Overly Imaginative
<hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> I'm new here and searched the archives but didn't find any threads on this topic...

My son is being evaluated over the next month at school for his cognititive, educational, and social development. The works. We're concerned that he's showing the "presense of Autism."

He does demonstrate some of the characteristics of autism or asbergers (not really connecting with adults and other children often, difficulty in school with work and paying attention, anxiety, eating issues, for instance) but something that sticks out in my mind is that he's overly imaginative and has been since he was 2 (he's 5 now).

Specifically, he acts out all of his television shows and movies word-for-word. He's obsessed with Charlie Brown and Blue's Clues right now and when watching them, he often has to have his shirt, notebook, crayon, and chair, for example. He then goes through entire episodes word-for-word acting out each scene and character with an uncanny ability to get everything down perfect. He's even memorized the dialogue and when we're at the grocery store or something, he'll go into his "own little world" acting out one of his shows. (Part of the problem now is that he does this all of the time at school.)

Does anyone know anything about this overly imaginative play? Is this common in children with asbergers? All of the research says such children *lack* imaginative play--something my son does not lack the ability to do. I would sincerely appreciate any feedback, advice, recommendations...

Thanks.

OK, I don't know that much about Aspergers or other Autism-spectrum things, but I'm answering because nobody else has.

All I have to say is that what you describe - the memorization, the acting out of scenes he's seen, the repitition of those scenes, etc - that's NOT imaginative play. Not at all.

Imaginative play is making up his own episode. It might involve the same characters, but he'd make up his own mystery. Or he'd change one so it has a different ending. Or he'd get so into it he'd make up "extra" stuff to put in so it lasted longer. Or he'd even create his own show entirely.

What you describe is more like copying, or imitating, or repeating. It's not imaginative.

I'm sorry, that's probably not what you wanted to hear at all. But I hope it helps in your understanding of the symptom lists you're probably looking at. And I hope some other people chime in with additinal help for you.

Hang in there!

i have alook for you ovely imagaintvie an see if i can get some ifon on it dorm

Welcome to the forums, eliza!

I've worked with a few adolescents/kids/teens/adults with Autism and Aspergers.

I am in complete agreement with Diane, it's memorization, rather than imaginative play.

Some people with Autism and Aspergers tend to obsess/stim about one or two things.

With the people I've worked with I've seen obsessions/stim with:
- Baseball pennants - Calendar
- music - VCR
- news - movies
- weather

For some who were able to talk with me about it, their obsession/stim was something that calmed them.

Thanks to all three of you for your responses. It's not really what I wanted to hear but I appreciate the help. Actually, I'm really scared but... I appreciate the feedback since I'm still learning.

I can see the shows as being comforting, especially since it's really just very specific shows.

If anyone else has any feedback or experiences, I would still love to hear about them...

Hi Eliza.

Firstly welcome to the forums:)

From what I know of Autism and Aspergers is that they do lack imaginative play and ability, however they do have a great ability to do something which is called rote learning and memorising which is exactly what you've said your boy does regarding his favourite shows.

I get the impression that you're only new to finding out this information about your boy and ASD, while this forum's a good one to come to, I'm going to suggest a far better one for ASD which is Australian owned and operated and it has far more information and advice on ASD and it's symptoms, I went on these forums for a while, not because I have ASD personally but because I suspected that my step-grandfather might have Aspergers, it's a wonderful site with wonderful people on it (link removed by moderator, please see forum guidelines and pm member for link)

I hope things work out for you soon.

Selena:)

i was an iam ovey imaginative i two can rember word for word in some films not allways i must say...or i watch a film way two meany times or if someone talking i go off into dream ....world so i can see from the childs point ofve view....as well wounders how meany on the fruoms do the same thing as i do dorm woooooo i like roollercoaster i dono wann get off eheheh

hi.

I wouldn't class that as 'imaginative play' I would class it as obsessive behaviour which is in fact a big part of most autistic spectrum disorders. I have one with ADD/dyslexia/dyspraxia and another also being assessed for aspergers.. and both are obsessive and play and act out like you describe.

The worst thing here is it is usually star wars or spy kids so they usually end up injuring one another. or themselves.

I'd be thankful it is something fairly mild he is imitating and leave it to pass.. even if it meant waiting for him in the supermarket.

Acting out at school is probably a response to boredom or lack of understanding or interest in whatever is going on. Mine have the concentration span of gnats so if the teacher is explaining to the whole class they switch off and go into their own little worlds.

I'd mention it to the educational psychologist or whoever is conducting the assessments as it is very significant.

xx