confusing names of friends...

[Guest guest]

Hi, My DD is undergoing an eval. for autism currently... it seems to

be HFA since the onset was around 2.5 years from what we could tell.

Anyway, my observation today and on other days is that she confuses

the names of her friends... two sisters... whom she plays with every

week and knows well. She called them the wrong name several times

today and didn't seem to know she had done it even after I corrected

her each time.

Do any of your kids do this? She even called her friend Jocelyn

repeatedly one week when we went to play there... and is

another kid, and a BOY!!, who was nowhere in sight...

Best,

[Guest guest]

Our 12 yo ds has always done this.

He has known twins since 1st grade (gets along with one but not the

other) and can't tell them apart. He doesn't recognize friends if

he's walking behind them. Doesn't recognize teachers outside of

school, etc. He still doesn't always recall someone's name if he's

repeating a story about something that happened. We've tried taking

pictures and using them like flashcards to help him learn his

classmates names. We've tried having him pass out papers to learn

the classmates. But, if the kids change their hair, wear different

clothes, or their seats are moved in the classroom, it confuses

him.

Being " face blind " seems to be something that does pop up often on

the spectrum.

N in IL

>

> Hi, My DD is undergoing an eval. for autism currently... it seems

to

> be HFA since the onset was around 2.5 years from what we could

tell.

>

> Anyway, my observation today and on other days is that she confuses

> the names of her friends... two sisters... whom she plays with

every

> week and knows well. She called them the wrong name several times

> today and didn't seem to know she had done it even after I

corrected

> her each time.

>

> Do any of your kids do this? She even called her friend Jocelyn

> repeatedly one week when we went to play there... and is

> another kid, and a BOY!!, who was nowhere in sight...

>

> Best,

>

>

[Guest guest]

My son (I'll refer to as son #3), when he was a toddler had a speech

delay. It was our initial tip that something was 'off'. His older

brother (son #2) had a delay too, but I just knew that this was

different. I was a bit afraid that that son #3 wasn't understanding.

With son #2, it was apparent that he 'got' everything; his was only a

phonics problem. Son #3... well, I just had a feeling there was more

(always trust your instincts!)

Son #3, for instance, was referred for early intervention with a speech

pathologist and I clearly remember one day when she and her colleague

asked my son, " Where is Mommy? " He hugged HER. She told him, " No, where

is Mommy? " (He hugged the other woman). I remember being very scared

then... My son seemed to associate the word with ANY female. Honestly,

I wondered how important I really was to him! (Now, I do believe he

loved me as Mommy, but his communication skills were too poor at that

time to clarify that the name was reserved for me alone).

At the age of 4 he attended an indepth evaluation to determine whether

he was PDD-NOS. They could not pinpoint anything, but found that as

well as having a speech delay, he had a fine motor skill deficit. They

referred to him as " Swiss Cheese " with great strengths and weak areas.

Though there was no official label, the speech and fine motor skill

delays allowed him to enter into a 2-year kindergarten program with an

aide. It was wonderful! (I am a great believer in early intervention!)

By age 8 his speech was pretty much clear. Every once in a while we had

to (still do) remind him to include 'helping words' as he tends to omit

some: " I'm going the store. " (I'm going TO the store). At this time,

his teacher and I both - but separately - doing research, hit upon

awareness of children who are high functioning on the spectrum, namely

Aspergers. The day that I was returning with son to the hospital for a

second evaluation, I had some internet findings in hand and the teacher

approached and asked whether I had heard of AS (lol: Yup!) I opened my

file folder and we both had this look on our face of, Aha!

The hospital team were divided: Some said, " AS " while others said, " Too

social - at this time - to consider for ASD " and so we walked away

without any ASD diagnosis. I believe that is not quite accurate: Yes,

my son is very huggy and always has been, but it is inappropriately

displayed towards anyone and everyone! I think that genetics play a

role here as all my children have affectionate personalities. The ASD

quality comes in not knowing HOW to read other people and use body

language appropriately. Son #3 makes good eye contact, but he has some

sensory issues: Such strong sensitivity to light that mere mention of

it has him tearing up. When he was little, trees terrified him and he

could not touch them. The idea of visiting the car wash would send him

screaming and cowering! He always needs to have a trinket in his hands

(mostly a Hot Wheels car; this since he was a baby. Now, it might be a

Pokemon character, a rock, a broken piece off of anything so long as it

is small) for comfort, I think. There have been times when 'stressed'

that he chewed a hole in his shirt (I rather he hold an object!) And,

he will talk talk talk about his interest without realizing that he is

annoying the listener. Sports! Uh uh! Where his siblings might be

playing a game of hockey, son #3 is walking the outskirts of the play

area looking for something interesting to pick up!

