"Rocky Horror Picture Show" syndrome?!

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Registered: 01-19-2005
"Rocky Horror Picture Show" syndrome?!
5
Mon, 08-21-2006 - 9:14pm

Here's a new Eric (4) thing, do any of your kids do this? What does it mean?

Eric has started bringing "props" along whenever he watches videos/dvd's. He never did this before, just started, and if he doesn't have the right prop, gets frantic. Freaks out and makes us pause the show until he finds the right item.

Ex: "Toy Story 1 & 2" features some conversation between Woody and "Etch a sketch." Eric has to have "etch" there for these parts. Also there are times when Woody and Buzz look through binoculars. Eric needs his at those times. Or his minature GI Joe's. Or his remote control car. It's like he is acting things out with the movie.

This is just one example, we have loads of "favorite" movies, so you can imagine. He is not especially "addicted" to watching shows, in fact, usually prefers to play outside or with toys given the option. But lazy mom that I am (said with tongue in cheek) I let him watch in the pm to wind down or when I am making dinner. But this seems like some kind of extension of echolalia, even though he doesn't do that anymore. I'm not sure what to think of it.

It is funny, but quirky. Guess I'll ignore it, but wondered it any of your guys do this too and what does it mean? If anything!

Katherine

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Registered: 03-31-2003

David is 8.5 now, but he's always been a bit like that. He has to have a "prop" in the car, as well as watching him brush his teeth. Typically he'll make something out of Legos for this purpose, but often it is a stuffed animal or something.

Oh, and at bedtime, he always pretends that he is a character of some sort having a sleepover birthday party, and very often he has to have a "present." It's always color-coordinated to whoever that night's character is. Like, if he's pretending that it's the Blue (Water) Toa Nuva's birthday, the present has to be something blue and/or water related. I've gotten so used to this part of the bedtime routine, that I sometimes forget that it's a bit weird!

I like the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" analogy. I was like, "Please, don't let this post be about how you accidently showed the video to your child!" We used to go to Berkeley on Saturday nights to see that when I was HALF the age I am now. It was pretty wild! And pretty raunchy, as I recall. My friend and I used to SCREAM when Tim Curry made his entrance coming down the in the elevator, with those SHOES. Ah...memories. LOL!

Great Scott! (Throws a roll of toilet paper),
Evelyn

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Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 08-22-2006 - 12:08am

Yes but slightly different. Mike goes through various obsessions and he often has to make props that go with the obsession. This is FINALLY getting better. It did bring out his creativity that is for sure. He will find the oddest objects to fit what ever he needs. This started as a baby literally. His first one was at 1 1/2. He would watch these Sebastian the Crab sing alongs and he had to have a microphone with streamers like the guy in the video. For months he carried a plastic chicken leg with a cloth diaper dangling from it.

He will make something from k'nex or legos like swords if he is watching a movie like Pirates or Star Wars and make sure he has those with him. There are certain movies he will do this with but it isn't every movie all the time, and even the dressing up or making things for an obsession is waning.

Renee

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Registered: 04-11-2003

Kyle has never done that. I'd trade it for what he does do in a minute but that's a separate post. I loved the title to your post, btw! :)

Samantha

Samantha
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Registered: 09-12-2004

I actually think that's great because it's participation and interaction rather than passive observation. So many times I've heard that ASD kids don't learn through imitation and modeling, but I think this is an example of one way that they DO. I think they just imitate differently sometimes.

I remember needing to make a grass skirt out of newspaper for Gilligan's Island (dating myself here) and a tutu for watching dancing, figure skating, etc. Duncan makes Transformers out of legos. He makes really intricately patterned things and I don't discourage it, rather I'm very enthusiastic about it. It shows that he's getting something creative out of the show and working out some anxieties/fears/agressions when he "blows them up" or has them battle. Ian has to have his duel disk holder when he watches Yu-gi-oh. He also likes to draw Pokemon, and characters, dragons, etc. I think when they can turn that need to have something with them while they watch and channel it into something creative it's a very good learning tool. JMO.

Kelly

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Registered: 01-19-2005

Thanks, gals. You all made me feel a little better, not that this was a big deal in the scheme of things, just seemed a little odd to me. Plus Eric is such a fantasy kid, I guess I am sensitive to the degree he seems to take things.

Kelly, I do hope it is a good sign like you said. It is a sign of more interactive things. He does sometimes get his legos and make Buzz's laser or a prop that is not at hand, so I guess that is creative. Maybe I will try to insert myself (as part of his play) into his scenarios and see what happens. So far I've just been letting him watch as he likes and supplying props, but maybe it could work into a bit of floortime therapy somehow.

Thanks for helping my perspective!

Katherine