Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

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Just got done reading this, and am curious if people think it's an accurate portrayal of being 15 with autism? (In my eyes the main protagnoist has aspergers, but the book jacket said autism.)

From my view point, I would thing that the protagonist was either HFA or PDD-NOS. I really could not see anything in the character that would make him LFA and I do not think he was AS either.

So, my prognosis - HFA or PDD-NOS

It says on my sleeve that he has Asperger's so i think he errs on the low functioning AS side. Is there such a thing? Anyone else get anxious amongst strangers, particularly crowds and in enclosed spaces like trains? I know i do.

From what I can see, he has:

All consuming interests
Very poor social functioning
Pays great attention to detail
Is very literal
Is sensitive to touch
Has no problem with spoken language
Has very specific likes and dislikes - food etc
Is able to look after his personal hygiene
Is academically (in maths) very intelligent.
Has meltdowns when everything is too much

To me he seems like a "classic" diagnosed-as-a-child (therefore severe enough for teachers / parents to notice at a young age) aspie.

I think that the boy in the book has more of the characteristics of HFA, than of Asperger's.

I agree CR.

Although I can see a bit of myself in this boy, I think in a lot of ways he was far more impaired than me and it also seems he is more like HFA. I think it was sad that the only place they could put him was with all other kids who were far more impaired than him.

Ghosthunter, thanks for your kind comment.

I read this book twice last year and once this year and only found it by chance at the bookstore. It was set in the UK and not only did the boy have an autistic condition, I feel his parents had a few problems of their own.

His father led him to believe his mum was dead instead of telling him that she'd left them because she couldn't cope any more. His dad tried his best to manage him but even that didn't always work.

I don't think the lad was quite an autistic savant but his skills and coping abilities were to my mind, very uneven.

There was also an interesting comment about politically correct names for disabled kids. They were called "special needs kids" but it didn't stop the teasing from other children. They used to call out "special needs" in a derisory way.

I think that ghosthunter is correct in the fact that this type of thread has been tried in the past I have even tried it myself too. I feel that the character in the book is made to meet all of the DSM IV 299.80 I personally feel its too DSM IV with possible traits of HFA thrown in for good measure but can see the need for it, this way covering every eventuality in a story to be told after all it is just a story. I do though realise and apprieciate that every person on the spectrum is different in the way that they would present - as would each individual person with Aspergers be, i have Aspergers as does my son yet we both present differently. I think that we are all losing sight of what the book was about which is basically to give Neuro-typical people an insight into the way a person with a spectrum related disorder thinks feels and goes about everyday life. If this is true then i feel it irrelevant what condition the character has as long as NT's get a better perspective of Autstic spectrum related disorders or at least it stirs up some interest. I think this particular thread has got more than any before on the same subject.


Aspies rock.....................

Sorry the above string was mine i forgot to sign in..........apologies.



Aspies rock...................

Gooday Eammon,

You wrote: " I think he errs on the low functioning AS side. Is there such a thing?" Well yes there are low functioning Aspies. I know a few, all of them with FSIQs in the mid-50s, but brilliant expressive language. As you would know IQ is not a criterion for diagnosis as autistic. I know of these young men because they got into lots of trouble due to people believing, on the basis of their brilliant spoken communication, that they were totally competent and independently able in society. They were referred to me because of their problems in behaving - I work as a behaviour management specialist in the disability/welfare field and am an Aspie as is my brother [and most likely my father].

Jim Crawford.

Hi Jim. I have since seen a documentary about high-functioning Aspies but the thing was although they werent mentally ret*d they didnt seem that high functioning to me and wont likely lead independant lifes but on here there is aspies that live life with good jobs, social lifes and kids etc and see Asperger's as a gift. I have no problem looking after myself but it has disabled at least somewhat. Thanks for your perspective. It must be a wide-ranging condition.