Autism, Strategy Games and Mythology

I have said it before, and I will happily say it again. Computers and Autism definitely mix! In another article, I talked about how much PC Games can help a child with Autism learn. Incidentally, nothing has changed. I have said it over and over, there are many, many benefits to children with Autism using computers.

The school my son, Matthew, attends utilizes a computer lab on site. They use this lab for not only learning, but as a reward system. This is especially important for a child with a disability. Autism included, obviously. At Metro Prep, they use a level system to monitor behavior. The higher that level goes, the highest level being 5, the more free time the child can earn. Matthew has reached level 4. He utilizes much of his free time in the Computer Lab.

Something else I mentioned before was the fact that my father had taught Matt how to play a very calming strategy game called Age of Empires. I have since expanded Matt's interest by buying the sister game, Age of Mythology. Since that purchase, Matthew has spent countless hours discussing this game and its' contents with his fellow students. It has finally brought the desired result of someone else being interested! This interest resulted in the school purchasing the entire game, along with an expansion version, for use in the school's computer lab.

Something else happened as a result of Matt's almost obsessive interest in this game. He has expanded his social skills. He is able to consistently discuss this game with his peers, or others. He is able to read the entire manual for the game. He can spell almost every character name in that manual. He can also tell you about four different eras in history and the various Gods/Goddesses that were worshipped during that era.

His interest in Ancient Mythology has expanded beyond just the game. He has inadvertently encouraged other children with disabilities to be interested in something besides video games. At least 6-10 children have developed an interest in this game. All of them, in some manner, have a disability. It was this interest, as I mentioned, that resulted in the school purchasing the game.

Our greatest hope for them is, like Matt, they will develop an interest in something more than just modern technology. They may develop an interest, like him, in Ancient History and Mythology. This interest has also strengthened Matt's reading ability. He has tried to read actual books on Mythology.

He has also developed an interest in watching movies or documentaries about Mythology. One that would be particularly good for children with disabilities is "Jim Henson's Storyteller: Greek Myths and Legends". My father bought it for Matt and he loved it! The stories are told in a non-threatening manner and are visually interesting.

I also mentioned before that utilizing the world of Disney is a good thing for kids with Autism. In the world of Mythology, we recommend the Disney movie, "Hercules", or "Fantasia", which both contain stories of Ancient Mythology. Both, I think, are done in a relatively non-threatening way, and should be okay for most children with Autism. It really depends on the child.

Ultimately, every child has their own interests. But, I would rather have Matt scripting lines from Mythology stories, than listen to him spout stuff from Sponge Bob Squarepants. He learned nothing from the sponge, but he learned lots of interesting facts from those movies!

And if a grandfather teaching his autistic grandson about something so simple can result in this small, yet important, step in the child's life, what would happen if more than the 10 kids got interested in Mythology? What if they all started wanting to read more, on any subject appropriate for them? Or what if they just shared their new found knowledge with 20 other kids that they knew?

That would be one large pyramid effect. Even the Egyptians would be impressed.