A Topic About Autism

[rn]

Well I don't know if this fits the topic, but I know there are lots of time where I am very forgetful.  There are times where I can have something laying right in front of me and I still forget to take it with me and sometimes people will ask me to do something and 10 minutes later I completely forget. I dont know if that is a sign of anything or me just plain forgetful. 

That's just being forgetful.

[supergoten]

Wow, I'm really surprised at how many people have Asberger's syndrome on this site. My cousin has Asberger's. He's going to be 17 this year. He does have a bit of a slur with his speech as well. As for him, his topic of knowledge is all about trains.

[SamtheBravesFan]

I have Asperger's Syndrome as well.  Wow.  That makes me wonder: are Asperger's patients naturally drawn to game shows?

[dh027]

I have Asperger's Syndrome as well.  Wow.  That makes me wonder: are Asperger's patients naturally drawn to game shows?

Fascinating!  There has to be some sort of connection to have such as large group of site members that have it.  There should be a study commissioned.  I did see when researching Asperger's that people that have it tend to take intense interest in things. 

[Superballer]

And believe it or not, so do I.  Regardless, I still finished 19th in my class, made honors 7 of 8 semesters in college, and both drive and have a steady job. 

[jaydlewis]

I have Asperger's Syndrome as well.  Wow.  That makes me wonder: are Asperger's patients naturally drawn to game shows?

Happy people. Bright, flashing lights. Music. Colorful sets.

It's a sensory playground for Autistic people. It's likely no coincidence that some game show fans have varying degrees of Autism/Asperger's.

[Jnelson09]

You may be right there. A few other people I know with autism have different interests, but to the same degree. A friend of mine is a train expert.

[OrchestraRicki]

Eh, what's up, Doc?  This is Hector.  As a toddler, I was diagnosed by MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio, with autism.  But I never knew that I had that disorder until I was 19, when I graduated from high school.  During my childhood years, I had an obsession with game shows and Salsa.  One of the forms of autism that I had was Asperger's syndrome, and, if I am not mistaken, it was highly functional.  Even though I might have a good imagination, my social skills were not very good.  I did not know how to say the right words.  I was usually quiet when I did not know how to communicate properly.
Strangely enough, a couple of years ago, I was told by my former psychiatrist that I had Pervasive Developmental Disorder.  The next thing I noticed, about a year later, I was told by another psychiatrist that I do not have any form of autism.  I am not sure if it is possible that I outgrew that disorder.  But I can tell you that I still have a love for game shows, and as of this date, I am a songwriter and percussionist playing for 3 different professional orchestras.  One of the orchestras that I play with is Noel Quintana's Latin Crew Orchestra, and the Web address is http://www.thelatincrew.com.  In any event, autism had affected me for both better and worse.  Th-th-th-that's all Folks!

Hector Manuel Torres Jr.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Happy people. Bright, flashing lights. Music. Colorful sets.

It's a sensory playground for Autistic people. It's likely no coincidence that some game show fans have varying degrees of Autism/Asperger's.

Heh, colors.  Maybe that's why I liked the 1984 version of Let's Make A Deal the best.

I can attest to all that.  If there was some things I loved on a game show when I was little, it was the colors, music and racing lights.  I came to love the games when I understood them, but those things are what I liked about the shows first.  As I recall, the first one I was able to "play along" with was Card Sharks when I was four.  I wasn't ready for question and answer shows, although I did watch Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune and Tic Tac Dough then, among other game shows.

[mr3urious]

Well, what a coinki-dink! I have Asperger's, too!

[DRPrice]

I have moderate autism, but was not diagnosed until junior-high school (they were still called "junior-high" schools when I attended).  I had severe problems with getting along with people and self-injury in elementary school, and barely lasted two years in college.  I earned a diploma in Pharmacy Technology in 1997, but got kicked out of my job in 2003 just for having a disability.

Most of my life has been a struggle.

[PokerJoker811]

I also have Asperger's, but it hasn't, in any way, slowed down or worsened my life, and I'm proud of that.

[ssetta]

I have Asperger's Syndrome as well. I know I've mentioned it before. And I have to say that it is not a good thing to have at all.

