rocketgob Report post Posted February 1, 2008 Sorry another question ... Charlie has an extremely overactive imagination and memory, which has been picked up on by preschool already (they have missed all his other issues so far but thats another story). They (and the HV) have described his imagination as being "age inappropriate", and his memory is unbelievable - he re-enacts things word for word and step by step we have done like 4 months ago. Is this an autistic trait or is it something else as I was led to believe that imaginative play would be one of the things that would be underdeveloped? I am totally confused now! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JsMum Report post Posted February 1, 2008 [font="Arial Narrow]I was led to believe that imaginative play would be one of the things that would be underdeveloped? I am totally confused now![/font] I too had the same thought, but Js imagination is very interesting, he takes real notice of objects and visualises a lot, I have been told that imagination is not underdeveloped in Autism especially if you look at some arts and crafts by Autistic children they have depth and true inspiration, the photos J takes are in angles rather a clear cut and interesting making me wonder just how imaganative he is, probably more than me. J watches repeated programmes over and over and know them word for word now, we know its about feeling settled with known events, he has an awareness of the next act. personally I think that Autism there is Imagination, but that is my opinion. JsMum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted February 1, 2008 I dont know all the jargon for this, but your post reminded me a lot of JP when he was ickle. Its not so much that its underdeveloped, its just that its v different. He for instance would copy exactly how I made spaghetti bolognaise with his little cooking set, & it became so real for him that he was distraught when he dropped the pan containing the imaginary food. BUT - he could never make that further leap into complete fantasy, & make, say, dinosaur soup. It made no sense to him, his imaginative play was rooted in real things. I dont think thats the whole story by any means, but I do think that is part of it. And yes, the script thing too - JP does it to this day, he'll say something that sounds completely natural & in context, then tell me which book/film he got it from. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nic m Report post Posted February 2, 2008 Rocketgob, my daughter has a great imagination and when she was younger it seemed more than it is now if that makes sense. At three staff at nursery were amazed at how far she would go with a story she would tell, but i read lots of fairy stories to her and would make stories up for her, and they kind of got her version of all of that. Her imagination is more rigid now and i think it always has been really, just that at a young age she articulated really well and had a fantastic memory. Her memory is changing now and some things she remembers word for word, and other things she cannot recollect at all. Imagination, though vivid in a particular sense with her, is fabulous it is always rooted in fantasy land (fairy stories, princess stories all the stories from when she was younger) but asking her to visualise anything in any kind of structured way is not possible at the moment. If i try to run through possible eventualities in any particular setting, we might get a response but it is then fixed in her head that that is the way it will end up. So i am sorry, i have probably not helped any but i think she has a great sense of imagination, and you would want to live in the worlds she creates but i find it is limited to that. I would love to have the power of her recollection, and it comes in very handy when i get us lost.She is like a wee homing pigeon and always remembers routes we have taken and looks out for landmarks.(This may be nature's way of protecting her from a rather ditzy mother though) I hope you get some answers soon nic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted February 2, 2008 I think this is the common misunderstanding about the use of the term 'imagination' when describing one element of the Triad of Impairment. It was never meant to refer to 'creative imagination'. It's quite clear that people on the spectrum can have incredible creative imaginations. Nowadays, that element of the Triad is increasingly and more accurately referred to as a problem with flexible thinking. HTH Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted February 2, 2008 Bid's right, it's about flexibility of thought and being able to see alternative scenarios, rather like Nic has said here: If i try to run through possible eventualities in any particular setting, we might get a response but it is then fixed in her head that that is the way it will end up. The "what might happen" thoughts are really difficult for me, and having to think of more than one outcome I find really difficult. I've sometimes wondered if part of that is down to a 'need to know' and for things to be predictable - if I have several possible outcomes, I don't have as much control as I would knowing what will happen. I can get very fixed on one way that things will be (particularly if it's in a situation that I find difficult) and then get very stressed when that isn't the way things are. BUT - he could never make that further leap into complete fantasy, & make, say, dinosaur soup. Maybe he didn't have a big enough saucepan? Dinosaurs are quite big, you know. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted February 2, 2008 [quote name='Mumble' date='Feb 2 2008, 09:29 AM' post='195390' Maybe he didn't have a big enough saucepan? Dinosaurs are quite big, you know. I think JP would agree with you about the need to know scenario - he constantly obsesses about his future life, & it has to be a certain way. I dread to think what will happen if his plans don't work out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rocketgob Report post Posted February 2, 2008 Thank you - you all summed up what I couldn't put into words perfectly! Charlie's imaginative play IS all based around everyday "normal" occurences not make believe fantasy stuff, I never realised that before you said it Pearl. Bid - you are so right - I think that imagination is the wrong word - but I couldn't think of the right thing to say - flexible thinking is a far better way to describe it. Good job you knew what I meant! Mumble - thank you so much for the way you explain things - you are helping me a lot to see things more clearly from Charlie's perspective. I can see now that when Charlie does things why he does it the same way each time (like the same ending of a story) and why he gets so agitated and upset when things go a different way. Maybe he didn't have a big enough saucepan? Dinosaurs are quite big, you know. :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nic m Report post Posted February 2, 2008 Mumble, and bid, I know i did not start this thread but you have both just helped me with explaining this more clearly. I am going to remeber the flexible thinking thing the next time someone mentions imagination. Thank-you nicola Rocketgob thank-you for helping by bringing this up nic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rocketgob Report post Posted February 2, 2008 Nic - no problem - I keep thinking of loads of things to ask and noone else can give me answers better or quicker than you lot! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Clare63 Report post Posted February 2, 2008 That's the beauty of this forum isn't it. It so helpful having the insight of Mumble, Bid etc., so much better than any pro I've meet. Clare x x x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
