Observation - BUP

Just realized that I forgot to write about the last observation my boy did!

Observation 7th January 2011 - BUP Asker.

I was allowed to watch through a mirror/window - like the ones in NCIS when they play 'bad cop - good cop'. It was a taped session.

We had explained to contrarian that he was going to 'play' with the psychiatrist. He wasn't happy about it, he couldn't quite understand what the fuss was about. I told him that it was because of the WISC test results. That the doctors wanted to know how he could be so clever when his concentration was age appropriate. He accepted my explanation although reluctantly.

He was very offish to the psychiatrist - very distrusting. She tried to engage him in 'role-play' but he told her that he found it childish so he didn't want to play with her.

She would chose a bag for each task. In the bag there would be various toys - there would always be at least one item that didn't fit in with the rest of the toys. He liked the gadgets, at one point he became completely fascinated with a sort of 'pin pad' thing. The one where you can put your hand or face and push the 'pins' to the other side so that it makes an imprint of your hand or face. He loved the detail. He didn't like the figures at all - called them childish.

The questions went something like :"Is mum/dad/friend/sister happy?What does mum do when she happy/angry/sad?How do you know that mum is happy/angry/sad? What does mum like to do?" etc .

I realized that my son

a) Doesn't see facial expressions

b)Doesn't read body language

c)Doesn't know what anybody in his family or social group likes doing or doesn't like doing (except for beyblades - apparently all his friends are only interested in beyblades just like him).

d)He knows when his little sister is angry/upset because she is vocal - she cries or screams. We have to help her then because she is a baby.

e)He does know and remember everything I tell him verbally-even if he doesn't agree with it.

f)My son doesn't know that I smile when I am happy or that I laugh a lot but he can 'feel' it. He can't explain that I go quiet when I am upset or that I go for a walk when I am sad but he can 'feel' it. And the truth is that he does feel it. I know because he will ask me "mummy what is wrong?".

There was a particular task where she took out a book. She then asked contrarian to tell her the story. The book was about the life cycle of frogs.

Contrarian became very enthused - basically grabbed the book from her hands wile she was still talking - nodding his head and pushing her hands away. I was taken aback by his in depth knowledge and understanding of the detailed process. His intelligence shinned through on all accounts. So did his lack of ability to 'read' other people.

One of the psychologist phoned me a few days later to ask if BUP could use the video in their training sessions. I said 'yes'.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with BUP to hear what the psychiatrist made of the observation and what conclusions she has come to.