Parent’s Question:
My child is now eight years old and studying in Primary 2 in a mainstream school. He can speak, but his social skills and comprehension skills are not very good. I think he’s been sort of lying. For example, he had a PE class in school, but when I ask him if he has had a PE class, he would say no and make up a lot of reasons. Another example is that when I ask him what did he have for lunch at school, he would answer, but none of those food was on the menu.
What should I do?
Adivce from Autism Partnership:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that causes challenges in an individual’s social communication skills, social interactions and behaviours. Individuals with ASD can also present difficulties with understanding or using spoken language.
It is not uncommon for these challenges to be misunderstood by others. For example, a child who does not understand a question and lacks the ability to ask for help may appear to his/her teacher as not paying attention or perhaps, a deliberate act of defiance. In another (this) situation, when a child is not able to give accurate, or complete, account of his day when asked, he could be easily thought as lying.
However, before we discuss the child’s behaviour (in this case, lying), let’s explore some of the language and cognitive skills needed for the child to recall and answer the questions around his day from his parents.
Is my child able to respond to various, and different levels of instructions?
The ability to understand different types and complexity of instructions helps to build the skill to differentiate different questions. At a beginner’s level, this could be basic instructions such “Pack your bag”. Advance instructions can consist of multiple parts or with different language concepts that include verbs, locations, adjectives, quantities, etc.
| Type of Instruction | Examples |
| Basic Instruction | “Pack your bag.” |
| Instruction with Multiple Parts | “Pack your snack box into your bag.” |
| Instructions with Different Language Concepts | “Pack your red snack box into your bag.” |
Is my child able to comprehend a variety of WH questions across different settings?
These WH questions includes who, what it is, what’s happening, where, why and how. Besides having the ability to discriminate these questions, it is essential for your child to have the ability to answer these questions from a more structured setting (eg. A book, a picture card) to a more natural environment.
Is my child able to sequence events?
The ability to sequence events allow your child to also understand temporal concepts of what comes before and after. This can involve basic sequencing (eg. the ability to understand what comes next) to more advance ability to sequence events that happened earlier.
Is my child able to describe with enough information?
Having the skill to describe with details allow your child to express what he experienced. This would include other language skills such as the ability to recall, sequencing of events and able to express advance language concepts such as verbs, locations, adjectives, quantities, etc.
Is my child able to recall events that happened earlier?
Recalling events works on your child’s memory and require your child to remember what happened earlier. In a more advance situation, we may require the child to describe a sequence of event.
Does my child understand the concept of time?
Besides the ability to distinguish different events apart, this cognitive skill would also give rise to the ability to understand and respond to a question that involves a specific time and sequencing of events.
The ability for your child to recall what happened to them in the day, and answer questions relating to the events require multiple skills. This can range from basic comprehension to more complex skills that involve cognitive and reasoning skills. When a child acquires strong language skills, it gives the him/her the ability to understand the question, communicate more accurately, and reduces being misunderstood.
In Part 2, I will discuss with you some of the ways we can support children to respond truthfully, or accurately, to us.
Information provide by:
Renee Pang, Autism Partnership Senior Case Supervisor (Bsc.)
Renee Pang holds a Bachelor of Science and Graduate Certificate in Education Studies from Monash University, Australia. She joined Autism Partnership, Singapore, in 2010 and worked with children on both one-on-one and group settings and provided shadow-aide support in mainstream schools. In 2013, Renee became a Program Supervisor where she worked on designing and tailoring curriculum for the child’s needs under the supervision of the consultants. Additionally, she also ran social groups in mainstream schools and collaborated with teachers and principals to devise integration plans. Renee also provides staff and parent training sessions locally and overseas. She is also fluent in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Since 2019, Renee currently works with Autism Partnership, Hong Kong, to provide consultation, parent training, and staff training for clients in Shanghai.
