Special interests are one of the most common characteristics of people with autism. Historically, some interventions for autism have tried to limit them or use them largely as a reward for good behavior. But many people with autism consider these interests to be an important strength and a way to relieve stress.
While the relationship between special interests and social/communication impairment is not well understood, previous research suggests that young children with autism may experience greater rewards from non-social stimuli than social stimuli, causing them to turn to special interests rather than social contact with ...
Many autistics have a special interest or obsession that revolves around objects or factual topics. Some may be surprised to learn that a subgroup of autistics become fixated on people or a particular person. People-watching then becomes their "obsession" or "special interest."
Many autistic people have intense and highly-focused interests, often from a fairly young age. These can change over time or be lifelong. It can be art, music, gardening, animals, postcodes or numbers. For many younger children it's Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaurs or particular cartoon characters.
To find out, I asked a whole bunch of Autistics from different walks of life. Here are their responses. “The feeling behind a special interest is close to the feeling behind a relationship – you meet an idea, or a hobby, and in the early stages you have to spend time with it and learn more about it.
Some may find it challenging to express love verbally or through typical social cues, but they can still demonstrate affection and care through their actions, interests, and consistent support. That said, autism is a spectrum, and each individual's experience and expression of love may vary.
Essentially, autistic stimming helps one cope with feeling anxious, bored, or excited. Stimming is a common activity even in non-autistic individuals. Hair twirling, nail-biting, toe-tapping, and knuckle-cracking are all common stimming examples.
Autistic brains are often really good at focusing deeply on one thing at a time; they may struggle to split attention between topics. 'Hyperfixation' is being completely immersed in something to the exclusion of everything else. It's more common in autistic people and can be a great asset.
There are varying diagnoses within the category of autism, and under the umbrella of high functioning autism subtypes include asperger's syndrome, pathological demand avoidance, Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) — also known as atypical autism.
Autistic people may display a range of strengths and abilities that can be directly related to their diagnosis, including: Learning to read at a very early age (known as hyperlexia). Memorising and learning information quickly. Thinking and learning in a visual way.
Many people with autism crave intimacy and love. But, they don't know how to achieve it in a romantic relationship. They can feel blind to everyday subtle social cues from their partner. This can cause conflict and hurt feelings.
You can think of a special interest as a really, really intense hobby. Like extremely intense. Sometimes special interests can become too much, like an obsession or an addiction, whereas hobbies are rarely obsessive or intense.
Autism support in Fayetteville often focuses on choosing fun social activities for adults with autism, including storytelling, gymnastics, sports, and card games. Many individuals with autism find that engaging in social activities helps with their communication skills and ability to work within a group.
But neurodivergent people gravitate towards each other, unknowingly sometimes, because we understand each other better.
Motivating Children With Autism
Select rewards and positive reinforcements for your child to use as extrinsic motivation. Gradually, reduce the extrinsic rewards as you notice your child learning a positive habit or experiencing more positive feelings about accomplishing activities.
A special interest is more than just a hobby or something we are casually interested in and often turns into a hyperfixation. When hyperfixation occurs, it can be hard to pull away from our special interests and can interfere with daily life.
'High functioning autism' is a term often used for individuals diagnosed with ASD who have an intelligence quotient (IQ) estimate of 70 or above.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Someone who is considered a savant may be especially skilled in art, math, music, memory recall, or another subject. Savant syndrome is commonly associated with autism but can occur alongside other conditions.
Some may speak in a flat, monotone voice; others may use unusual modulation or stress different words or parts of words in their speech; and some may speak at an increased volume. Children with autism also may understand an emotion's meaning differently when it's conveyed through tone of voice.
Some can be lifelong special interests. Others may last a handful of years. Other times, though, they might be fleeting fascinations, where the interest comes and goes.
How Are ADHD and Autism Different? ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition whose hallmark signs include hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Autism is also a neurodevelopmental condition, but one characterized by social skills challenges like social interactions, communications, and repetitive behaviors.
What Is Posturing in Autism? Posturing is the act of holding one's fingers or hands out at an angle. It is merely one example of stimming or self-stimulatory behavior. It's also defined as arching the back while sitting.
Many people in the autism community also prefer identity-first language. They view autism as a central and important part of their identity and take pride in it.
These interests are extremely common among people with autism: 75 to 95 percent have them. An interest may involve collecting items such as postcards or dolls, listening to or playing music in a repetitive way, or focusing intensely on a narrow topic, such as insects fighting.