Autism and Obsessions, or are they Passions?

Autism and Obsessions, or are they Passions?to escape unwanted, undesired or overwhelming
           Could what we, as parents, witnessstimulus.
in our autistic children as obsessions, really be the          The intensity of this retreat can be
indicator of passions and innate talents?detrimental to the individual’s wellbeing if, for
          Could these passionate interestsexample, the passion involves potentially risky physical
become an area of expertise for the autistic personactivity. One example of this, which I can use to explain
who is now a child and soon to grow towardswhat I mean here is – an experience of a young
adulthood? autistic man, whose passion is building, repairing and
          Should we discourage what appearriding motorbikes. One day he felt so sensorally
to be obsessions by ‘training’ for reducedoverloaded with various stressors, that he jumped on
behaviours in these areas and hope to influence thehis motorbike and went flat-out down the local
child to become more generalized (normalized) in theirfreeway; endangering his life and that of others. Luckily
daily behaviours?he returned home safely. Fortunately too, he realized
          If we do aim to divert energies awaythat such an action was not the best choice of
from such passions, could we be halting or stifling thatresponse to his anxieties.
serious endeavor of intrigue and a natural gift towards          Another example, is where a young
nurturing a potential genius in a given ‘area’ orautistic boy, who had a fascination with all things to do
natural inclination of interests? If not genius in potential,with planes and helicopters, felt upset with those
perhaps a natural progressive and intensely personalaround him at school one day. So upon hearing and
interest which could open up a field of explorationseeing a large plane fly above him, he decided to
(career wise?) in the future?follow it – completely absorbed with its’ sound
          Could that intrigue with lineated toys;and movement. He crossed roads without looking for
the spinning top; curiosity with the shape of things; whattraffic and ended up in the next town. Fortunately he
sounds things make; the feel of an object; the rhythmstopped in his tracks, not moving, when it had gone out
‘read’ in music; bugs in the garden; the weatherof sight and sound. Also, and most fortunate of all, a
patterns; the lure of the sea; the patterns, colours andkind passer-by recognized his school uniform; phoned
feel of paint on a canvas; the beautiful pitch of athe school and the police, and this young lad was
constantly practiced singing voice; relentlessly diggingreturned to the safety of his school and relieved
holes in the backyard after the discovery of anmother.
intriguing ‘object’ in the first hole dug; the          Most passionate interests are usually
repetitive plucking of the strings of a violin........and so on...,safe in nature and an incredibly important and intrinsic
be the beginning of an amazing future in design,element in an autistic person’s life.
physics, writing music scores, entomology,          We should not confuse them
meteorology, art, opera, oceanography, archeology,(passions) with 'poor' behaviours which need
concert violin and so on......?‘rectifying’ or dulling for what may be
          Just as we should assist our autisticconsidered ‘normalization’. Behaviours which
children with daily living, educational, social, behaviouralmay be deemed injurious, unsafe or unhealthy, for
skills for example, to enable them to achieve a quality,example, need to be addressed with the autistic
healthy, happy and safe life experience (serving toperson/child. Discovering the cause of the anxieties or
enhance their important rightful place and acceptanceconcerns which produce such responses/behaviours
in this world); which could mean temporarily andmust be ascertained and the appropriate assistance
momentarily diverting their attention from thoseprovided to the autistic person to reduce or eliminate
passionate interests to acquire or improve on suchthem, for the quality of life.
skills.          Healthy passions can be nurtured
          Passions are not a sign of badalong with providing a balanced life skill set of
behaviours or necessarily responding anxiously andconditions and experiences to assist our autistic
negatively to a stimulus. Though a retreat into achildren grow and prosper in this sometimes busy,
passionate area of interest may be in response toconfusing, unforgiving and overwhelming world.
stresses or anxiety; a place of familiarity and comfortLouise Page M.A.I.P.C., Q.M.A.C.A., A.A.T.A.