Does anyone have an autistic teenager? My son is 14 years old and he is somewhat verbal, but he does not have any friends. He often plays or interacts with himself. Are there any other parents experiencing this with their autistic teenager?

my son is 17 hfa, he doesn't have friends either he doesn't really know how but he is learning i teach him everyday on how to be a friend.

But that is part of their persona. They are extremely introverted. They feel most happy being by themselves than around other people. People with autism will never be like people without special needs. It is a fact of life. I would just let my child be happy with what he or she wants to do as long as it is not violent or hateful or unhealthy.

I would agree with that to a point. I think everyone wants time to themselves to pursue their own interests, but nobody wants to be shunned, set apart, or feel like an outcast. Having time to yourself is one thing, being lonely is another.

Wow, 9CatMom. That pretty much said it all! :D Anyway, I think you have to ask yourself why your son doesn't have friends. Is it because he chooses not to or because he's being ostracized by the other children? If it's the former, I kind of have to agree with strongernow on this one. If he's happy being without friends, then that's fine. You should still encourage him to engage in social interactions, but if he truly doesn't care about it, then that's just the way it is. It may be sad to you, but not affect him in any way whatsoever. (Obviously, if he's being tormented for any reason, that's a whole other story.) I'm a 19-year-old Aspie who loves being by herself. When I'm lonely, which is rare, it's only when it's the middle of the afternoon during summer vacation, and I'm bored out-of-my-mind and want my mom to come home from work so I don't worry in the silence. My mother is always telling me that I should go out and meet people, but that's just not my bag. She knows that. A couple high school friends want me to go out to dinner with them tomorrow night before we go back to college. I'm going, but I'd just as rather not. I'd be much happier home by myself in my room than out with them. Sure, I have fun with them and enjoy being with them- for a limited time- but solitude is far more fun. Like strongernow said, it's not hurting me. I don't have severe social deficits because I don't have the textbook case of Asperger's, so that may be why, but still, I don't see anything wrong with not wanting to be around peers. Maybe this isn't the right advice to give because I was only diagnosed a few months ago, but all I know is this: I'm happiest when I'm by myself. Whenever I am with my handful of friends, I always hit a point where I can't wait to escape and be by myself. It even happens with my mom and grandmother, the only two people I truly love being around. Maybe that's not healthy, but it's true... :angel:
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

My son is 14 almost 15. I recently went on a week long family vacation and noticed more then i guess just being at home. I have two other kids 12,16. My AS child just did his own thing. He would float around the lazy river alone. Sometimes singing or talking to himself :rolleyes: . I noticed he would draw or write in the air alot. I have not seen him do that for along time. So that took me a back. I never yell or tell him to stop. He does get uncomfortable if he notices someone looking at him. Alot of times on the rides he would say i want to ride by myself. I know that is his personality. It just makes me sad. I asked him if he was happy and he said " YEAH" why wouldn't i be...i guess i worry more about him fitting in then he does himself. I have to say he is WAY more greatful and pleasant than the other two....Just wanted to know i guess in all this babble...how do i know when to force some social interaction?? Maybe force is not the best word. When we have company over, or the other siblings have friends over Devon is always out of his room and hanging out. Also does anyone else or their child draw in the air???


thanks,

:wave:

I wouldn't call it "drawing in the air," but I do trace patterns repeatedly on my leg or something. I have noticed that I do it more when I'm upset and paralyzed with panic, so its probably a form of "stimming." Sometimes it'll be a shape, sometimes it'll be writing a word in cursive, sometimes it'll be typing on an "imaginary keyboard," my fingers actually going up-and-down in position. I also tap out rhythms. I have noticed that there's something about seven syllables that makes a rhythmic pattern get stuck in my head. If I get a part of a song stuck in my head, I'll count and it almost always has seven syllables. :rolleyes: I sing and talk to myself, too. When I talk to myself, it comes in three forms: actually talking to myself (just vocalizing my thoughts, as if to some imaginary person beside me), playing out a "scenario" with my imaginary characters (talking as the character, sort of like acting), or reciting TV/movie quotes (acting out the scenario). I know I did #1 and #3 yesterday for sure, and I probably did the second one, too. Nary a day goes by where it doesn't happen. I like it. It makes me happy. I moved into my dorm yesterday and I chose to go over and see one of the only three people here that I like, but after an hour-and-a-half or so, I was done. I came back and read my new textbooks and had far more fun. ;) I like this kid because he's a mild Aspie, so we get along well, but I'd be just as happy in my room acting out a scene from Degrassi: The Next Generation or A Beautiful Mind. :angel:
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

I am in the planning stages of a couple of books. I will plan them out, pretending to write the story. One day, I'll get the discipline to do it for real. I am planning a story about my favorite cat, my friend for 20 years.

I am a teenager and I have Asbergers, I sometimes find it hard to cope. No one can actually tell I have Asbergers but I definately don't want anyone knowing. As an Asbies child do, I babble on about my "obsessions" (I seem to get a different obsession each week) and i get annoyed so easily that I end up doing something stupid such as attempt to commit suicide or self-harm. Sometimes my Mum can't cope and i feel that because of my Asbergers that my Mum and Dad don't love me or want me anymore. it's just typical Asbies behaviour really.

Love from Maz xxx

Our 7 year old Aspie draws in the air alot. Especially if he doesn't have paper. Well, now that I think about it, he draws in the air while trying to explain something to you, too. Interesting...

Also does anyone else or their child draw in the air??
I don't know why I didn't think of this before! I do all the time when I'm trying to figure out equations or something- I'll move my finger while calculating in the air. This is also shown in A Beautiful Mind, just one more connection I have to it... ;)
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