I just Googled......vent-ish (special interests and intensity)

mightmom13 · January 2014

Thomas and Friends names. Yes we have *only sarcastic pun intended* jumped aboard the Thomas train.

I had a matching game I bought at a garage sale for a quarter a long time ago just to have a matching game not on the phone - SLP has had DD do a lot of matching type games (more recently Thomas, so I had to download Thomas) for turn taking, learning to wait, and make DD use words instead of outbursts, aggressiveness or mumbling when frustrated. DD will age out in less than 6 months from EI and with her "high functioning" (no dx, that term is just used a lot in describing her by her OT, SLP, former PT, and newer DCT) is why I think she is upping the game a bit more and always explains when she is pushing DD hard on purpose when she does.

So then a week ago she found the Thomas box - oh how she wanted it! She had watched Thomas a few times before and it is a "zone out" show for her and since she relates to inanimate objects as having feelings more than people, she explores feelings of "sad" and "happy" during it. She loves the train table at the library - her favorite object to move anyways. Yesterday SLP played the box version with her per DD's request and told her about the names (she calls her therapists by first and last, as they both have the first name, and anyone who introduces themselves with both names.. SLP has an ASD kid as well as experience with many as well. This morning DD woke up in a tizzy early and immediately wanted the Thomas matching game, I told her she had to wake up and get big girl pants on first, and she repeated in meltdown form- "have to ride the rails" at least 11 times while rocking. Long morning of getting ready using Thomas cards and show to get out the door between screams.

Anyway - so I just had to Google one of her train cards tonight (Rosie, btw, because she is purple) because even though SLP went over them, even she didn't know them all and there are SOOO many. Wow. Oh and totally not bothered by any of this - not the train thing - just her increasing rigidity v non-emotional understanding displays in with DCT *sarcasm intended*.

typeset · January 2014

"This morning DD woke up in a tizzy early and immediately wanted the Thomas matching game, I told her she had to wake up and get big girl pants on first, and she repeated in meltdown form- 'have to ride the rails' at least 11 times while rocking. Long morning of getting ready using Thomas cards and show to get out the door between screams."

We walk a fine line here between using the special interest as reinforcement and indulging the mental masturbation. I feel you, because it's tricky. A meltdown over denied access for us means the trains take a vacation. Mommy don't play that. Sometimes, though, the child--who shares the title character's name--balking at everything feels a little more comfortable pretending to be the steam version of himself. So we "chuff" while brushing our teeth.

He recently discovered "Dinosaur Train." Special interest double bonus. Too bad his only takeaway is "the dinosaurs went on a train ... and then they went in a tunnel!" He also recently discovered car makes and models. He asked about a blue VW bug in a parking lot and got the manic gleam in his face when he realized ALL cars have names. Stupid me. We've been dismissing his queries about them since because I am not keen on memorizing the Kelley Blue Book in order to converse with him.

mightmom13 · January 2014

typeset said:

"This morning DD woke up in a tizzy early and immediately wanted the Thomas matching game, I told her she had to wake up and get big girl pants on first, and she repeated in meltdown form- 'have to ride the rails' at least 11 times while rocking. Long morning of getting ready using Thomas cards and show to get out the door between screams."

We walk a fine line here between using the special interest as reinforcement and indulging the mental masturbation. I feel you, because it's tricky. A meltdown over denied access for us means the trains take a vacation. Mommy don't play that. Sometimes, though, the child--who shares the title character's name--balking at everything feels a little more comfortable pretending to be the steam version of himself. So we "chuff" while brushing our teeth.

It's hard because it's a new interest and does have benefits but she can get easily and very quickly "addicted." The "ride the rails" thing was one of the first outbursts of reps I have seen in awhile especially that close to waking up and intensity....so scary on the whole ASD front but really at times I am like "who am I kidding here, deal." She was hitting her head this morning and insisted on taking the two cards - Percy and Gordon - with her on the way to a visit with "the other side" this morning. She also insisted on wearing her "super shirt" with cape again - she doesn't match but I really don't care about that since it has been a few days and it was clean. XH and/or XMIL and my own mom will have to learn at some point. My mom even asked if she could try to get her to wear a matching shirt - I told her she could try and she came out and said - "yeah, didn't work." I so wanted to do an I told you so but held back.

He recently discovered "Dinosaur Train." Special interest double bonus. Too bad his only takeaway is "the dinosaurs went on a train ... and then they went in a tunnel!" He also recently discovered car makes and models. He asked about a blue VW bug in a parking lot and got the manic gleam in his face when he realized ALL cars have names. Stupid me. We've been dismissing his queries about them since because I am not keen on memorizing the Kelley Blue Book in order to converse with him.

