The other side of autism: sensitive but with superior concentration

Dongdongmiao was taking a leisurely walk in the park when he suddenly spotted a little kid quietly playing with building blocks.

Dongdongmiao walked up and joked, "Hey, kid, why are you playing so attentively? Are you guys having fun?"

The child shook his head gently: "I prefer to play by myself, so I won't be disturbed easily."

Dongdongmiao asked doubtfully: "Huh? Don't you feel lonely?"

The child blinked and said, "Actually, I don't feel lonely, it's just that the way I communicate with others is a little different."

Dongdongmeow: "Oh? Then can you teach me how you communicate with others?"

The child said: "I prefer to express my feelings through drawing. This way you can understand me better."

Dongdong Meow nodded: "I see, it seems that everyone has their own unique way and world."

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the way people socialize, communicate and behave.

Although each autistic person presents differently, they all respond differently to the outside world in some way.

You may find that some children with autism have a particular liking for certain things, such as a routine, repetitive behaviors, or a specific interest.

In fact, many children with autism have abnormal sensory sensitivity, which may manifest as two extremes: "oversensitivity" or "hyposensitivity".

Some people are particularly uncomfortable when they hear sounds, such as loud noises that they cannot stand; some children are particularly sensitive to lights or colors, which is why they sometimes like to stay in a relatively quiet and simple environment.

Although these special behaviors are sometimes difficult to understand, their inner world may be richer than we imagine.

Dongdongmiao noticed that he was amazed by the child's concentration and sensitivity to details.

"Sometimes, the things that others can't see may be what they see most clearly." Dongdong Meow murmured.

Dongdongmiao once tried to amuse an autistic child with some simple jokes, but was responded with a calm look and a slight frown.

Dongdongmiao was a little embarrassed: "Hey, am I not funny enough?"

The child answered seriously: "Your jokes are funny, but I prefer to understand what you think rather than just listen to the jokes."

Dongdongmeow: "Haha, it seems I have to relearn how to express myself better."

What you need to know for healthy living

1. Being lonely doesn’t mean you don’t want to socialize with others.

Children with autism usually have some difficulties in social interaction, such as not understanding social signals, not liking to make eye contact with others, etc. This does not mean that they do not want to communicate with others, but they have their own unique way.

2. People with autism have sensory sensitivities.

Autistic people have abnormal sensory sensitivity, which can be either "oversensitive" or "hyposensitive." Some people are very sensitive to environmental sensory stimulation, such as bright light, loud noises, or certain tactile sensations.

3. People with autism are no different from ordinary people in many ways.

Many autistic people focus on fields such as art or music. However, statistics show that their achievement ratio is no different from that of ordinary people. Some reports highlight a few exceptions or reinforce the stereotype of "autistic geniuses", but this is not the real situation.

Review expert: Pan Hongxin, deputy chief physician of Southern University of Science and Technology Hospital

Produced by: Dongdongmeow