What's your ASD DCs 'default setting'?

[tooearlymustdache]

Just that really...inspired by a comment made by 4.7yr old DD's class teacher yesterday...

(obviously we are still at assessment stage, so perhaps i use 'ASD' in error, but since she def has traits, i'll borrow it for now)

he said 'but she seems so happy, she's not sullen or sad' - yup, that's her 'default setting' as i call it.

she sings when she's stimming, when she's in trouble, when we're rushing through the shopping centre to find a toilet, when she should be putting her shoes on, when she should be eating, when we are in a hurry..

i know we're incredibly lucky as it causes less outside stress (inference if you like) from other people at times, but am still interested in other people's experience

Did you mean she is singing when she refuses to cooperate? Cause that would describe DS though the more pressure on him the louder the tune :)

she sings at everything - just i can tell which mood she's in by what and how

and if you try to join in at times, she'll go off at you. that's when i think she's stimming

DS2 is very vocal (despite being non-verbal) and usually seems to be a happy place, so long as everything else is in the proper place. The only problem for him is that when he's distressed, but not enough to be outright wailing, he seems to be laughing.

DS1 is very tightly coiled indeed. He rarely relaxes to merely jittery. Much of the time, he's a bit like nitrogen triiodide.

Talking

Happy
Talkative
Avoidant/lazy
Forgetful
Disorganised

But at least these days, most of the time he is CALM which I never thought I'd see, and he doesn't get angry at the drop of a hat like he used to .

Happy
Talkative
Avoidant/lazy
Forgetful
Disorganised

But at least these days, most of the time he is CALM which I never thought I'd see, and he doesn't get angry at the drop of a hat like he used to .

Oops!

DS2 says he's content! Which is between happy and sad, but closer to happy than sad, after a bit of quizzing.

I'd say he's either a) jumping with excitement, b) passive or c) in the depths of a strop. Probably passive mostly, (since he got his iPod) which is a huge change from when he was younger, when he yoyoed between a) and c).

his default setting?

His world of mystery in his head. Never know who I am talking too from one minute of the day to the next :)

Talkative
Unable to sit still
Anxious

Happy..but at 5.3 it is becoming slightly more tense and withdrawn :(

Same as LeninGrad. Worried, defensive, withdrawn, he looks like a grumpy or angry child.

Wary
Anxious
Passive
Withdrawn
Irritable
Avoiding
Ignoring

Ds1 - Lost in his own thoughts, content to just sit and be himself.

Ds2 - Varies hugely - Main settings are either:

• hyper, giddy with excitement, and can't stop talking

or

• "Marvin the Paranoid Android" mode, where even the tiniest upset is a major disaster. I suspect that in a past life he would have been a little old man waving a "The End of the World Is Nigh!" placard.

Talking shite mainly

DS has no off switch as he has no comprehension that not everyone wants to listen to him rambling on about his latest obsession

silent, withdrawn & anxious

Anxious
Verbally obsessive.. been obsessed with Shania Twain since he was 2..he's now 14... topic never changes
Gentle

either EXTREMELY happy-in-your-face-giddy-cuddly-loving-kissing-smothering......or EXTREMELY upset-at-the-slightest-little-thing-strops-cries-hits-hurts-stomps.

I have found that there is very rarely an in between with DS. its either end of the emotion scale.

Quirky.

An angry side is rearing it's ugly head though and I don't like it.

angeL, get him an iPod!

Generally DD (4.3yrs) is a happy go lucky girl, chatty (a lot of it is echolalic dialogue from her favourite shows or singing) and loves to play and go to nursery.

However, when she's anxious or upset she turns very quiet and does not like to be disturbed...at all. She will go to her room and play on my iphone or the leappad, if you walk in she'll point her finger at the door. If you try to interact with her in this mood she'll screech. If she's at nursery or elsewhere she will find a quiet corner and just observe the other kids or she'll start dancing/spinning or doing handstands and front rolls until she feels ok to join in again.

The worst is when she's hurt herself because she will come to you but does NOT want you to touch her. You have to wait and watch her cry until she lets you hug her and console her. Not easy :(

Happy
Talkative
Dreamy

Quite nice really, shame we ever have. To interact with reality/rest of the world.