If you were assessing a child for ASD/ADHD would you give them a nerf gun?

[RexDangerVest]

(Lighthearted) Got DS's report and there was a bit that said 'shot therapist in the face with a foam dart and did not display the appropriate emotion' (ie he showed no remorse)... I mean - yes he should have been sorry but why the hell give him a nerf gun?! Is it part of the test? Shoot me and you fail?

I'm in good spirits because there was a lot of positive stuff besides the shooting.

No.

Serves the therapist right imo. It was probably only once and I would have chuckled if I'd read that

Least he was interacting with them.

ADOS? I do wish we could watch those like in a two way mirror situation. I would have loved to see how my two were when I wasn't there.

I'm pretty sure that plenty of NT children who had just shot someone in the face with a Nerf gun probably wouldn't have showed the correct emotion either.

Well, that's modern health and safety for you. Back in my day we were given air rifles to use on the therapist.

You can tell it isn't America - they'd probably hand them a real gun, there.

nocool Nah, if it was America they'd bring their own

My (I presume) NT daughter would shoot me with a nerf and if i said owch Would give a sadistic laugh and shoot again. My son would probably join in. The laughing, the shooting. They are not particularly violent kids but they do think it's funny when people hurt themselves

Tbh, if any of my dc has done that while undergoing an ASD assessment (3 dc, all autistic) I would have been pleased that they were playing appropriately with a new toy!

My youngest refused to play with the toy food offered, as it was a cake with candles, and he didn’t want anyone to sing happy birthday (still refuses to let anyone sing it!)

@Nousernameforme I was present in DS’s ADOS, it was very interesting and highlighted things even I didn’t realise were an issue. Were you excluded from your child’s?

My son had his ADOS assessment recently and we could see his games with the assessing SALT on a TV screen while we sat and talked to the paediatrician.

I do wish we could watch those like in a two way mirror situation. I would have loved to see how my two were when I wasn't there

We got a very detailed report with quotes from DS, descriptions of his behaviour, and observations. It made something that was always going to be difficult to read (stark diagnosis and prognosis) into something mildly hilarious. My favourite bits are a tie between:

appeared not to want to answer the question and slithered out of his seat and under the table. When asked to come out he replied " has left the building"

the occupational therapist introduced herself to , he responded "please to meet you, I'm "

and

completed the tasks with multiple prompts to keep him on course. He appeared to be pre-occupied with fitting the ends of his hoodie drawstring into his ears and nostrils.

Surely the appropriate emotion to hitting someone in the face with a foam bullet is triumph, that's a bullseye no? Otherwise, what are we aiming for?

I assess for autism as part of my job. Lots of kids point nerf guns at people and shoot (my own included). There is however something unusual about a child being happy to shoot a stranger in the eye with a nerf gun!

Yeah we had to leave ds there for an hour while they did his dd was older and went on her own. I do have the reports but would have liked to see.

I have been reminded of something that happened in an old job. It was a bit of a fun environment. We had some nerf guns in just messing around shooting at others in the office. Someone came to the window and the other woman in the office did shoot him straight in the eye. We were in hysterics I'm sat here grinning remembering it so I dont think it's that unusual.

Yes ADOS! I wasn't there but got a detailed report.

Hahahahh. Sorry. That’s hilarious. I don’t find much funny about the assessment system but this is brilliant. We don’t do ADOS in my area but I’d love to see how my son would react to a loaded nerf in his doctor’s office.

My nt ds shot his dad in the face with a nerf gun 4 months ago aged almost 5... he laughed. Is that not the appropriate reaction? What child would show remorse!? To be fair, I may have laughed too, on the basis that his dad gave him the gun after I'd already said it was a bad idea 😂😂

DS with ASC would show remorse if there was a ‘learned’ reason he should. Someone crying? He’ll help. Someone shot in the face and not crying? Nah. Nothing worrying there. We’re working on it...

This is a bit odd because I'm sure even nt children would all react differently in this situation.

Did it actually say “remorse” was the appropriate reaction, or have you assumed that? As many have pointed out, their children would laugh or celebrate if shooting someone with a NERF gun. They’ve been socialised to understand that’s an appropriate reaction. So maybe either remorse, or laughing would could as an appropriate reaction and the child suspected of being on the spectrum displayed a different reaction such as a totally blank face with no reaction.

I would assume laughter and triumph is an appropriate reaction, if it wasn't the eyes then that's one bullseye!

Sorry should have said - I wasn't present for the ADOS except for the shooting which I saw because it happened when he popped in to say hello! So I added the no remorse because that's what I saw! Exact wording is 'when child hurt the examiner with a foam dart, he did not show an appropriate response'

I would assume laughter and triumph is an appropriate reaction

meant to add a 😁 to 👆🏻

What was the appropriate response?

'I'm sorry you gave me a nerf gun to play with inside, sorry you didn't provide other dc to play nerf guns with, and I'm sorry you find a small piece of foam hitting you hurtful'

Not really something I would expect any child to express.