Inanimate object are real!

[Youarentkiddingme]

DS is 11yo and has ASC.

He has always blamed the iPad for loading too slow, talked about soft toys as if they are real, talked to himself for long periods of time, replied to characters on tv etc.

Recently a soft toy he's had since 3 that he would never leave at home - in case the house burnt down while we were out - broke. (Eye fell off). It was the worst night ever where he managed 3 hours sleep so he was clearly upset.

I tried to fix eye but glue didn't work and toy has been sat there - with eye just popped on dubiously - for a short while and DS stopped taking it out.

I was pleased as thought it meant the anxiety was routine and obsession driven.

Anyway he asked me to fix it again the other day - it was after we did some worries work. I managed to get it sorted.

The following day he announced that he was "spending the day with plane". A couple of local children came up and asked if he'd like to go out on scooters and he told them all he was spending the day with plane as he's missed him.

Any one got any experience or advice re this? I can't work out if it's developmental (eg he's still in pre causal stage of cognitive development) or anxiety and security driven and he forms attachments to objects that aren't real because they don't argue back. Although he's quite happy to blame the Xbox for ruining his life because he didn't ask it to kill him whe playing Lego games!

[Ineedmorepatience]

I think that because he can see them and touch them, they are real!

People with Asd have a very different way of looking at the world, his soft toy has been a big part of his life for a very long time so he is bound to have a strong attachment/relationship with it.