| Through the lens of an Incomplete Attachment. I have | | | | "wrong" with a person who on the one hand has great |
| described that the autistic child is experiencing | | | | musical ability or artistic ability, but cannot talk. I would |
| dissociated states. What does this mean? From my | | | | say this is an example of dissociation in that the |
| perspective, the child has many parts of himself that | | | | emotions are split off from the intellect of the person. |
| have not become integrated as a whole. These | | | | 3) Cannot shift thinking from one subject to another - |
| aspects of the self have not been validated and | | | | this is an example of not being able to go from one |
| recognized by "an other" so the child, in turn, cannot | | | | part of the self to another. The individual is |
| use and see himself. Thus the different parts of this | | | | demonstrating on the outside of himself what is |
| child become dissociated and cannot work together to | | | | occurring on the inside of him. In other words, his |
| the benefit of the child. We can say that this child does | | | | inability to go from one part of himself to another. |
| not have the ability to go from one part of himself to | | | | 4) the child can think through mathematical problems, |
| another. The child also cannot go within himself to | | | | but cannot think through and understand social |
| retrieve these dissociated parts. | | | | interactions - the child has access to his intellect, but no |
| How can I recognize dissociation in an autistic child? | | | | access to the emotional parts of himself. The |
| Dissociation is easy to recognize. We all have aspects | | | | emotional side is harder to access if you have never |
| of dissociation, but it is more profoundly seen in Autism | | | | had an attachment. It is through an attachment that |
| Spectrum Disorders. The following are examples of | | | | one feels understood and seen and in turn can talk |
| dissociation: | | | | and have access to the emotional parts of one's self. |
| 1) reduced sense of pain - the child may burn himself, | | | | These are only a few examples of what I think about |
| but not demonstrate any outward behaviors that say, | | | | when observing the autistic person through the lens of |
| "I am hurting." The pain is there and he feels it, but he is | | | | dissociation and an Incomplete Attachment. When one |
| split off from his ability to claim it and name the feeling. | | | | thinks about autism from this perspective than one can |
| 2) Exceptional savant skills - such as extraordinary | | | | have hope that the child can develop into an integrated |
| ability to remember days of the week of birthdays and | | | | person. The work with the person with autism is to |
| dates associated with events, ability to do | | | | help him to become more conscious of the split off |
| mathematical calculations that others can only do with | | | | parts. This includes helping him to name his feelings |
| the help of a calculator or great musical and artistic | | | | along with the development of a trusting relationship |
| abilities. These abilities seem to coexist with what | | | | with another person. As he becomes more conscious |
| appears to be severe disabilities. Most people | | | | of himself his dissociated parts will begin to work |
| observing such a mixture of behaviors would be | | | | together. |
| confused and conclude that there must be something | | | | |