Hi,
I wasn't sure where to place this, but was hoping someone familiar with fixating behavior might chime in with something. My DD4 has not been diagnosed with anything except being very bright (she has been observed by a school specialist, another psychologist, OT etc.)but some of her behavior has been challenging and left us wondering. I've noticed her getting much better recently with less explosive tantrums, more self control, and improved ability to navigate the playground equipment, but she still is an intense, tireless child LOL
One thing that is difficult for me to handle is how she fixates on certain characters. They rotate, but once she is locked on one, a majority of her time is spent acting out stories with that particular character and much of her conversation will pull in her favored character. One example, is she likes Beatrix Potter stories and will fixate on various characters. It really does go beyond what I see in other children. I am home with her full time (along with her 2 year old sister) and hearing about said character a hundred times a day and being asked to be one of the characters or use figurines to play out scenes is simply boring to an adult yet no child we know shares her interest or knows the stories or has the verbal and imaginative abilities and focus to do this sort of thing for what seems like very LONG sessions. I will sit with her and play with figurines or help her draw pictures of them and read stories to her while she acts them out, but at some point I am so DONE and she still wants to do more with that one character. Thank goodness she rotates them now. When she was two she was really obsessed with snowmen to such a degree my husband started to hate snowmen!
Anyway, has anyone seen this level of obsession on things like this? I know kids with Asbergers tend to get fixated on things like lists, space, etc. Is there a way to help them off their narrow track? I've actually talked to a variety of "experts" about Asbergers, but for the most part, only one person even gave it a second thought.
I don't know how to get her to move off her track so my brain doesn't explode from the repetition. I worry it just isn't healthy to fixate on the same characters to such an extent: reading the book, then making drawings, then using figurines, then acting out the characters. I am sure it all sounds cute, and it would be in small doses and if there was more variety, but the intensity is mind numbing. Help.
(not sure if this helps at all but I was a published writer of poetry and fiction and also performed in theater, dance, and have a natural drawing ability. She seems to have those things as well. Could this just be her creative part getting locked down or is something else going on? It really becomes all consuming for her. Whatever it is, it can drive us a bit batty. Right now she is pulling on my arm wanting me to see what "special guest" is in the living room...I am sure I met him before).
