Changing the subject | Autism PDD
Don't just sit there googling!--go out and buy some musical
instruments!!
First Act is a great relatively inexpensive brand of instruments you can
buy at Target and Toys R Us.
We went from obsessing about different instruments and picking them
out in orchestral arrangements to actually playing together! Our "Band"
makes nothing but the most cacophonous of noises, but we have much
fun. We march, we dance, we use everything from shakers to a kid's
accordian. The Kazoo is key, if you actually want to have a tune. 
But, seriously, it was one of the first "games" we could play together, and
he got really engaged. BTW, he's 4.5 and now started piano lessons (his
idea--not mine)
Have fun!
We are guilty indulging this "interest" in Sarah..first it was drums..then guitar..then violin..accordian..xylophone..harmonica..and then piano...
She learned how to play by ear and picks up songs very quickly and people are amazed to hear her play.
Now her thing is books and drawing...so grandma got her paints, pencils, sketch pads, How to draw books...................................
Mama to Sam 8yrs PDD NOS OCD ODD PPD expert on the topics of Bionicles and Runescape
My son talks about dogs all the time. We have about 20 books about dogs.
We have 7 Webkins dogs and he plays Nitendogs on his D/S. We have
conversaions about who has what dog and what breed it is. We have him
copy simple sentences about dogs. We talk about the care and feeding of
dogs. We go to pet stores to look at different breeds. I have promised him
one of his own when he is 10. We too" indulge" his interest. He does
however have other interests beside dogs so I am not so worried that he will
get stuck on just this one thing.
Music can also be good practice for following directions. One day we played orchestra and took turns being the conductor -- tap tap tap meant get ready, then when the conductor's wand was moving that meant play, and when it stopped that meant stop.
Music can also be used for practicing imitating -- either sounds or dance steps.
Or practicing computer skills (my autistic son was slower than my NT son at picking up mouse skills. Here's a link to some music games on Playhouse Disney.
http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/music/ - various
http://atv.disney.go.com/playhouse/littleeinsteins/music/qui ncymagicinstruments.html
create music (demo a song he knows and perhaps ID the instruments). Then
you can go into what people like to do with music: dance to it, listen to it,
read to it, draw to it. This may lead to different places people go listen to
music or the groups of people that play music--marching bands, orchestras,
choir groups, etc.
Just a thought...
CAS gave great advice:)
Sarah has to google all her interests, draw pics of them and talk about them all the time and make story books about them..I never get too worried because the next week or so she focuses on something else:)
Hi all-
Im wondering how much I should be letting Ryan perseverate on one topic. For example, hes discoverd musical instruments and now he wants me to find images of them on the computer and he goes around annoucing "a guitar...you strum a guitar", "a violin...you use a bow to play it", etc. While Im very happy that hes using language and new words, its hard to know how much is too much. I dont want to say hes obsessive about it, far from it, but is there any way to use this interest of his to build more language? He can basically label every instrument now that exists, but of course Id rather have him using more "functional" language. I also dont want him to get obsessed. Should I try to get him "off" the instrument thing or should I continue to go with it?
Anyone BTDT?
My understanding of this is, that you should capitalize on special interests because they are a motivating way to teach a wide variety of things. Tie every new skill you can to musical instruments.
On the other hand, I do NOT apply this to perseveration on topics that are not productive. In other words, if I have a child who is so concentrated on SpongeBob that I cannot get him to focus on the math concept I am teaching, I will set a specific limit, such as "Tell me one more thing about SpongeBob and then SpongeBob is all done until after math time" or in the worst case scenario (fasicnation on horror movies) "We don't talk about horror movies at school". AND I use it for motivation especially with Aspies- "Get your writing done and we can spend 5 minutes talking about Yu-gi-oh".
GO WITH IT!My ds has just started to become very interested in the universe.
I try and use it to build language and I also try to encourage original
thought. What I mean is that I don't just want him to restate facts about
the universe at me but I ask questions that has him rethink.
I have been using it as a reward and bonding time, for example if he
practises writing and reading we will snuggle on the couch and watch a
Nova show about the universe.
I have also started making a rule that if we are sitting at the dinnertable
he needs to ask 'can I change the topic' before starting on his special
interest. That has been going well and I am thinking of making a rule
that he has to contribute a question or remark to whatever is being
discussed at the table before he can change the topic to his special
interest.
Eyewitness DK by the way has a great book on musical instruments. They
have a whole row of 'special interest' topics for kids with pictures and
facts. I love them. I swear they were all made with asd kids in mind.Amazingly, those links still work. Here's another music activity:
http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix
I really, really, REALLY love animals. ESPECIALLY cats. My kitty is usually within arm's reach, and if she's not, I'm calling her and bugging her to come sit with me.
The very best thing about my cat, though, is that she gives me a window into your world. I can share enjoyment with others when it comes to cats and my cat. When my mom pets her, I feel so happy! I can talk to other people about their cats and about my cat. Yes, I get obsessive... I can feel when I'm getting too excited, sometimes. But you know, it gives me a way to connect to other people, which I like to be able to do sometimes
Copyright Autism-PDD.net