Re: Eye Contact Triggers...

[Guest guest]

" 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