DSs Writing would be improved if.....

[IndigoBell]

Spoke to DS2s (Y2) teacher about why he hasn't made as much progress as we'd hoped this year.

And she said "It would be better if he didn't always write about penguins."

We think he's probably on the spectrum (for many reasons), but she disagrees and think this is perfectly normal behaviour for a 7 year old.......

'whatever she asks him to do he adds a penguin to it'

seriously hilarious

I love ASD children, they can be sooooo entertaining. In a good way.

MrsDV, I know another very similar-sounding ASD Dr Who fan

Brilliant.

OMG OMG there is a feature about penguins on BBC1 news!!!

Spooky

Sorry for delay in replying, DS is indeed on the spectrum - severe AS. However, until he was dx-ed in January his school were convinced he was absolutely fine, 'sensitive' but fine.
There is a lad in the year above him who also has AS and I think they were expecting them to be exactly the same, which they aren't. Within days of dx the school could suddenly see AS type behaviour e.g before dx they just hadn't noticed he spent most of the school day on the brink of anxiety breakdown. Him hiding under table when things changed - e.g. music workshop with external people, was him being sensitive. They were so sure he was fine I really couldn't believe it when the ASD dx team said he was severe, just very high functioning so we had taught him lots of ways to cope/mask his ASD.

I am now in the same position with regard to DS2 as you, I can see lots of ASD type behaviour, but is it copying DS1? However I came to the conclusion that some of it started in a way that couldn't be copied, e.g. he didn't point before age 2, didn't respond to his name before 18months etc. etc. Now he is older, 4.6, I can still see some ASD behaviour but he doesn't have the anxiety that DS1 has. In the end I decided that to put my mind at rest I would get him assessed, so in the dx meeting for DS1 I asked if DS2 could be assessed too, I told them I really wasn't sure but it was playing with my head. Due to him starting school in September there isn't time on the waiting list for him to be assessed before he starts, so the school age team have put him on the waiting list ready to be assessed when he first starts in September. Again the school don't see any ASD behaviour, yet in the next sentence (at parents evening) said he doesn't respond well to change .

Can we please have a example of "just adding a penguin to it" please? It sounds ingenious.

ooo bigtillymint we could point them each other and see who gives up talking about it first. It could take days

My hmm was really to do with the teacher's comments. While it is true that many children, especially boys can be obsessed with be very enthusiastic about a particular topic, I think autistic spectrum obsession is different.

IMO non-autistic obsessions might mean a child will write a lot about topic x when allowed, but I think they would normally comply if the teacher said they wanted them to write about last week's school trip or whatever without referring to their obsession. I think a child on autistic spectrum is more likely not to be able to comply with this but to always "add a penguin to it"!

MrsDV, does your DS act it out all the time too? It's hilarious!

Yes he does. He also thinks that everyone else is as interested and knowledgeable re Dr Who as he is. My friends OH once had the pleasure of his company on a three hour car drive.

She said his face was a picture by the time they arrived at her house.

Between his love of the Dr and his facination for death and cancer - poor bloke was pretty much finished off