Is it true about kids with AS and Thomas the Tank Engine?

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CockneyRebel
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11 May 2011, 8:47 pm

The show is after my time, so not really.


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AllieKat
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11 May 2011, 9:03 pm

Yeah, I also predate the show but I did have obsessions with legos when I was around 5-6. I think the main difference between most NT kids and most AS kids is the intensity of their obsession.



jmnixon95
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11 May 2011, 9:05 pm

My brother (who might have some borderline ASD; nearly 18 and undiagnosed but still painfully shy/awkward and has organization issues) was obsessed with Thomas the Tank and trains in general the first five or six years of his life.



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11 May 2011, 9:44 pm

Joe90 wrote:
I'm surprised there hasn't already been a discussion on this (since Aspies on WP blame everything about themselves on their condition), but I've read in a lot of books about AS that kids with ASDs have an intense liking on Thomas the Tank Engine in their early childhood. Admittedly, I did have an intense liking on this particular feature too between the ages of 4 and 7. I collected all the little trains from Thomas the Tank Engine, and I had such an obsession with one of the particular trains that I used to bite it, hide it, or throw it. (I don't know why!) I never went on and on about Thomas the Tank - I just loved it.
I know that is normal in kids anyway. My brother used to love it when it was small too, and he is an NT. He used to watch it over and over (before I started liking it), but having an intense obsession over this one particular thing seems common in young kids with ASDs. Why?


I was in my teens when Thomas the Tank Engine was popular, so no, I did not have a fascination with this or Pokemon for that matter. My brother, who is NT, liked Thomas the Tank Engine when he was younger, as well as Power Rangers, and for a time, Pokemon.

But keep in mind these were rather ordinary interests for kids born in the early 90's.



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11 May 2011, 9:48 pm

Holy crap. This is such a weird post to find because when I was little, I too was obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. I was obsessed beyond all reason. I had books upon books about Thomas (and other train books) I had collected just about about every one of toys, and I had 3 huge bins of wooden track that I would have set up running all throughout my house! I would also watch Thomas and Friends all the time. I watched it so often in fact, that I started to develop a British accent!



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12 May 2011, 12:06 am

yes, I was obsessed with not only Thomas the tank engine, but trains in general. I had several model trains that I played with all the time.


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12 May 2011, 12:20 am

blackcat wrote:
I loved to watch that show! With the audio muted. I did not like the fact that the trains spoke and had thoughts and personalities. They're f--king trains. I wasn't down with that. I liked the toys.


Yeah, I agree. And that's why I was more interested in finding out how trains could be derailed. No way would I ever board a train with a face.



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12 May 2011, 2:51 am

IdahoRose wrote:
I watched a whole variety of kid's shows when I was younger, but oddly enough, Thomas the Tank Engine was never one of them. Shows with talking animals were my favorites, such as PB & J Otter, Jungle Cubs, and Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat.


This, no wonder i turned out a furry, I loved The Animals of Farthing Wood and Arthur etc

I also liked Thomas, but not as much as Paddington Bear, and I'm just about young enough to have enjoyed the glory that was Spongbob.

I still watch all of them, and I still read Roald Dahl books, my excuse is that I'm autistic, I just never lost my interest in kids shows.


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12 May 2011, 5:07 am

I absolutely adored Thomas the tank engine and I had all the little toys (which I stereotypically lined up and spun the wheels). Funny thing is that my brother (poss. ADHD) didn't like it nearly as much even though it was the 'in thing' at the time. My neighbour's autistic brother who was the same sort of age as mine was obsessed with Thomas! I read all the books and talked about it non-stop. It does seem to be quite a common interest in young kids with ASDs...

I was also obsessed with underground trains too though!


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cyberdad
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12 May 2011, 5:38 am

Joe90 wrote:
I'm surprised there hasn't already been a discussion on this (since Aspies on WP blame everything about themselves on their condition), but I've read in a lot of books about AS that kids with ASDs have an intense liking on Thomas the Tank Engine in their early childhood. Admittedly, I did have an intense liking on this particular feature too between the ages of 4 and 7. I collected all the little trains from Thomas the Tank Engine, and I had such an obsession with one of the particular trains that I used to bite it, hide it, or throw it. (I don't know why!) I never went on and on about Thomas the Tank - I just loved it.
I know that is normal in kids anyway. My brother used to love it when it was small too, and he is an NT. He used to watch it over and over (before I started liking it), but having an intense obsession over this one particular thing seems common in young kids with ASDs. Why?


My daughter hates Thomas



Mummy_of_Peanut
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12 May 2011, 5:49 am

My 5yr old daughter loves Thomas the Tank Engine. We holidayed in England a few weeks ago and chose a destination that was be an easy drive to Thomas Land for a day trip. She went on every ride there and had a ball. When we went to Knapford Station, Rosie arrived first. She was determined that she was going on Thomas instead, so we had to wait another 15 minutes for Thomas to arrive.



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12 May 2011, 6:50 am

Mummy_of_Peanut wrote:
My 5yr old daughter loves Thomas the Tank Engine. We holidayed in England a few weeks ago and chose a destination that was be an easy drive to Thomas Land for a day trip. She went on every ride there and had a ball. When we went to Knapford Station, Rosie arrived first. She was determined that she was going on Thomas instead, so we had to wait another 15 minutes for Thomas to arrive.

My 5yr old currently likes Dora the Explorer and 64 Zoo Lane.
But her real obsession is talking Santa and Cat on the computer



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12 May 2011, 6:51 am

I was initially hostile to the TV series, even though the stories were told by Ringo Starr (who used to drum in a certain band I had an obsession about), because I preferred the original book series by the Reverend W. Audrey.....they read them to us at school, I never owned any of those books but I thought they were gorgeous. I'm usually down on any modern re-vamp of anything, and this looked like a business-driven thing rather than the innocent outpourings of a quaint old vicar who was in a little world of his own. And sure enough, out came the obligatory merchandise, right on cue.

But I couldn't keep up my hostility in the face of my son's liking for the new version, so I mellowed. Nonetheless, I never really got obsessed with it, being older and rather nerd-aware, and I still DETEST the way modern culture and art is so market-driven.



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14 May 2011, 10:31 pm

I remember liking the thomas the tank engine things when I was a kid too, that, transformers and legos



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15 May 2011, 12:57 am

I was already an adult when I first met with Thomas in the TV show. I liked the graphics and Ringo's voice, though I didn't understand much of his words then. My cousin's son loved Thomas, he had many toys and books with Thomas the Tank Engine themes.

I loved playing with legos from playschool to highschool age (744 was my favorite set besides the fire station, a castle, and a set of lamps), and I would play with legos whenever I have the excuse playing with a kid of a relative. I still play with my H0 train models sometimes. I like best of them my first electric locomotive, a little steam loco, which is still functional despite all abuse.


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15 May 2011, 1:32 am

I was obsessed with trains in general too. I think it was my obsession with Thomas that led to an overall interest in trains. I remember getting home from school and setting up the electric trains every day. I was such a smart kid. I knew quite a bit about electricity simply by observing the way the train would react to things. It wasn't until I started studying electricity in physics class last semester that I realized just how much I already knew based on past observations. Man, I wish I was a kid again. Good times. I wonder if someday I'll look back at my interests now like this.


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