Any connections with Blues Clues...

Sharlene - posted on 06/17/2012

My daughter thats 2 yrs old has GDD, and shes mad about Dora the explorer. when the programe comes on she flaps and waves her arms, and course she has no speech she screams and she starts biting her hands and arms. I really wonder if any research has gone into these children shows

ASHLEY - posted on 06/14/2012

MY SON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM AT 2 YRS OLD...HE WATCHED TV WAAAYYY TO MUCH!!..I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE TV CAUSING IT...TOOK IT COMPLETELY AWAY AND ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS I GOT MY SON BACK...AND TRUST ME IT WAS HARD WITH HIS TANTRUMS BUT PLEASE PLEASEPLEASE TRUST ME!!!!!!...TAKE IT AWAY AND YOU WILL BE AMAZED

ASHLEY - posted on 06/14/2012

TAKE THE TV AWAY FROM HIM ASAP!!!...TAKE IT AWAY FOR GOOD!!..COMPUTER EVERYTHING !! NO ELECTRONICS!

Melissa - posted on 05/17/2011

Of my three children, two of them have autism and one of them was obsessed with Blue's Clues. She's the one who doesn't have autism. She had every video and toy from there and refused to wear pink because she only wanted to wear blue. Now she's a well-adjusted little girl who hasn't watched BC in years. My middle daughter's show was Dora and my son's were Little Einsteins and Super Why. Now that the kids are older, they rarely watch television, but that's probably because I limit it in favor of different educational activities, as opposed to them not liking to.



Also, Blue is snappy! I still know many of the songs word-for-word 10 years later. I would designate a Blue's Clues time period when he's allowed to watch and then the tv goes off. He won't like it, but he'll get used to it.

Jean - posted on 05/16/2011

My autistic son had an obsession with Blues clues and his school used it to motivate him to participate before that it was Tiger woods and he can still hit a hole in one at mini golf. When He was 3 I was told not to bother getting an intergrated reading program with computer books and video as it would do nothing for him. He went to school reading. Now he loves Michael Jackson and has joined a dance class and picks up moves so fast. You are your sons expert. With some help his obsessions can be channelled to be positive and can be of real help in creating social skills and a bridge for others to enter his world in a way he feels safe and allow him to participate in a "normal" world.

Debora - posted on 03/10/2011

I don't think there's a causal connection, if that's what you mean. I think maybe the bright, colorful visual format may be what attracts him. It is also a show where the action is pretty easy to understand, even if you have problems with social skills. I am not in agreement with the "experts" who tell you to limit your son's exposure to something he loves. These kids have a tough time living in a society where they are different from most of those around them. Your son is obviously getting something he needs from Blue's Clues. I say, let him watch it if he enjoys it and it makes him happy. You can use his interest in Blues Clues to teach him lots of things he would otherwise not be interested in, expand it to the differences between real and cartoon dogs, etc. The professionals told me to limit my son's exposure to comics and superheroes. I refused to follow their advice because it is one of the few things he enjoys. He eventually grew out of his obsession with these characters, though he still likes to watch cartoons and read comics. He is well enough adjusted that the school doesn't even consider him autistic. Letting him enjoy something that he liked didn't hurt him at all. It may even have helped him understand social interactions better.

Nita - posted on 03/09/2011

my daughter LOVED blues clues and dora. and, to be honest, i don't think she would have picked up on so much before starting school. plus she really enjoyed the repitition of them. she still prefers to watch these and other "nick jr" types of shows to anything else. and, watching dora, she picked up on spanish and is slightly bilingual. i agree with sheila. judge it for yourself. but if it's a tool that's helping, by all means, let it continue! hope that helps! :o)

Brooke - posted on 03/09/2011

Kids with ASD often fixate on a subject they like, often nothing is noticed by anyone but the parents, because it is expected for kids to like things. But as we know, there is a point when it goes past'normal' (I hate that word) to obsession. I don't think Blues clues in particular is a problem, it's just more noticeable because we are told to keep an eye on how much t.v they watch. My son was never into Blues Clues, but he had 2 obsessions, Dora the explorer, and Hot Wheels. He has lost interest in Dora now (he's 8) but has over 350 cars, and can still tell me every one that he has. He will se a car down the street, and tell me that it is wrong. Huh? Why wrong? "it should be blue, like mine"
I just think that Blues Clues is a common one because it is designed for young children, with lots of repetition, and as Dawn said, no surprises. I wouldn't worry about it, just use it as a basis for different lessons. For example, you could use it to teach that Mr. is a title for a man, and Mrs. is a title for a lady.

Sheila - posted on 03/07/2011

Hi Summer,

I judge what I allow and don't allow by the impact it is having on my son. So, if it increases the isolation, the detachment, the regressive behaviours...then it's a no go.

If your child watches Blue and it creates a path of communication, creativity, or imaginative play...then it is a good thing. If it something that is an obsession...that cuts him off from you...no matter how much he enjoys it, if it is cutting him off from you then it is not a good thing.

My typical child watched Blue and LOVED it. My child with ASD NEVER tolerated it...he could not tolerate the sing-song qualities (certain types of music were major triggers....he needs heavy bass...so, he likes true ROCK music!).

So, use Blue if you can. Get books, play things, etc...see if you can help your son to engage in imaginative play using Blue characters...

Good luck!

Sheila

Venna - posted on 03/07/2011

im not sure about any connections, but i would definately allow him to watch it as much as he wants. who's to say that he shouldn't??? maybe it makes him happy. we dont know because we are not inside these childrens minds. i say let him watch it. =-)

Katherine - posted on 03/07/2011

http://www.momversation.com/articles/blu...

Here is an actual blog about what you are describing:

http://www.momversation.com/articles/blu...

Dawn - posted on 03/06/2011

I have not a clue, unfortunately, or fortunately my PDD-NOS is not a TV watcher. She never has been, I think with Blues clues, it's set up in a way that a lot of autistic children can connect with it. It's really a pattern and every show is the same in a sense that they have the exact same pattern, so therefore autistic children know what to expect and aren't "suprised" or 'caught off guard' if you will. Since Autistic children like routine, that's exactly what blues clues offers.