978-1572305441
autism
autism
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Justin 35<br />
a nuisance, especially because it is pursued with such intensity that it<br />
severely hampers family life. Parents cannot wait for hours while the<br />
child opens and closes the garage doors with the electric openers. I<br />
knew one couple who was, to say the least, annoyed when an enormous<br />
heating bill arrived in the mail, thanks to their son, who loved the<br />
sound of the furnace so much that he played with the setting on the<br />
thermostat. He made the furnace come on at regular and frequent intervals,<br />
even in the heat of summer, and each time it did, the sounds<br />
brought him great pleasure and excitement.<br />
But as with Stephen, sometimes the interests can seem quite<br />
charming, and in those circumstances parents may take great pleasure<br />
in their child’s preoccupations. I vividly remember little Chris, although<br />
I saw him only once since he lived far away. He was a lovely boy with<br />
short dark hair and big green eyes. The family lived out in the country<br />
by the banks of a small river. Along the river were tall aspen trees that<br />
could be seen from the backyard of the house. Chris became very excited<br />
whenever he watched the wind blow through the trees. The<br />
branches swayed, the leaves rustled and shimmered in the sunlight.<br />
Chris would stand there in his backyard, flap his arms, and make humming<br />
sounds. He loved to watch the trees move in the wind. Then he<br />
and his mother would hold hands and dance, because, as Chris said,<br />
“the trees are dancing.”<br />
Whether or not these eccentric interests and preoccupations should<br />
be eliminated is a common question and one without a definite answer.<br />
To eliminate them entirely may not be possible or even desirable as they<br />
represent true play activities, and play is essential to the development of<br />
communication and social skills, especially if the play can be extended<br />
to include other children. Sometimes, however, these interests and preoccupations<br />
are experienced as intrusive and troublesome by the child,<br />
almost like the obsessions seen in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).<br />
When that occurs, treatment with medication is certainly indicated.<br />
There is good evidence that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors<br />
(SSRIs) are effective for the rituals and obsessions in OCD and more<br />
generally for symptoms of anxiety in children with autism and AS.<br />
When the interest is troublesome or intrusive, it is important to<br />
limit the pursuit of that interest to a time and place that does not interfere<br />
too much with the family or other people. Often the activity can be<br />
limited to the child’s bedroom or else pursued away from people outside<br />
the family. This can be done by setting aside a certain time each day<br />
when the child is allowed to pursue his interests without interference