity, but according to research (Anthony et al., 2013) high functioning individuals with ASD had more intense and interfering interests than neurotypical individuals. ![]() And if you ask parents about these special interests, they’re likely to add the word intense to any description. ![]() The definition of special interests for children with autism, also centres around the word restricted. Repetitive behaviors and restricted interests are some of the most recognized and defining symptoms of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to the American Psychiatric Association (2000). So maybe obsession, fascination, or even specialized interest is more apt? Not quite, some alternatives are actually offensive so while a more acceptable term is found, special interest is what I’ll be using (as the most widely recognized term) for this article. ![]() Some autistic people feel it’s an almost patronizing term, to them special interest misses the mark completely when describing something they’re so deeply invested in. Special interest…even the name is contentious.
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