What a strange thing to say

[Applegrim]

My 37 year old, often sits and studies bits of his body, he thinks ears are funny like they've just been stuck on, but he came out with another odd one today, he said aren't legs strange, so I asked him why and he said"well They just grow out of your bum" I'd never thought of it like that! He's also done that strange thing again, I mentioned it before, at the moment his dad is in hospital, now usually it's him thats in hospital, and when we got home after visiting he once again said "Am I me", he's done this before and I'm not sure how or why he see's himself in this situation.

[baddad]

Hi Applegrim: Don't think I've much 'helpful' to offer, but - yes, aren't legs funny!

As someone whose legs are funnier than most (i.e. functional rather than aesthetically pleasing!) I'm forced to agree...

 

On "am I me?" the only thought i can offer is that maybe your son has a 'group' (i.e. himself, you and your husband) identity as well as an 'individual' identity, so he's really asking is 'is the group ok with dad in hospital?" sort of thing - an expression of concern over his dad (???). That could, of course, be total baloney - perhaps the next poster can offer some better insight - but i can't think of anything else at the mo.

 

Hope your other half's home soon

Very best

BD

[mossgrove]

Some people with autism seem have significant difficulties in distinguishing between themselves and everybody else in a way that we all take for granted, I think it may be related to the diffulties than many autistic people have great difficulty with 'Theory of Mind"

 

Simon

[yameretzu]

I have another one, when I was younger and sometimes now I look at myself ina mirror or just think, do I exist, or is the world just a dream, am I really me or is this just an illusion.

[oracle]

My 17 year old son says that he would like to know if what he sees in the mirror is the same as everyone else sees him. I suppose it makes sense, as none of us can be really sure if the image that we see is received by others in the same way? He says that this is the reason why he hates mirrors and looking at himself.

 

Carole

[Libbeth]

I think most of us take things for granted, that things are there, that we are ourselves, but asd kids/adults tend to dissect things more and look at individual realities and try to evaluate them.

 

My son always cracks me up with the way he says things. Hes only just talking at nearly 5, but he uses words in such a hyper logical way it makes everyone else seem ridiculously long winded.

 

I reckon its that the questions they ask we've never really thought of before they asked us, so we are taken aback, but hey, they make perfect sense right?

[smallworld]

Hi Carole,

try looking at someone you know very well in a mirror, it's very strange.

I had the same conversation with our 9 yr old and tried to explain why his mirror image wasn't the same as other people saw him, and he wouldn't see this. I don't believe a photograph is a substitute. There's probably a way to do it though with mirrors, just can't think !

 

wac

[littlenemo]

The way to see yourself as others do is to use 2 (biggish) mirrors, one on either side like so:

/ \. You still can't see yourself face on, more like 3/4 profile.

But a word of warning - it's even weirder and more disturbing than looking in a mirror normally (if you have problems with mirrors). A short home video would do the job better.

Most people don't see what others see anyway as people put on a 'mirror face' when looking at themselves - ever caught sight of yourself by accident as you walk past a mirror - it doesn't look like the 'usual' you.

 

I hate mirrors, and was quite happy living for over 10 years without one in the house. People used to ask how come I didn't cut myself shaving, but the left/right swapover means it's much more dangerous with a mirror than without.

As long as you have a reasonable washing routine and you're not putting on facepaint/makeup, it's easy to tell if you're well shaven and your hair's tidy, etc. just by touch.

 

Vanity thy name is NT.

 

nemo