One symptom of it is that you tend to get fixated and obsessed on one topic, and you will try to learn every little piece of information, until you get to the point where you have learned absolutely everything, which sometimes, is impossible. For example, TPIR is obviously one of the most popular game shows on television. And a lot of people like to watch it if they're home from work or school. But then they don't wish to spend every second of their afternoon analyzing every tiny little detailed aspect of it. So I have to say that I really am not surprised that a large number of people on this forum have Asperger's.

Also, I am going to say that another big obsession that I have is Sesame Street. But it's for different reasons than the reason why it's there. I always thought the humor and the music on Sesame Street, especially the early episodes, was just fantastic. And I even remember a few years ago when Guy Smiley made TV Guide's Top 20 list of Game Show hosts.

However, many people, believe that Sesame Street is strictly a program for little kids, and should not be watched by anyone past the target age. There are some people out there who are very unaccepting of things that aren't appropriate for age. I can think of another example. I live in the Boston area, and there is this program called Springboard. It is for people with high-functioning Asperger's Syndrome and learning disabilities, so that they can get together with peers and do activities. There are a few annual events each year, and one of them is this fall picnic at this park in Boston. They have a shelter, barbecue, a softball field for the annual softball game, and near the picnic area is a playground with swings. And even at the age of 23, I still love swinging on swings, and so I went. But then Cheryl, the director of the program, came and "kicked me off the swings," and she explained that it's not appropriate for my age, it doesn't match what other people are doing, I'm not living up to my peers, etc. I was very hurt by her. This was a few years ago, but I still tend to dwell on it sometimes today. Do you people agree that it isn't okay for adults to do/like things that are meant for kids?

[OrchestraRicki]

Eh, what's up, Doc?  I am sorry that you felt that way, ssetta.  It looks like you are not alone when it comes to "children's" entertainment.  Back in the early 2000s, whenever there was not anything good to watch on television, and it was during the time that I did not have cable or satellite, I would tune in to PBS Kids and watch shows like "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood", "Sesame Street", "Between the Lions" and "Sagwa - The Chinese Siamese Cat".  And I still enjoy watching Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo and Yogi Bear, to name a few examples.  So does my wife Betsy.
Just yesterday, Betsy and I went to the Cleveland Public Library and rented Volume 2 of the modern Disney classic "Darkwing Duck".  And when we were watching the episodes, we could not stop laughing at the comedy that the characters made.  We are both children at heart! (Chuckles)
On another topic, which is Game Shows, back in 1983 to 1985, at the time that I was still autistic, I was obsessed with a certain model - Debbie Bartlett.  I would see her wearing lovely outfits and modeling the prizes, but I wished that I could hear her speak.  Earlier this year, when I found out that Debbie would be on "Three's Company", as soon as I was watching a certain episode that I recorded: "Some Of That Jazz", I was finally able to know what her voice was like.  Now that I have been thinking about Debbie for a few days, I was thinking of wanting to write an original composition as a tribute to her, arranging the music with the sound of Orchestra Harlow in mind back in the early 1970s.  I have been wondering how Debbie is doing.
To DRPRice: I am feeling sorry for you when I read your post.  I, too, was involved with injuring myself phsically and mentally, but that was when I was a teenager to young adult.  I also have a difficult time communicating with other people.  I also felt that it was not right for the employers to lay you off just because of your disability.  My wife Betsy, even though she does not have autism, has tuberous sclerosis, which is another disability.  She is still working at McDonald's as a prep girl, but she mostly has to deal with the troublesome pressure and stress coming out of some of her managers.  Yet I consider her as a star at McDonald's.  You, along with people with disabilities, also deserve to be stars.  Th-th-th-that's all Folks!

Hector Manuel Torres Jr.

[PriceFanArmadillo]

This was a few years ago, but I still tend to dwell on it sometimes today. Do you people agree that it isn't okay for adults to do/like things that are meant for kids?

Depends on the thing.  And the adult.  I don't see the problem with swings (unless it is designed for a child and therefore too small to seat an adult), but that's just me.