Me again- sorry!

[sphil]

I'm in anxious questioning mode tonight. Those of you with ASD children - have they shown more interest in other children as they've got older? The single thing which worries me most about DS2 is his lack of interaction with other kids, even his brother. He gives me and DH a lot of attention and will interact with most adults, if in a more limited way than most kids his age (3). But he just blanks other children most of the time. He did stroke a toddler's face the other day when he came up to him when DS2 was in his buggy, but it was as if he was stroking some strange exotic creature!

It broke my heart today when I went to pick him up from nursery with DS1. DS1 went running over to him and DS2 just ran past him without even looking at him.
Tell me the truth - is this likely to change? Or is there anything I can do to help his sociability along?

[coppertop]

Ds1 ignored just about everybody when he was a toddler. He regularly seemed not to notice whether there was anyone else in the room with him. I think that things started to improve when he got the point of communication. He's now a fairly sociable little boy when he wants to be. His teacher has told me that he even has friends at school. He still has times when he wants to have his own space, like most of us do I suppose. At times like this he will either pull up his hood and physically block everyone out or just find a quiet place to retreat to. Every child is different but ds1 (now 5) is a lot more sociable than he was a couple of years ago.

[sphil]

Thanks Coppertop - that's very reassuring. DS2 is only just learning to communicate by gesture and vocally. Maybe as this develops he'll become more sociable.

[Davros]

DS doesn't pay much attention to other children but is VERY interactive with adults. He is 10 now and severe/non-verbal. With DD (now 2.5) he is very patient and tolerant as she pesters him. He has a very kind look on his face sometimes when she is pestering him. If he doesn't like it he just leaves! He does take a bit more passing interest in other children, e.g. at our swimming session we see another child with ASD every week and now and then you feel there's a passing interest in each other. he seems to respond better to other children who approach/pester him so being in a class with all children with ASD doesn't work for that! NT siblings/relatives/friends are much better but he hasn't had much exposure to them.

[sphil]

Yes, DS2 pays more attention to anyone if they pester him! I find that i have to encourage people to do so though - they seem to think because he ignores them, he doesn't want attention, so leave him alone. I'd like to bump this thread to see what others' experience is.