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Dogs and Maths

charliedog

Hi Every one

I am new member. Mum to teenage son with ASD who loves dogs and Maths - Dogs communicate with out talking and with maths the answer is either right or wrong! 

Looking forward to being part of the community

  • Hi

    Thanks for replying! Yes you are quite right about the difference between Arithmetic and Mathematics. Not being a mathmatician myself it was just a general term, but yes most of us can do simple calculations but the philiosophy of numbers and numeric behaviours is an alien language to me but certainly for my son is a language he happily understands and can immerse himself in where as the spoken/written language of words is something that he finds a mystery. Good point about arithmetic and Accountancy  - I read that 80% of Autistic adults are unemployed and even then a lot are only doing part time work. I'm sure there must be more jobs that people on the spectrum could do if only they had the right support, seems to me a lot of talent is going to waste.

    As for dogs in our house the dogs provide the link for the interaction between family members. Autistic and non Autistic siblings can find common ground with something they have in common.Dogs for the Disabled run the PAWS project based on this very theme.

  • In Arithmetic the answers are either right or wrong, in mathematics this doesn't follow, as you've moved in to the philosophy of numbers and numeric behaviours.

    I'm not being pedantic about this distinction. Often parents assume that being good with numbers suggests their child should study maths at A Level and at university, and often it just doesn't work out that way. In Maths you are expected to demonstrate the thought process, and many students on the spectrum get fustrated with this, feeling that getting the answer right is enough. Also a lot of mathematics is very abstract and about concepts and ambiguities, and students with autism find this alien, and quickly start to fall behind.

    Arithmetic skills are more attuned to accountancy, and that's a profession where someone on the spectrum can do well.

    As to dogs, well they do have marvellous conversations with you, but I always have the feeling that they are only out for reward.

    OK I'm being pedantic and nit-picking.....but I thought it might get the dialogue going on this thread.

    Have fun on the community....