A quick test for autism?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238364)
Walnut Creek, California
October 10, 2019 10:41am CST
A couple posts ago, I mentioned an autistic kid I'll be losing soon at the preschool. I also mentioned another kid at the preschool who some thought has autism. But I thought otherwise.
The quick and dirty test for autism? I don't know where I heard this, but right now I believe in its value: Sit facing the person in question. Look over their shoulder and say "What's that?"
A non-autistic person will usually look in the direction you're pointing. An autistic person will not.
About a week ago, I tried this test on my language-delayed (but not autistic, I believe) 2 1/2-year-old buddy when we were playing together. He immediately looked over his shoulder. "Oh it's just a truck, I said." We went back to playing.
With my autistic buddy, the same "experiment" occurred this past Monday in a "naturalistic" setting. It was afternoon snack time. I was sitting next to him. Our backs were to the door.
His mom and older sister came in to pick him up but chose not to interrupt his snack. Several kids said, "(kid's name) Look!" He did not turn around. They were excited for him (empathy) and said it again. He did not turn around.
It appears that autistic kids' lack of ability to fully read others' nonverbal cues means that they will not make internal statements like "My friends' reaction, and pointing, are letting me know that they're excited for me, and pointing at something of interest to me, and that I should turn around."
I'm going to try and do further research on this.
15 people like this
11 responses
@TheHorse (238364)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 19
@akalinus My hunch is that it's genetic. Autism runs in families. But beyond that, I don't know much. I do know (from clinical experience) that you can establish relationships with autistic people if you listen well and try to figure out "their world." They appreciate it.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
10 Oct 19
That is a good test. I learned a few from an attorney too, back in the day.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238364)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Oct 19
@andriaperry Where will she live and what will be her fate?
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
11 Oct 19
@TheHorse I was going for the mentally ill don`t know better plea for ..... Ahem... one of my elderly tenants sold her meds for bread and bologna, got caught and I took her to meet her court ordered attorney. He said okay, lets see if the judge will believe her, he asked "was it wrong to sell your pills for food?" She said YES. He said case closed! Jail time, he said mentally incompetent will not know right from wrong. He got her off with 4 years probation.
1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31042)
• United Kingdom
10 Oct 19
I used to work as a primary school teacher and I had an autistic child in my class. He got very upset when the fire bell went off. I think these tests are useful. I have a disabled son and he is now at secondary school. When he was at nursery age he knew some other disabled children. One is a non verbal autistic boy and we saw him last summer when my daughter wished to go to the park.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238364)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Oct 19
How is the non-verbal boy doing now? I spent some "special" time with my 2 1/2-year-old friend today who struggles with expressive language but is not autistic. He is speaking to me in four-word sentences. His words are not clear, but I can decipher them though context. I make sure he's looking at me and then repeat his words with correct pronunciation. I can see him watching my lips. His expressive language is improving dramatically.
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
10 Oct 19
I just feel it's a wide spectrum. We do have checklists but even that can be misleading.
I often say to parents and educators that you can not generalize autism. When you have met one autistic person, you have met only one.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
11 Oct 19
@TheHorse So do I. As an educator, I try to see the child beyond his diagnosis and tags. They build up a prejudice and we fail to see the real individual behind the tag.
But yes we do need diagnosis for certain formalities.
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
10 Oct 19
Interesting. I had never heard of that test.
2 people like this
