Does your autistic child obsess over Teletubbies?

United States
February 12, 2007 4:59pm CST
My 26 month old daughter is severely autistic with Sensory Processing Disorder as well. She doesn't eat solid food & she is non-verbal, although we have made progress using sign language & some PECS. But I digress. Ever since she was an infant, Teletubbies have fascinated her. Nothing else - Barney, Elmo, Sesame Street, The Wiggles, Dora...you name it & Fiona has turned her nose up at it. But you crank up some Tinky Winky singing his "loud song" and she lights up like a Christmas tree! So far, the only dolls/toys she has any attachment to are the 4 Tubbies I tracked down on eBay. She lives for her Tubbies videos & DVDs - Fiona dances, coos, laughs and/or zones out when she is watching Tubbies. I have used Tubbies as props when I work on skills such as socialization, play and even eating, with varying degrees of success. Her OT is pro-Tubbies, her speech path is anti-Tubbies but Fiona is ALL Tubbies :) My theory in why Teletubbies is so appealling to her: 1. The faces are baby-like but non-expressive. 2. The bright primary colors of the Tubbies & the Noo Noo - Fiona loves color. 3. The lack of human beings on the show. Seriously, there is NEVER a person seen other in the video clips. 4. The consistancy of the show, especially the "again again" part where a video is repeated. I used to call that a flashback... 5. The dancing - Fiona has amazing gross motor skills & will dance for hours even if the show is not on. 6. The simple language. Fiona will gesture "Big hug" when she feels affectionate but rarely wants to be hugged physically. I would be fascinated to hear if other parents of autistic kids have the same experience...or if your child is just as focused on one particular show!
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1 response
• United States
16 Feb 07
We've found that our son will watch programs like Teletubbies, Booh-Bah, Pingu.. over and over if we don't put a limit on it. I think the particularly non-linear stuff really appeals to him. On one hand he loves it. But, on the other hand it causes him to stim so its not something that we let him watch lots of.
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