Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 >Hey gang, do you think Brennan Hawkins (the boy who was lost in Utah >and was recently found), is an aspie? > > I'm curious, what about the story would make you say that? (other than the fact that he maybe gets lot easy, and may prefer the company of trees!). I thought it was interesting that he avoided the rescuers because he wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. My kid did something similar: got lost at the zoo and then avoided the guys on bikes that were looking for her. In her case though, she was just being " full of high spirits " and I guess thought it was fun to be on her own for a bit. It is interesting that he was able to lose his whole troop: it's not that easy to get so separated when there are a lot of people (hollering travels a long way in the woods). Maybe there's another story there. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 The story I read was on . All the pictures show him looking annoyed and disengaged. And his dad made a comment like it was going to take a long time to get out of him what happened during the 4 days he was lost. He said it's always like that with him. There was a statement that he is socially immature, but not retarded, something like that. And he's really into Pokemon cards. His mom said that hearing that some Pokemon cards he bought on Ebay had arrived was the thing that " got him off that mountain. " He just sounded like he might be on the autistic spectrum somewhere. IIRC, Temple Grandin wrote in one of her articles that autistic people can't generalize. It's like, once they learn a process, they try to always stick with the dictated process, even if the circumstances don't fit perfectly. If something unusual comes up, they are unable to deal with it satisfactorily if their normal helpers aren't around to guide them through the changes. That's why I asked. :-) I mean, he's 11 years old! He didn't do any of the things they expected him to. I just wondered if that sounded like Asperger's to anybody. > > >Hey gang, do you think Brennan Hawkins (the boy who was lost in Utah > >and was recently found), is an aspie? > > > > > > I'm curious, what about the story would make you say that? > (other than the fact that he maybe gets lot easy, and may prefer > the company of trees!). I thought it was interesting that he avoided > the rescuers because he wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. > My kid did something similar: got lost at the zoo and then avoided > the guys on bikes that were looking for her. In her case though, > she was just being " full of high spirits " and I guess thought it > was fun to be on her own for a bit. > > It is interesting that he was able to lose his whole troop: > it's not that easy to get so separated when there are a lot > of people (hollering travels a long way in the woods). > Maybe there's another story there. > > > Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2005 Report Share Posted June 22, 2005 Or, would gluten intolerance do that to you? But then again, if you were gluten intolerant and had no gluten for 4 days, what condition would you be in? > > >Hey gang, do you think Brennan Hawkins (the boy who was lost in Utah > >and was recently found), is an aspie? > > > > > > I'm curious, what about the story would make you say that? > (other than the fact that he maybe gets lot easy, and may prefer > the company of trees!). I thought it was interesting that he avoided > the rescuers because he wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. > My kid did something similar: got lost at the zoo and then avoided > the guys on bikes that were looking for her. In her case though, > she was just being " full of high spirits " and I guess thought it > was fun to be on her own for a bit. > > It is interesting that he was able to lose his whole troop: > it's not that easy to get so separated when there are a lot > of people (hollering travels a long way in the woods). > Maybe there's another story there. > > > Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 >All the pictures show him looking annoyed and disengaged. And his >dad made a comment like it was going to take a long time to get out >of him what happened during the 4 days he was lost. He said it's >always like that with him. > >There was a statement that he is socially immature, but not retarded, >something like that. > >And he's really into Pokemon cards. His mom said that hearing that >some Pokemon cards he bought on Ebay had arrived was the thing >that " got him off that mountain. " Those are good points. I wonder too. Like I said, it's pretty hard to get separated from a group like that, and most socially oriented kids are always with " their best friend " and maybe 2 or 3 get lost together when they run off. But running off (or staying behind) and being alone long enough that you can't catch up ... you would have to be really engrossed in something or avoiding the group purposefully ... either of which would by typical Aspie traits. One of my ex-boyfriends was very Aspergerish, and he used to go off into the woods on his own for weeks at a time, just didn't like having folks around all that much. Even when we went hiking together, he'd go off by himself and meet up with me later. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 >Those are good points. I wonder too. Like I said, it's pretty >hard to get separated from a group like that, and most >socially oriented kids are always with " their best friend " >and maybe 2 or 3 get lost together when they run off. >But running off (or staying behind) and being alone long >enough that you can't catch up ... you would have to >be really engrossed in something or avoiding the >group purposefully ... either of which would by typical >Aspie traits. One of my ex-boyfriends was very Aspergerish, >and he used to go off into the woods on his own for weeks >at a time, just didn't like having folks around all that much. >Even when we went hiking together, he'd go off by >himself and meet up with me later. > > >Heidi Jean > I read the scout whose Dad was shindig master left Brennan behind long and far enough that he got lost. Unfortunate that. The things that strike me in this happy ending tale are the two strictly adhered to instructions from his parents, one of them good advice, one deadly potentially in the setting. The " stay on the trail " and " never talk to strangers " were probably what saved or could have killed him, respectively. I have a year-above-grade-level 11 yo son whom I have asked regarding this incident: If you were lost in the woods would you ask for help or avoid strangers? He says, " I would avoid them if I was having fun. " Upon further prodding about the nature of the situation in regards to strangers being a threat or lifesaving probabilistically he said, " Well, yeah. " Basically, when in Compton or Watts or Wilmington, CA, don't talk to strangers. But common sense says when you have no clue where you are, you reach out for help. As the parent of an older mildly autistic spectrum disabled child, I have to question the whole notion of letting such an " immature-for-his-age-but not-disabled " child alone even with friends on such a wilderness adventure. It's great that things turned out okay, but chances are just as good he could have died out there. I wouldn't do it without an extra adult present to act as a helper, especially at such an age. Deanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 > As the parent of an older >mildly autistic spectrum disabled child, I have to question the whole >notion of letting such an " immature-for-his-age-but not-disabled " child >alone even with friends on such a wilderness adventure. > PS. Older autistic ds knows world maps like he knows his home. Cities in US and elsewhere, roads, trails, etc. It's a common trait like hyperlexia on the AS. I would think if Brennan was ASD in any shape, that skill of direction and mapping might be more prevalent than in general population. He would have seen and been really interested in the routes on paper and all that. Put it this way, my ds knows what roads certain buildings are on in cities he hasn't lived in over 10 years! Also, I depend on him constantly when driving to this place or that, lol. Do I turn here?, what exit?, etc. ad infinitum. He never knows beforehand where we are going, and obviously, nor do I, lol. Deanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 >As the parent of an older >mildly autistic spectrum disabled child, I have to question the whole >notion of letting such an " immature-for-his-age-but not-disabled " child >alone even with friends on such a wilderness adventure. It's great that >things turned out okay, but chances are just as good he could have died >out there. I wouldn't do it without an extra adult present to act as a >helper, especially at such an age. > >Deanna When my dd went on a camping trip, I went along. I was kind of appalled at what the kids got away with ... I kept her in my sight at all times, but the other kids were wandering way off and climbing onto roofs of buildings etc. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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