She doesn't take away much either - but knows that tears mean sad or "wet faces" mean sad - so she will ask things like "why is James sad" while watching so that is something even if she doesn't really really care. She is on repeat that Emily is nice now because at first she wasn't but in the end turned out ok I guess, lol. Yeah - the only way I got her to tell me what was going to happen in repeat to me telling her about her "visit day" was "what color car will you watch for" DD then finally said "blue car, mommy green car, gram and poppy have red car, sometimes black." She doesn't do feelings so she shut down on the whole "who" are you going to see and uses car colors at the moment for visit days. If you tell her your full name and birthday month - well lets just say anyone who does should worry about identity theft.

And the more I type the more my brain explodes into, ok so yeah this is complete reality - bring on the IEPs come spring.

mommy0411 · January 2014

My ASD 2.5 year old is also obsessed with trains. His favorites are Thomas and Chuggington. He is starting to repeat phrases from both shows and it's not doing his echolalia any favors but it does have its benefits. In order to get him to eat I put Chuggington on and pause it every minute for him to take a bit. He really wasn't eating much of anything before I started that last week and at this point I am so thankful he is eating. Luckily he just started ABA and next week he starts sensory motor feeding therapy so hopefully those this will help. Right now we are just going with it, I know that will change eventually but for now it works.

mightmom13 · January 2014

mommy0411 said:

My ASD 2.5 year old is also obsessed with trains. His favorites are Thomas and Chuggington. He is starting to repeat phrases from both shows and it's not doing his echolalia any favors but it does have its benefits. In order to get him to eat I put Chuggington on and pause it every minute for him to take a bit. He really wasn't eating much of anything before I started that last week and at this point I am so thankful he is eating. Luckily he just started ABA and next week he starts sensory motor feeding therapy so hopefully those this will help. Right now we are just going with it, I know that will change eventually but for now it works.

Glad it got him to start eating! We (meaning DD and I, lol) have a "no media" rule at the table - our meals last < 5 min due to sensory stuffing - which I will have to mention sensory motor feeding therapy to the SLP, she is in charge of her food therapy at the moment; great at it but it is not sticking at all, especially without cues.

lite-bright · January 2014

Take this or leave it depending on how you want to handle the special interest, but an FYI on a resource. One of our therapists had this DVD set and we borrowed a couple at times. It taps into that train interest to practice recognizing emotions -- very like Thomas, but they transpose actual human faces on the trains and have little quizzes after each segment on who was feeling what. I don't buy it as a therapy program, aka their "15 minutes a day can make a big difference!" shill, but like I said, our therapist did recommend them as a useful exercise.

https://www.thetransporters.com/

It wasn't a huge hit for us (DD1 isn't very into trains), and of course it's a video vs. real face time, but I can see it being useful or interesting for a kid who is really motivated by trains.

mightmom13 · January 2014

lite-bright said:

Take this or leave it depending on how you want to handle the special interest, but an FYI on a resource. One of our therapists had this DVD set and we borrowed a couple at times. It taps into that train interest to practice recognizing emotions -- very like Thomas, but they transpose actual human faces on the trains and have little quizzes after each segment on who was feeling what. I don't buy it as a therapy program, aka their "15 minutes a day can make a big difference!" shill, but like I said, our therapist did recommend them as a useful exercise.

https://www.thetransporters.com/

It wasn't a huge hit for us (DD1 isn't very into trains), and of course it's a video vs. real face time, but I can see it being useful or interesting for a kid who is really motivated by trains.

Thanks - if the trains stick we may try it. She was watching videos on my phone and I do have one on there of a major meltdown of her - crying, throwing things, screaming, red face - and she smirks while watching that one just as she watches the next one of her really happy. She told DCT the meltdown was "happy" Sarah when given the choice of happy or sad in the video...when pushed further she just went to other videos. So she is not recognizing emotion so something like that with her face and close others may help.

pastalady · January 2014

We too have video of DD having a meltdown and when she watched it she too said she was happy. We have taken her to look in the bathroom while crying at her her face. When I ask how she feels she will do a super fake smile through her tears and say she is happy. Ack! It's hard.

Father in law is a train fan. He is most definitely on the spectrum. He buys DD lots of Thomas stuff hoping it will stick lol! No luck. So far her special interests seem to be numbers and colours.

mightmom13 · January 2014

pastalady said:

We too have video of DD having a meltdown and when she watched it she too said she was happy. We have taken her to look in the bathroom while crying at her her face. When I ask how she feels she will do a super fake smile through her tears and say she is happy. Ack! It's hard.
Father in law is a train fan. He is most definitely on the spectrum. He buys DD lots of Thomas stuff hoping it will stick lol! No luck. So far her special interests seem to be numbers and colours.

DD started out and still does at times say "my face is wet" when she is crying, she doesn't understand she is sad, but the behavior therapist has worked her up to understanding that when her face it wet means she is crying and she will want to stop but sometimes can't. She also came to me a couple times and said very happily "my finger is wet!" Yeah - wet with red stuff that we call blood - she is a big pain sensory seeker so I don't think she gets it.

Want a personalized experience?

I just Googled......vent-ish (special interests and intensity)

Re: I just Googled......vent-ish (special interests and intensity)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards