A recent native ad from Autism Parent magazine caught my attention. It was about parents’ perceptions on visual discrimination “problems” in their autistic children.
In general, visual discrimination refers to the ability to distinguish between visual stimuli like shapes, colors, and patterns. Some autistic people may experience challenges with visual discrimination. This can affect their ability to process and interpret visual information in their daily lives.
According to the native ad, “symptoms” of visual discrimination challenges in autism can include issues with reading, writing, matching items, and discerning small differences in pictures. The author notes that activities and therapies that target visual perception can help strengthen these skills in autistic children. This includes hands-on games, digital tools, sorting exercises, art projects, and more tailored interventions.
But the ad got me thinking, what if the kid isn’t into the same things as the parents? What if what parents are observing isn’t a “visual discrimination” issue but something else, like a lack of interest or just a different way of proceeding? Differences in visual discrimination skills in autistic children should not be automatically pathologized. There are several important considerations:
A child's interests may simply be different from their parents’. A perceived lack of skill may actually just reflect a difference in preferences and motivation. Observing a child’s unique strengths and passions is important.
Difficulties with certain visual tasks could stem from factors besides visual discrimination abilities. Issues like motor skills, attention, or language comprehension can also be involved.
Jumping to label a difference as a "deficit" risks judging a child's neurology as inherently flawed. But neurodiversity means brains process information in varied ways.
Interventions should focus on supporting the child rather than “fixing” them. Accommodations that work with their learning style are better than forcing neurotypical expectations.
Parents and professionals should avoid deficit-based language and instead describe visual discrimination differences in neutral, developmental terms.
Most importantly, the child themselves should be involved in identifying what supports they need to navigate the visual world in a way that makes sense to them. Their self-understanding should be validated.
Remember as you read these native ads, a non-judgmental, neurodiversity-affirming perspective is needed when considering any type of “treatment” or “intervention.” Sadly, late-stage western capitalism has to create these “problems” so that it can offer its often very expensive remedies.
The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.
Visual discrimination and autism
Visual discrimination and autism
Visual discrimination and autism
A recent native ad from Autism Parent magazine caught my attention. It was about parents’ perceptions on visual discrimination “problems” in their autistic children.
In general, visual discrimination refers to the ability to distinguish between visual stimuli like shapes, colors, and patterns. Some autistic people may experience challenges with visual discrimination. This can affect their ability to process and interpret visual information in their daily lives.
According to the native ad, “symptoms” of visual discrimination challenges in autism can include issues with reading, writing, matching items, and discerning small differences in pictures. The author notes that activities and therapies that target visual perception can help strengthen these skills in autistic children. This includes hands-on games, digital tools, sorting exercises, art projects, and more tailored interventions.
But the ad got me thinking, what if the kid isn’t into the same things as the parents? What if what parents are observing isn’t a “visual discrimination” issue but something else, like a lack of interest or just a different way of proceeding? Differences in visual discrimination skills in autistic children should not be automatically pathologized. There are several important considerations:
A child's interests may simply be different from their parents’. A perceived lack of skill may actually just reflect a difference in preferences and motivation. Observing a child’s unique strengths and passions is important.
Difficulties with certain visual tasks could stem from factors besides visual discrimination abilities. Issues like motor skills, attention, or language comprehension can also be involved.
Jumping to label a difference as a "deficit" risks judging a child's neurology as inherently flawed. But neurodiversity means brains process information in varied ways.
Interventions should focus on supporting the child rather than “fixing” them. Accommodations that work with their learning style are better than forcing neurotypical expectations.
Parents and professionals should avoid deficit-based language and instead describe visual discrimination differences in neutral, developmental terms.
Most importantly, the child themselves should be involved in identifying what supports they need to navigate the visual world in a way that makes sense to them. Their self-understanding should be validated.
Remember as you read these native ads, a non-judgmental, neurodiversity-affirming perspective is needed when considering any type of “treatment” or “intervention.” Sadly, late-stage western capitalism has to create these “problems” so that it can offer its often very expensive remedies.
The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.