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Computer addict

Johnsmum

My son spends several hours every day on his computer, mostly playing games or music, though I have a suspicion he may have viewed porn as well. As he is a teenager, it's probably too late to start imposing a time limit on computer time (besides which, if he weren't on the computer, he would only be watching TV).

Do others think that too much computer time is not good for our kids? I would love him to be making friends but he never invites anyone home from school, and they don't invite him. If they did, of course, they would end up playing computer games together! But at least it would be social.

We have very good provision in our area for social activities for kids on the spectrum, but I get a feeling he doesn't want to go to something that is especially for kids like him.

Would love to hear others' thoughts on computers, socializing, etc, especially for older teenagers.

Parents

  • I get the feeling too much time on the computer is not exclusively an asperger thing. However I appreciate the concern and have encountered students on the spectrum who seem too engrossed in the computer world.  My first computer was a ZX spectrum and I was in my thirties by then, and had previous only worked with punched cards. There were still things to get obsessed with and plenty of scope for a fantasy world.

    There is a danger I agree - loss of touch with reality. However this social interaction thingy - it doesn't go away. I can lecture, counsell and tutor, attend numerous committees, hold my own in public events. I learned to do it over many years, by necessity. I still go home alone, find it very difficult to socially interact, in any context away from the formalised setting.

    I don't think it was because I lived in a fantasy world when younger, or its computer driven equvalent today. The social interaction bit is fundemental to aspergers. The important thing is for young people to learn to interface effectively in formal situations, in order to hold down a job and engage in the formal transactions of living in society.

    I wish people would get the social interaction thing into perspective. Undoubtedly some people on the spectrum crave it, others don't seem to miss it. But its part of the aspergers. Nothing to do with spending hours on computer games. Being happy and content.

    Don't spoil it.

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  • I get the feeling too much time on the computer is not exclusively an asperger thing. However I appreciate the concern and have encountered students on the spectrum who seem too engrossed in the computer world.  My first computer was a ZX spectrum and I was in my thirties by then, and had previous only worked with punched cards. There were still things to get obsessed with and plenty of scope for a fantasy world.

    There is a danger I agree - loss of touch with reality. However this social interaction thingy - it doesn't go away. I can lecture, counsell and tutor, attend numerous committees, hold my own in public events. I learned to do it over many years, by necessity. I still go home alone, find it very difficult to socially interact, in any context away from the formalised setting.

    I don't think it was because I lived in a fantasy world when younger, or its computer driven equvalent today. The social interaction bit is fundemental to aspergers. The important thing is for young people to learn to interface effectively in formal situations, in order to hold down a job and engage in the formal transactions of living in society.

    I wish people would get the social interaction thing into perspective. Undoubtedly some people on the spectrum crave it, others don't seem to miss it. But its part of the aspergers. Nothing to do with spending hours on computer games. Being happy and content.

    Don't spoil it.

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