All Roads Lead to the Train
I have a four year old with some issues (seizure disorder, processing delays, extreme prematurity at birth). He's come a long way since being with me. He used to only play with a teacher or by himself,if he was corrected about anything at all, no matter how gently, he'd go into hysterics that included vomiting.
He doesn't do those things anymore and he's making great progress, but ALL he talks about are trains. If you start him talking about something else, he quickly switches back to trains, and then one train scenario in particular where he saw a train at his dad's job. He tells that story at least once a day. He also almost exclusively plays trains. Of course he gravitates toward the actual train toys we have and would only play there if we let him. But for example in the Art center he connects all the markers to make a train. At meal times he makes a train with food. This is not a huge deal but I want him to expand his interests and at least be able to have a conversation without switching back to trains. His parents are pretty much taking everything in stride and support his obsession :). Any ideas on how I can stretch him a little without making him too uncomfortable? And what it with trains anyway? Almost every special needs male child I've had has had an extreme attraction to trains. Is there something to this? |
It is funny you say that about special needs and trains. My kiddo I am worried about loves Thomas, and every train toy he sees he calls Thomas even if it is a random toy. I am trying to to use his love of trains to help with learning. I feel like I am beating my head against a wall with the alphabet!
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I've also noticed this with boys with special needs here. I found an article that discusses the link with autism, but it's definitely not just for autism.
https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/20...ism-and-trains |
I am starting to think mine has dyslexia. He will be 5 in March. Can't remember letters and numbers after going over the same ones for three weeks. He switches hands constantly with silverware and writing utensils. He can't hold a pencil correctly even when I show him. His use of language is slightly off at times. He can get his point across, but sometimes jumbles the words in the sentence. He also wants to start writing all his letters at the bottom and work up, I am always reminding him to start at the top. He can trace letters, but most of them he can't make without tracing, even when looking at a sample letter.
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Originally Posted by MaryF: |
Originally Posted by Thriftylady: "Ms, yes yes we are GETTING our coats on, so we can go outside wecangooutside. Yeah." It's kind of cute which is why nobody has really looked into it, but something definitely is a little off. |
Originally Posted by Hunni Bee: |
Oh my goodness. Dcb2 almost 3 was so strange this week. Two days in a row, he literally stood there and didn't play with anything or talk to anyone for hours. When I would ask him what was wrong he wouldn't answer me. We would offer him toys and no response. I finally found out from Mom, it was because the trains weren't out. I rotate toys every couple of weeks.
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Originally Posted by mommiebookworm: |
Ok, this has me concerned about my 2 year old son. He has had a pretty strong attraction to trains over the last 8 months. He has been evaluated at his checkups, which is standard, and he is considered not autistic at all. He's very social and engaged.
He likes to line things up like a train but only if they're trains or cars, nothing else. I've always kind of wondered about it because he does this mostly when he just wants to relax i.e. he gets a little overwhelmed from daycare and he's an only child so when we're at the end of the day or towards it he'll retreat to his room to play at his train table. Choo Choo was his first word even though his speech is booming now. I don't know but this post makes me anxious. |
Originally Posted by MunchkinWrangler: |
Originally Posted by Thriftylady: |
Originally Posted by Hunni Bee: I used it in my favor. can you count them, how many do you have. what colors do you have how many are red, green yellow, etc. where are they driving to? can you sort them by size? color, vehicle type. where is the car driving to? who's going on the drive. does your car have a name? My son made up all kinds of stories with his cars and I played a huge roll in his interest. I couldn't force him to like something else. eventually he gave them up. |
Originally Posted by MunchkinWrangler: Do you see any other "odd" behaviors? have you looked into the traits for ASD? Maybe try checking those out before jumping to any conclusions about his behavior. |
Originally Posted by Hunni Bee: Obviously, not for me or us to diagnose, but those are some red flags. An evaluation might be advised. Now it's "cute", but his parents may need to do a lot of advocating for him when he gets to school. It may be helpful to know what they're dealing with more fully. |
Originally Posted by MunchkinWrangler: |
Thank you for all you replies on this! This is my own son. The only thing he would do that I thought was 'stimming' is jumping a lot. That has greatly subsided and now he just does it when music is played or watching Mickey. :ouch:
His speech has been watched closely and his vocabulary is booming now, repeats everything and talks really clear and puts 3 to 4 words together. My concern comes from the fact that he watches the wheels, he'll lay down on the floor even just to watch the wheels go back and forth. Other than that, he has no other symptoms and his doctor assured me that they always watch closely because autism can show it's signs at any time during the developmental stage. He can also be a little OCD at times, but I'm like that, he needs things a certain way, is very into routine but normally it's just a normal toddler tantrum that subsides, it doesn't wreck his whole day. |
Originally Posted by Heidi: He sucks on his tongue and rubs the collar of his shirt on his face. He used to only do it if he was tired or cranky, but since this latest string of seizures (he had one Friday :() he's been doing it almost constantly. His parents are great people but they have a super blasé attitude about all of this. It might be their way of coping with the fact that their son probably will have lifelong issues (he's got a couple other health things going on too). If you tell his mom anything she just kinda nicely blows you off. |
Originally Posted by MunchkinWrangler: Have you done an online checklist? Perhaps completing an M-CHAT online will put your mind at ease. He is showing some signs but he could also be a typical toddler. It is very hard to decipher without a ton of experience with children. |
Originally Posted by Ariana: |
Originally Posted by Ariana: |
Originally Posted by mommiebookworm: As providers, we know when something might be a little off, especially when you've had a child in your care for some time and you know their quirks. |
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