Friday, March 6, 2009

Swiss cheese development

Google, Inc.Image via Wikipedia

I was going to post about my boy who told me he'd figured out how to crack light speed; the same boy who asked me how to spell "club." That's my boy. Cracking theoretical physics and failing first grade spelling.

In a flurry of information-seeking after Diver was diagnosed, I remember reading that kids with Asperger's were characterized as having "Swiss cheese" development, full of holes. It's certainly true of Diver, who illuminated his light speed theory with a detailed explanation in which the only word I understood was "velocity". The same boy, searching for a particular Google earth image, today asked, "How do you spell 'Google'?"

Go figure. The spelling I'll let go. The light speed theory I'll transcribe, in case it advances theoretical physics.
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6 comments:

  1. When my son was first diagnosed, a friend whose son was diagnosed with PDD told me about the Swiss cheese metaphor, and I've found it to be true of my son too. At eight, he has amazing abilities in math, but can't dress himself without help.

    I wanted to thank you so much for your visit to my blog and your kind words. It's nice to (virtually) meet you.

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  3. Good to meet you, as well. And I want to tell you that a lot can change in four years. I didn't believe it when I heard it four years ago, but it is true. Hang in there.

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  4. My Aspie said to me, "Mom, you're not smart. You don't understand the time-space continuum."

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  5. Yay me! I am so happy to have found another Jewish single autie-mom with a newish autie-blog. I have just read all of your posts, and, bubele, we are living very similar lives. I have two boys on the spectrum, Taz (12 like Diver) and Rocky (newly 16).

    I love the swiss cheese analogy, which I had never heard, and I feel like I've been living with autism for about 100 years so that is saying something. I look forward to learning more in your future posts.

    Come visit me sometime at Mama on the Edge. I am occasionally informative, always insane.

    Shalom shvester!

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  6. Good to meet you, Mama Mara. I will visit your blog. BTW, what do you do on Sundays?

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