Picture Stories for Asperger's Help

I decided to go ahead and try out this picture story thing with my daughter. In gymnastics class this morning, she spent most of the time disturbing the peace. She goes up to eleven, you see, and everyone has to hear everything that comes into her head, and they have to hear it as if she's shouting from the rooftops. Kids with Asperger's aren't trying to be disruptive, and aren't acting out to get attention. They simply don't understand the unspoken rules of behavior and communication. I suffer from the affliction of believing that since my kid is no dummy, that she should know these rules from me telling them to her. You should hear me. At least 10 times before the class today I had to go to her and say "Your volume, Josie." Maybe someday she'll come back at me with "Your valium, mommy." Ha. Well, anyway, the thing about Asperger's is that these kids are incapable of learning social rules simply by hearing them. They have to be convinced, and they have to know "why". That's where my little pictures come in.



I explained the scientific theories of sound waves and interference by drawing out a picture of her gymnastics class. I indicated Josie's sound waves as she was interrupting her teacher, Brian. I showed his sound waves colliding with hers. I made sure to show exasperated expressions on the other girls' faces. She watched as I drew and I explained how the girls were hearing his sound waves mixed up with hers, and how they couldn't learn when this happened. I asked her to tell me which character on the page was the "expert". She told me it was Brian. I asked her who was more important for the girls to hear. She beamed at me and said "Brian!"


Then I drew this next picture of a class full of girls that listen to their teacher. I asked Josie to tell me why they were smiling. She said "cause they can hear". I asked her what they learned. She said "gymnastics". Then I drew little muscles on their arms and showed her how they all got strong. After that I drew her teacher with a little tear on his cheek because he was so proud of his students. I told her he was dreaming that they would go to the Olympics. She enjoyed this whole exercise immensly, and I thought I saw a little lightbulb. Maybe that's just me dreaming.

I also told her that if she could be quiet for at least 15 minutes of her class next week, she would get extra computer time.

This is an unscientific study, folks. We'll see how she does. Of course I won't know if it was the picture story or the computer bribe that helped if things go well next week, but if it works I'm willing to make it my new Pavlovian habit, right up there with my nine year habit of talking my head off to a kid who doesn't get it.