Autism - Aspergers Obsessions?

Question

Do you entertain each obsession or try to divert them? Sometimes i think it is better to let them have it for awhile, but some professionals say to take away things that have to do with the obsession.

Answer 1

autism is not really curable but they kids can be worked with to bring them aware and try to get them responding to you...

the objects they crave ...comfort them...I'm not for removing them with out good cause...

Aspergers is more of your kid is so smart they can dismantle the tv but social situation they don't know how to relate so they are often off by themselves

They should have a guide in class to keep them focused because any perifial thing distracts them

Answer 2

I agree with Junebug,if it is something they find calming,let it alone.I think some professionals don't understand that there is a reason for the behavior,like their senses being over-loaded, and they need help dealing with it.You can't just take things away,you can try to figure out the purpose of the obsession and try to replace the negative with the positive. I also agree with the person suggesting to use their obsession to help with areas of deficit.

Answer 3

Yeah, I too would say it depends on the obsession.  I have Aspergers and I love to look up places on maps, read the newspaper and stay up to date on current events.  This can be a helpful thing and might increase talents for a potential job.  

Then I love to listen to my favorite song for an hour in succession .  Now that, I would not encourage though I am trying to break the habit myself.

Answer 4

I agree with what many of you are saying. I had an Eighth grade student who obsessed over fictional characters (Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse), and he believed they were real. Well, I had to work on that, but another student obsessed over 3-D design. He would recreate the Empire State Building out of construction paper. We had to encourage this.

Answer 5

A lot of good answers up there.  I have aspergers too.  

If the obsession is useless, such as collecting bottle caps or figurines, then you should probably attempt to discourage it.  Don't simply take it away.  You'll start World War 3 if you do.   If the obsession is about learning, then it should be encouraged but not allowed to interfere with other things.

Answer 6

REmember that some of these Asperger Obsessions can lead to life long hobbies and even jobs. Try to encourage the ones that are easier for you to live with.  A friend of my nephew has aspergers, and knows everything you can know about trains and timetables. (Please note the word friend!!!)

Answer 7

That really depends on what the obsession is and if it impacts others.  For example, my son will listen to the same song over and over and over again.  If he continues to want to listen to that instead of say getting dressed to go somewhere, then I would say yes... stop the stimming behavior.  He also likes to ask questions... so if we are out in public and he continues to ask somebody a question (usually the same question), then I will divert his attention to something else.

If the stimming is something that is calming to them then I personally don't see a problem with letting them calm themselves down.

Answer 8

My son has High Functioning Autism, and they are thinking of reclassifying him as Aspergers.  For me it depends on the obsession.  Usually I try to indulge him a little as his obsessions are also good motivators for me to use when he has behaviors.

I too have had professionals tell me not to indulge him, but in the end I figure hes my kid, and I have to live with him and deal with his behaviors day in and day out.  They don't.  As long as it is not hurting him or anyone else, I say let em be.

Answer 9

It sounds like you need to get more information on these similar but very different conditions. Asperger's children differ from Autistic children in that they have no language delays.

Have you had an actual diagnosis of Asperger's? There are many more aspects to this than obsession. And usually the obsession is in one of the sciences.

Don't guess about whether your child has Asperger's. Get the school district to do some rating scales to determine this.

Answer 10

From the standpoint of working with young children (2-4 years old), it really depends on the level of intensity with which the child stims (hyperfocuses on one thing/action).  If your goal is to get a child to play appropriately with a toy car, you would want to stop stimming that revolved around only watching the car's wheels spinning.  Stimming is similar to an obsession in that it hyperfocuses on one aspect.  I had one child who had an obsession with shoes.  He'd literally attempt to take the shoes right off your feet so that he could play with your shoes.  This obsession was disabling him.  Everything is okay in MODERATION, but once it starts taking over the person's life, it is no longer ok for them to focus on it.  Once we see that an obsession has taken control of the person, we want to stop it.  For if they are only focusing on that one particular thing, no other learning is happening.  So, basically the thing you want to consider is, if your husband's obsession is "all-consuming", or if he obsesses in moderation.  If it totally consuming his life and he cannot function otherwise, it would probably be a good idea to help him moderate it.