Birthday Presents for ASD child

[Davros]

My typically autistic, non-verbal son's 8th birthday is coming up. He is an adored darling who is a lot of hard work! Every year I try to get him something for his birthday and Xmas but most things are of no interest to him. Typical of ASD, play is one of his worst areas of development. Its too mean not bothering to get him something but I just can't think of anything and don't want to get yet another toy/video etc that means nothing or something "practical" like headphones for home SIT etc. I've got a reasonable list of bits and pieces relatives etc can get him but what can mummy and daddy get? We've got a god bike, computer stuff, not sure about things like playstation or game boy, probably not appropriate.

Wayhay! Found it on ELC website. There's a section called Neurosmith, I'm sure it wasn't there before...... They are a bit young but my son likes cause/effect and music and they're a bit different to anything else he's got. The jumbo cube looks good for baby, aargh, its getting expensive!

I'm posting this in two places deliberately...so sorry if you have read this B4!!
well i thought of you DAVROS when i found the neurosmith cubes in the local ELC...and i had to have a little play!I may get some- My aspergers son (9yrs) has what he and i call his 'Fiddle Toys' as he has to constantly touch and 'play' with things.He used to pull threads in clothes and strip wallpaper but since we agreed to have things which he is allowed to 'explore' life is easier! also due to the fact that alot still finds its way into his mouth i try to buy things which appeal to him yet are aimed at younger kids...to withstand his relentless exploration!
We've also just (securely fixed) a length of rope lights to the underneath of his cabin bed as he has a secret area under there and i am making it into small 'sensory' room! Its funny really by the time he was diagnosed we already had everything we needed to make this room yet its only since diagnoses that i have found the 'courage' to display all these gadgets (lava lamps,disco balls,plasma lamp,pin art,strobe light,etc) ---i always felt his room would seem like a lighting store!!! However he LOVES IT!....He rarely has them all on at once!
Another great 'gaget' for older kids which seems to appeal to other aspergers kids i know is something called LOGIBLOCS- these are squares of plastic which have a 'safe' electrical curcuit built in and you simply join all the various brightly coloured bits together to make things like alarms,sensors,torches etc-they are quite robust and run on batteries...so no plugging into the mains needed!!!