FAQautism

Having an excellent memory and being able to recall sequences are gifts that can certainly be useful. But some individuals with autism who have exceptional memories can become obsessed with a sequence or a script. Their obsession may need some attention if it interferes with their willingness or ability to interact with other people or the world around them.

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For example, one of my young friends with autism occasionally started repeating the script from a movie and became very agitated when interrupted. This habit didn’t seem to be a conscious refusal to follow directions or to participate in an activity or conversation. But his obsession with running through a big chunk of the movie script without interruption interfered with his daily life. When he started a script run-through, he froze in place and ignored everything around him. If anyone tried to speak to him or to help him move out of the middle of a parking lot, he became quite agitated and just started speaking the words of the script louder.

If we were living in this youngster’s skin, we might wonder why it mattered if we took some time each day to recall and enjoy a scene from our very favorite movie. And that is certainly a valid point. On the other hand, living in the real world requires us to be flexible and to abide by some schedules. For example, it was not always possible for the school bus to wait fifteen minutes at the bus stop until our friend finished the script and walked up the steps of the bus. So, we introduced the “Jimmy Time” strategy to help moderate this youngster’s distracting obsession.
(1) Visual Cue. Family members and school staff carried cards with the face of a clock on either side. One was labeled “People Time” and the flip side was marked “Jimmy Time.” At breakfast each morning, his mom assured him that, throughout the day, he would have some “Jimmy Time” to think about movies. She also reminded him that sometimes at home and at school, he would have “People Time” when he would think about school or family events going on around him. Jimmy’s teacher would also take a few minutes at the beginning of each school day to greet Jimmy and talk about “Jimmy Time” and “People Time.”
(2) Structure. When a focused activity or a meal or a school bus ride was starting, the “People Time” side of the card was visible to Jimmy. At various times during the day, teachers or family members would show him the “Jimmy’s Time” side of the card and say something like, “Thank you for focusing during People Time. Now you can enjoy some Jimmy Time.”
(3) Change Focus. In the event Jimmy launched into the movie script at an inappropriate time, the adult showed him the “People Time” side of the card and said something to this effect, “Jimmy, now it is People Time. Please walk up the steps of the school bus now and sit in your seat. You will get Jimmy Time after you sit down.”
(4) Fade Interest. Jimmy’s family realized that they had actually encouraged his obsession with this one movie over the years, often parking him in front of the television to watch the movie over and over again since he was so interested in it. So, they “lost” the video and purposefully took time to introduce a wide variety of new movies, new books and magazines, new songs, and other new interests.

Over time, this strategy worked to help this youngster gradually change from an obsessive internal focus to a more external focus. We welcome your comments or thoughts about this or other challenges related to autism. Send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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