What diagnosis the hospital did give was: Central Auditory Processing

Disorder (he hears fine, but it is the WAY that he hears: Background

noises interfere and confuse him). This explains so well WHY he was

so 'different' even in toddlerhood. I knew that son #3 was not

misbehaving or purposely ignoring instructions as he likes to please,

but he just was getting too many conflicting signals. He is so much

more visual and can follow directions better this way rather than if

spoken. I tell people to redirect, rephrase, repeat and that usually

solves the problem. As long as others are aware then they seem to be

more prone to tolerate and be helpful.

The other diagnoses son #3 received were: ADHD (inattentive type rather

than hyperactive), Pragmatic Language Disorder, Developmental

Coordination Disorder.

At age 10 (going on 11) he STILL confuses names! If I ask what aide is

working with him, he blanks out. It is NOT that he does not KNOW who

they are and really enjoy them, but it seems that names are either not

his strong point - or - they simply do not matter that much to him. I

would not assume that your daughter does not know who she is

addressing, rather labels, such as names, might not be too important to

her(?) I do believe it is part of who they are: Not getting the big

picture at times. Such as the importance most people peg to

names/titles.

>

> Hi, My DD is undergoing an eval. for autism currently... it seems to

> be HFA since the onset was around 2.5 years from what we could tell.

>

> Anyway, my observation today and on other days is that she confuses

> the names of her friends... two sisters... whom she plays with every

> week and knows well. She called them the wrong name several times

> today and didn't seem to know she had done it even after I corrected

> her each time.

>

> Do any of your kids do this? She even called her friend Jocelyn

> repeatedly one week when we went to play there... and is

> another kid, and a BOY!!, who was nowhere in sight...

>

> Best,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Ah, that makes sense... thanks for sharing about your

son and about the name confusion.

Best,

It is NOT that he

> does not KNOW who

> they are and really enjoy them, but it seems that

> names are either not

> his strong point - or - they simply do not matter

> that much to him. I would not assume that your

daughter does not know

> who she is

> addressing, rather labels, such as names, might not

> be too important to

> her(?) I do believe it is part of who they are: Not

> getting the big

> picture at times.

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[Guest guest]

Hi, N,

Thanks; that makes a lot of sense...

Best,

G

--- SRN399 <clsnarug@...> wrote:

> Our 12 yo ds has always done this.

>

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[Guest guest]

Wow! You just described by 7 yr old AS daughter. She has always

struggled with names. Thanks for taking the time to post because it

reminds me that I am not alone and that my daughter is not alone!

Take Care,

April

> >

> > Hi, My DD is undergoing an eval. for autism currently... it

seems to

> > be HFA since the onset was around 2.5 years from what we could

tell.

> >

> > Anyway, my observation today and on other days is that she

confuses

> > the names of her friends... two sisters... whom she plays with

every

> > week and knows well. She called them the wrong name several times

> > today and didn't seem to know she had done it even after I

corrected

> > her each time.

> >

> > Do any of your kids do this? She even called her friend Jocelyn

> > repeatedly one week when we went to play there... and is

> > another kid, and a BOY!!, who was nowhere in sight...

> >

> > Best,

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

She probably isn't looking directly at their faces and seeing them entirely.

Sometimes kids can look at the hair only or a part of the face. This means they

can easily confuse another child who has similar hair or eyes. There is

actually a name for this and a website. --> http://www.prosopagnosia.com/

Roxanna

( ) confusing names of friends...

Hi, My DD is undergoing an eval. for autism currently... it seems to

be HFA since the onset was around 2.5 years from what we could tell.

Anyway, my observation today and on other days is that she confuses

the names of her friends... two sisters... whom she plays with every

week and knows well. She called them the wrong name several times

today and didn't seem to know she had done it even after I corrected

her each time.

Do any of your kids do this? She even called her friend Jocelyn

repeatedly one week when we went to play there... and is

another kid, and a BOY!!, who was nowhere in sight...

Best,

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