Guest guest Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 " A UW-Madison study found that autistic children avoid eye contact <br> because they may see even familiar faces as threats. " I want to respond to this in a number of ways... I am on the spectrum and being on the spectrum and not knowing it until I was an adult, I never realized that I didn't look at peoples eyes. I only realized this when my children were in their own diagnostic stages. There are several things that go on with the eye contact IMHO. First, one needs to be aware that all autistics are different, just like other people. I look at peoples lips; which I feel is for several reasons. Having a pragmatic language disorder, I pay attention to peoples mouths so I can see what they are expressing, so I know how to react to what they are saying. e.g if they are cracking a joke, I wait for a slight smile to know that it is a joke. It kills me when people don't smile when they joke. Second, there is pain associated with eye contact, just as there is sometime pain associated with certain noises or movements near one's self. (Sensory) Eye contact is such a hard thing to learn, once we get older we are always wondering if we are making too much or too little. (When I was younger I used to stare at people.) I hope this has shed some light on what goes on in the Autistic Brain. Everyone has a right to search for a cure... but some don't ask if we want it...It is a personal choice based on the circumstances of each individual, family and situation.... angelclmbr3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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