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家長的疑問：
小朋友目前八歲，在主流學校上小二。有口語能力，但社交能力和理解能力不是很好。我覺得他一直有類似說謊的行為，例如：他在學校明明有上體育課，可是回來，我問他，今天有沒有上體育課？他就說：沒有。還會說明為什麼沒去……亂說一堆。又例如：我問他今天在學校的午餐都吃了什麼？他會回答一堆食物，但我看了學校當天的菜單，根本就沒有他說的那些……
我應該怎樣處理呢？
Autism Partnership 的建議:
自閉症譜系障礙（ASD）是一種神經發育障礙，患者通常會在個人溝通技巧，社交互動和行為方面受到挑戰。自閉症兒童也可能在理解或使用口頭語言方面遇到困難。
有些時候，孩子因為缺乏技能而被身邊的人誤解。例如一位小孩缺乏能力理解問題也不會要求協助會導致一位老師認為小孩不專注或逃避回答問題。也許家長問起有關今天發生的事而小孩沒有準確描述或表達自己做了什麼的時候，家長會認為孩子在撒謊。
然而，在我們討論孩子的行為（在這種情況下，撒謊）之前，讓我們先探討一些語言和認知技能，看一看孩子是否有能力回憶和回答。
我的孩子是否能理解各種不難度的指令？
理解不同類型和複雜性的指令能夠助於培養孩子區分不同指令的技能。對於一位初學者，這可能是基本的指令，如「收拾你的書包」。更進一步的指令能包括多部分指令或者加入不同的語言概念如動詞，位置，形容詞，數量等。
| 指令類型 | 例子 |
| 基本指令 | 「收拾你的書包」 |
| 多部分指令 | 「把點心盒收到書包裡」 |
| 語言概念組成的指令 | 「把紅色的點心盒收到書包裡」 |
我的孩子是否能在不同環境或情景，理解各種問句？
這些問句包括「這是什麼？」，「他是誰」，「發生什麼事」 和 「這是哪裡？」。在前進階段也包含 「為什麼？」 和 「怎麼會這樣？」。除了能夠區分這些問題，小孩也還必須從有條理的環境中（例如: 繪本裡）到更自然環境裡準確回答這些問題。
我的孩子是否能對一件事情發生後排出順序？
排順序除了讓小孩理解一件事情的先後次序，也能幫助小孩發展連貫性能力。
我的孩子是否有足夠語言描述？
如果孩子能夠應用足夠的信息或豐富的語言，他就能讓對方意理解他的經驗 。這包括其他語言技能，如回憶能力、排序以及表達高級語言概念的能力，如動詞、位置、形容詞、數量等。
我的孩子是否能回憶起之前發生的事件？
回憶事件有助於孩子的記憶，並要求孩子記住之前發生的事情。在更高級的設置中，我們可能要求孩子能夠有關聯性地描述整個事件。
我的孩子是否理解時間的概念？
除了區分不同事件的能力外，這種認知技能還會導致理解和回答有關時間性的問題。例如：吃飯之前做了什麼或昨天下午到哪裡玩了之類的問題。
孩子能夠回憶他們一天中發生的事情，並回答與事件有關的問題需要多種技能。這可以從基本理解到更深刻認知和推理技能。當孩子掌握較強語言技能，他就有能力理解問題，更准確地溝通，並減少被誤解的能力。
資訊提供:
彭嘉恩 Renee Pang, 高級行為分析治療課程監督(理學學士)
彭嘉恩在澳大利亞蒙納士大學獲得教育研究學士學位和研究生證書。在2010年，嘉恩加入 Autism Partnership 新加坡中心，擔任 ABA 行為治療師。除了一對一和小組干預，她也到幼兒園和小學當了影子老師。2013年嘉恩開始出任行為分析治療主任, 在顧問的指導下, 負責設計課程。此外，她也到學校裡組織社交小組團隊，並與教師和校長合作制定融合計劃。嘉恩也在當地和海外提供員工和家長培訓課程。她能用英語、普通話和粵語交流。2019 年起，嘉恩與香港 Autism Partnership 合作，為上海家庭提供咨詢、家長培訓和員工培訓。
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