ASD toddler - encourage or discourage special interests?

[tigertum2010]

Hi everyone,

I'm a long-time MN lurker who's recently started looking at the SN boards and would like it if anyone could give advice or share their experiences on the above.

My 2 year old has been diagnosed with ASD and although we're getting a lot of help and support (unlike many on here, I know :( ) I'm feeling a bit ambivalent about whether we should steer him away from his special interests (e.g. numbers) or let him enjoy himself counting again and again if that's what makes him happy.

I understand that it's helpful not to feed their obsessions too much, but if he was a pony-mad child you'd get books on horses and visit a stables etc. or you'd get t-shirts with trains on and go on a train ride for a child interested in them, wouldn't you?

I suppose I just feel a bit mean trying to distract him away from counting things if that's what floats his boat.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

My personal opinion is that the repetition and 'obsession' helps the child to self-soothe. To prevent them (or discourage) would cause alot of anxiety.

I also think there is a difference between encouraging the obsession and allowing them. To go all out and decorate a room with pony paper, visit stables every day and buy a horse would be encouraging, but allowing them to look at a horse when out on a walk would be allowing, IYSWIM.

I also think it depends on the obsession, and how 'antisocial' it is. An obsession with counting is not something anyone could see a problem with in a 2 YO. An obsession with swords and sword fights (yes, DS, I'm looking at YOU ) can be more problematic!

My advice is to let your DS count, encourage him to count further on, in 2s, 3,s 4s etc, and enjoy the special gifts your little angel has!

Thanks for the reply! I tend to agree with you and quite enjoy counting different things and looking out for numbers around the place, but some professionals we come into contact with have been more negative about it. It's not an all-consuming interest (although Numtums may soon be!) so I think that I'll go with what feels natural at the moment.

I think the balance is all in how much of a barrier his obsession is to a)learning and b)the social world.

If the obsession is used to help him engage in both of the above then it is to encouraged. If it means he cannot access the above then you need to intervene and control it.

Thanks, Starlight. That makes perfect sense. I don't think it is a problem for either of those things yet, so we'll encourage him with caution and see how it goes.

Encourage, encourage! It's his way into the world and his hotline of communication with you... Also, it can be interesting - I now know all sorts of things about windmills and the food web of the arctic