Obsession with numbers/ counting

[PinkFizz]

I don't know if you guys can shed any light but my son has over the past year become obsessed with numbers and counting. He counts everything - from the minutes it takes to get to school, guessing the exact time we will arrive, how many minutes it is till bed time, dinner, bath time, how many cars in the car park in Tesco's etc etc etc. I could go on and on . It is really getting quite bad. Even when he is watching tv I see him counting on his fingers thought what he is counting I do not know. He is very bright and doing well at school. Someone mentioned it could be a form of autism but I have looked up the symptoms and it doesn't seem to match. He is very very loving and affectionate. Any advice I would very gladly listen to. Big hugs xxx

[johnlambert]

PinkFizz
my mates boy (Declan) is a lovely lad, he keeps his own company most of the time and from an early age he knew he was different, I well remember going to his house one night and the wee boy was upset, he was asking his mum "what's wrong with me"? Once he was diagnosed, it made it easy to understand why he was like he was. As I said he is a whizz with computers and has an astounding knowledge of history, he can teach me a thing or two on the subject and I've got a Masters Degree.

[annie0000]

thanx caz - my eldest boy (6 going on 7) can be a bit strange at times, and I went through the whole internet search thing - I found a checklist for aspergers and he hit 10 out of the 15 signs. However, I am absolutely certain that he doesn't have it. It is a bit like looking through a medical book and making 2 and 2 equal 5. He is absolutely normal, he just a bit of a quirky personality and when I think back to what I was like as a child, I don't think he is that different!!!!!
There is a danger in looking too much into these things - -as I said before I am not counting people who's behaviour or personality is causing them difficulty in having a normal life. These individuals need and deserve all the support available to them which can't be obtained without proper diagnosis

[PinkFizz]

Hi guys. I certainly do not want to 'label' my son. I was just wondering if others thought this was unusual or if it was fairly normal behaviour, but like most of you say - it seems fairly common.

[annie0000]

hi pinkfizz - I hope that you didn't take it that way - just got a bit sidetracked, I know how hard it can be to decide whether you think particular behaviour is normal or not, because although you may see other children from time to time - you really spend most time with your own and you obviously care for them deeply. I think that I certainly sometimes forget that they are children and not fully formed adults and go through their own wee phases for things in a way that adults generally don't. I notice especially as I have 2 boys 13 months apart - it is natural to compare and think that whenever one does something that the other doesn't that that is'nt normal - of course it is, it is just that they are different people. Hope your son is okay - it does sound like he is generally bright but a bit shy - Maybe he could concentrate his attentions on another number related but socially aacceptable thing like collecting train numbers or spotting foreign number plates. My little one loves maps which quite a good one as we are now teaching him all his geography and map reading, flags and roadsigns all borne out of one interest - diversifying it a bit makes it a bit less nerdy! lolxx