Two questions... we are in the middle of filling out the paper work for Matthew's autism evaluation referral (they make you fill out paperwork and they review it first before setting up an interview to do a formal eval).
1.) Its it still considered scripting if the phrases are used appropriately?? Matthew certainly does use phrases from videos but 90% of the time he uses them appropriately based on the context of the situation. One of the videos the character says "double oops" well Matthew uses that whenver he drops something on the floor. He also was saying "here we go, here we go" (Wonderpets) as we were leaving the garage in the car. They are definintely phrases straight out of movies... but in the right context. But then he also started saying "mama, where's mama" from the Wonderpets save the kangaroo today when we were at the Zoo and he saw Kangaroos... not sure I'd call that appropriate so not all the scripting is. Not all of his speech is scripted from movies either... he has plenty of normal functional speech. I am just trying to figure out if its still considered scripting if its used in the appropriate context???
2.) Is this considered lining things up in the autistic sense?? Matthew will take and line 3-4 characters up and then move them around to different places and in different orders. Like his little Sesame Street figurines... he'll take Elmo, Cookie, and Big Bird and put them on the steps then carry them upstairs and put them on the couch and so on. I've never seen him make a big long line with anything nor does he care if you mess up what he's doing o(I can move Elmo and he'll just laugh)... does that matter? He's still not really playing appropriately with the characters.
Thanks!!
I'd say that 1 is scripting, but that 2 is not lining up in the autistic sense. Tho I'm not as sure about my 2 answer. My son used to line things up a bit, but appropriately. For example, he lined up his Thomas trains. And he LOVED playing with his Noah's Ark because he loved lining up the animals. Both of these things was appropriate, but he might have liked doing it more than NT kids would. Otherwise, he NEVER lined things up. I still don't know whether that would have been considered "lining up" or not and my son's 16 and NEVER lines things up.When in doubt, score him "more autistic." It might help him get a formal evaluation, and will compensate for any questions that you might have inadvertently answered as "less autistic" than he actually is.
I myself answered a question about repetitive behaviors negatively because the evaluators only gave lining things up as an example. Later, when I knew more about autism, I realized he did have some repetitive behaviors. Luckily, my wrong answer didn't keep him from a diagnosis.
Good luck with everything.
Sharlet does this arranging of several characters too. I think it is a repetitive behavior even if it isn't lining up in the usual sense. I'd say yes to both. Our psych said even when it's appropriate, it's still scripting. My dd does the same lining up (with the same sesame street characters! although this week, her small princesses are her fave!), but she will get upset if anyone/anything interferes, rearranges, knocks over, etc. She used to line up blocks, up to 20 of them. She would be in her own world, & tantrum if anyone tried to interact with her. Now, she seems content & relaxed when she does it, but not quite as tuned out. Let us know how things go!Mason used to line things up a lot...some big lines running through my house, other times just small lines here and there.
He doesn't line things up so much anymore, but still catergorizes everything...there are little piles of stuff all over my house now that he has put in specific areas...sometimes I see a pattern other times I don't, but he sure seems to know the reasoning for it!
My point is, IMO, I would still mark it in the autistic sense, just because it isn't being played with appropriately...maybe you could asterisk it and put a little more info regarding it.
As far as the scripting, I agree that just because it's appropriate it's still scripting...Mason scripts A LOT!! Just recently have I noticed that some of it is starting to become appropriate and was fairly excited by this...I gotta little bashing from this dr I recently saw (Long story!!) But he told me it's still scripting. He didn't go into it at all but didn't seem impressed that it's used appropriately. Could have just been my experience with this doctor, who knows.
Anyway, good luck with your eval and keep us posted.
Wow...that sounds just like my son.