First assessment - telling a story with 5 objects

Yes I had that and a book with no words, I was absolutely stumped ! That’s was a couple of weeks ago and today I had my diagnosis of ASD 

I used them fairly well and  was asked if the story had happened in my experience.  Yes, it was part of family history. 
imagination always uses experience.  What do they mean we lack imagination? 

One problem we can have is when our vivid imagination cannot be well translated or communicated. Then they're not remarking about you as a person, but your 'essay'. As in: you may have a lot happening in your mind, but there's no use of descriptives in your language to help us envision what you're envisioning. 

I did the story with 5 objects, and they said I showed no creativity or imagination(!)  I thought I'd done well...

I agree about the myth! That needs dispelling considering one of the first kids noted as autistic had imaginary friends. 

If I could guess what they're looking for it's the sort of thing that I would classify as a mildly acceptable socio-pathology with improv. Something we might see as telling a lie, or selling a fantasy. 

Yes quite. It's probably that thing where we are often either end of the bell curve. Probably some have poor imagination and some have overactive imagination, where I am the latter. Which is one of the reasons so many of us have been missed.

I think that it is a very outdated type of test, based on the myth that autistic people do not have imaginations and also, as a consequence, do not enjoy fiction. So many autistics, me included, have wonderful imaginations and create their own worlds - a notable method of escaping the real world that is so often inimical to them. This form of escapism is found documented in autism studies, how it can be squared with a supposed inability to make up a short story about objects, defies logic. Not all autistics, of course, have particularly vivid imaginations, but some certainly do.

This is a hard difference between Typical children and Autistic children. Autistic children care about actual functioning of a thing. Typical children care about using language to create fiction. There's a fundamental key difference to how we experience and perceive the world around us.

In the best situation and for the most part, an Autistic might use what's around to create aesthetic for functionality, ease but with an integrity that supports aesthetic as a secondary item as a relating with to navigate the environment. The Neuro-typical might start with the appearance of aesthetic, storytelling to create social relationship and think about function if it becomes a problem.

Hi I’ve had my assessment today I was flummoxed only thing I could say was a bendy noodle object was like a worm and then became tearful. 
out of interest have you had your results ? 

Hello again Rach...I’ve been meaning to reply but didn’t find this thread until this morning when I was looking at my profile. I’ve bought some earplugs which have been great in the main & will help a great deal. I was due to go and try some actual noise cancelling headphones but the Coronavirus put a stop to that. At least I have some noise protection now. I went out without them the other day & due to there being less traffic and people I found myself noticing how noisy birds are! Bird sensory overload!

Great! I’ve just found a sensory library near to wear I live. I emailed them & explained the situation and they were really helpful. I’m going in to tryout a pair to see if they’re good for me, not only the sound part of the overload but also the feel of them on my head... back to the flying frogs I’ve looked over it again and still totally lost with it. I’ll stick to Batman comics, at least I can reassure myself that bats can actually really fly...

I got the same book! It’s called Tuesday. I didn’t connect the title with the book all the way through. And it’s  only now reading this post I realise they were going ‘home’ I still hadn’t figured that out. That’s what they were doing? Did it say that? I remember being so weird about feeling surprised i’d Been given a kids book that I blanked some of the pages not realising it In the moment, it wasn’t until I searched the book and looked on my own time I realised it wasn’t all just pictures. Very few words I know, but still I dunno what happened in my brain, but I blanked so much of it. And I couldn’t understand any of it. I still don’t even after having another look in my own time. 

The flying frogs! I still don’t quite understand what was going on there. 

I also have noise cancelling headphones and they enable me to travel on the ferry even if there are lots of people on it. 

Wow, what an idea - tinted contact lenses. That would attract far less attention than going into Sainsbury’s at 9pm on a rainy night wearing sunglasses! I’ll let you know how it all goes with the earphones/plugs.

Phew, glad it isn’t just me. Thinking about it I’m sure you’re right about being put on the spot, but yes, very cringey. Feeling much better about it from the replies I’ve had, so thanks, feeling normal!

Agh, the flying frogs book.  It was so cringey I just wanted to pull up the carpet and hide underneath and never come out again.  The 5 objects thing was awful too lol.  But I suppose that is the point of the test, to put you on the spot and observe how you react.

Haha! It should be ok if someone shouts from afar, even though they block out background quite well they still let in things like that I think. I wear the earplugs all day at work and if I wear headphones too, I can usually hear when a colleague tries to get my attention. My dream is to get tinted contact lenses that act as sunglasses but I'm not sure if they can be bought yet.

Great advice, I’ll have a look at CEX & at the ear plugs. Light is my joint biggest problem & I do wear sunglasses & a hat whenever I’m out. My bedroom has always been sensory free & is my sanctuary. Earphones or plugs would be welcome on Sundays, as there seems to be a constant drone of lawnmowers all day. One last question about the earphones & plugs...do they still allow you to hear if someone is shouting up the stairs to you. I don’t think my dad would cope if I didn’t respond!

The ones I have block out sustained background noise like air conditioning and wind, which does help to take some of the strain off. Mine are EvoDX and I got them very cheaply from Computer Exchange online, I'm not sure how they compare to other brands but the prices are good on there and they might have some similar pairs. Another thing that has helped are Docs Pro Ear Plugs which are transparent and discreet, I wear them every day. What are you like with light? Wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap out really helps me too

Thanks, I will. In the end, diagnosis or not I can’t change my sensory overload. I’ve been looking at noise cancelling headphones, do they block out everything? It’s always good to buy by recommendation which brand/model of headphones do you have?