For kids who laugh innapropriately, do they really think something awful is funny or do you think its a nervous thing?
I ask because today my daughter did something that made me a little scared. My son, 19 months fell down and busted his upper lip. He bled a lot and screamed and cried. I dont handle things like this well and I ended up crying too. This all woke up my newborn and for a few moments it was pure chaos. My dd, 5 yrs started laughing, doing her finger stim and ran up to a light switch and fliped it on and off. She has never had a light switch issue so I dont think its a stim or anything like that, it was like she had no idea what to do.
She didnt seem to think anything was funny, she looked nervous but she didnt seem concerned either. When all was calm and I was cleaning up my son, she colored and didnt take any interest to see if he was ok.
When I see my son, again 19 months, he seems so much more "concerned." He will cry if my newborn cries. That is something my dd would have never done at his age. It really, really bothers me that she laughed.
Is this considered innaporpriate laughing if she didnt think it was funny? What do I do???
I want to add, nobody thinks she is asd but me. We do not have a dx. These are the things I see but sadly, nobody else does...
I think she did it b/c she didn't know what else to do....I have a VERY uncomfortable laugh as well...I don't think it is b/c she thought it was funny. I also think that the reason she didn't express concern is b/c she is probably lacking empathetic "waves" to know that he is crying = hurt...get help or make sure he's ok. Don't worry she will eventually learn it while most kids just have it.I have a VERY vivid memory of laughing at a little boy, when a chain-link batting cage fell on him on the playground at at school. I was 8. I have NO IDEA why I laughed ... but I sure remember the effect it had!
I lost several friends. My teacher told me very somberly, "It's not funny, he's hurt." and I felt TERRIBLE. to this day I wonder why a laugh came out of me.
Definitely a behavior to be extinguished for its impact on the child.
Again I think it was out of excitement and nervousness. Not because she found pleasure in someone's pain, but simply did not know who else to respond.amberwaves - is your dd on the spectrum? That is something I can picture my dd doing too...she just does not know what her linits are...even though we tell her all the time...Thank you, I appreciate the responses. I just felt so weird about the whole thing. Too much happened at once I think. I just had a baby a week ago and I am trying to watch my 5 yr old, my 19 month old and the new baby alone...its hard.
I know that for asd, innapropriate laughing can be a red flag. Her laughing made my stomach sink.
Can a nervous laugh be a red flag? Can it be age appropriate?
Yes, I know that laugh that makes your stomach sink! Only heard it a few times, but ... I think a nervous laugh is different from an inappropriate laugh...but it could still be a red flag...it takes quite a few red flags to go up before the fireworks. I think most parents will agree they themselves exhibit a few flags. My daughters laughs at the wrong time too. She is 6 yrs old and she pushed her 2 yr old brother under the water in the pool. Keep in mind he just over came his fear of water. I couldn't beleive it. I'm 3 feet away from them and I jump in the pool. She is laughing the whole entire time. He went up for a breath and he was all right. (My 2 yr old has been practicing hold his breath in the bath tub.) I just could not believe she did that.