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Autistic behaviours

Alistair
Alistair Community member Posts: 102 Listener
I find it really interesting when I notice a behaviour which is so obviously autistic but which could be overlooked. Last night my daughter and I went to the theater, she loves to see live singing and dancing but finds the whole 'crowd' experience pretty difficult. During the interval we got an ice cream and I found a table in the corner of a quiet bar area. I suggested she sat down while I went to get a drink. Rather than sit in a chair with her back to the wall where she could see everybody she chose to sit looking at the wall with her back to the door/everybody. Hey, Netbuddy Team, could you start a kind of dictionary of Autistic behaviours. I think I'd call this 'minimising sensory input strategy'.

Comments

  • GinaS
    GinaS Community member Posts: 35 Connected
    Hi alistair,

    I also find some behaviours fascinating! As we say, all behaviour has meaning, it may not be too obvious for us but the person who exhibits it has a reason!

    I agree that your daughter found a very good way to minimise the (overloading) sensory input! I think it's worth putting that under the tips section - the tricky thing with creating a kind of dictionary of behaviours is that one/single behaviour can serve different functions (purposes) for different people (ie screaming might mean "i need your help" for one person and "leave me alone" for someone else), and also one behaviour can serve lots of different purposes for each person (what we call "multi-functional behaviours).

    Well done to your daughter and of course to you for spotting that behaviour/coping strategy!!
  • Alistair
    Alistair Community member Posts: 102 Listener
    Thanks PositiveBehaviourSupport,
    I completely understand what you say about the various functions of behaviour and trying to get to the root of them can be really challenging for a parent/ carer (I'm thinking of my daughter's frequent reluctance to get out of the car!).
    However I can't help feeling that sharing and maybe somehow categorising some of these behaviours might help us gain a better insight.
    I'll try and think of a way to put
    her 'minimising sensory input strategy' into the tips section.
  • GinaS
    GinaS Community member Posts: 35 Connected
    hi Alistair,

    I agree that sharing this can help other families too. Will give it some thought too - would be nice to find a helpful way to do that!
  • Heather
    Heather Community member Posts: 168 Connected
    A lovely idea to develop a behaviour dictionary but an appreciate it would be endless! My son would run, or scream, or curl up in a ball and shut the world out, so unpredictable I would be hard to define any one reason. But now he is in a school that recognise his behaviour s autistic and not naughty, they are teaching him methods to express his feelings more appropriately. After years of being punished for his autism, its a long hill to climb to teach him there is help.
  • Alistair
    Alistair Community member Posts: 102 Listener
    Hi PositiveBehaviourSupport and Heather
    I've been trying to think of a way to put into words my daughter's 'minimising sensory input strategy' for the tips section. BUT I have already noticed a contrary behaviour! The other day I (reluctantly) took her to a well known Hamburger chain. I warned her it would be busy and showed her an alternative Chinese that does a nice lunch time deal and was really quiet. Anyway she insisted we went for the burger. We finally found a table and I suggested she sat down while I got sauce etc. Instead of choosing the seat facing the wall she sat with her back to the wall! However she couldn't get out quick enough and has commented a few times now about how busy it was. I don't know, I still think we should try and comply a dictionary!
  • Alistair
    Alistair Community member Posts: 102 Listener
    As you must realise I had meant to say 'compile'!
  • GinaS
    GinaS Community member Posts: 35 Connected
    Hi Alistair,
    what an interesting observation! It's also interesting that she chose the seat with her back to the wall but then commented about how busy it was. She might some more prompting to choose a quieter seat, especially in a busy place!

    Still trying to get my head around the dictionary idea!

    ps thanks for the clarification :-)
  • Alistair
    Alistair Community member Posts: 102 Listener
    Hi PositiveBehaviourSupport, did you see my post on 'challenging behavior'? I wasn't sure where to put it but have you any insights?
  • JimJams
    JimJams Community member Posts: 174 Connected
    I think it would be great to start a list of behaviors and how it helps our children, I know the list would be fascinating

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