What to do when your autistic child is obsessed with YouTube

Yesterday, The Guardian published a really interesting (and useful!) article in response to a reader's question whose autistic son is obsessed with watching videos on YouTube:

My problem is that when he is at home he will not do anything apart from watch people playing computer games on YouTube. My anxiety is that his self-confidence, already low because of the autism, is exacerbated by him not trying other things – whether it be drawing, cooking or playing – and so realising what he is capable of and building his self-confidence.

Does this sound familiar to you? Perhaps your autistic child has a different obsession, such as playing games on their iPad. In any case, the writer of the article I mentioned has some really great advice:

[...] obsessions are common in people with autism, because it can give them a sense of control and predictability. So it may seem a waste of time to you, but for him it is providing a useful purpose. 

She goes on to explain how obsessions in autistic children are often related to anxiety and the need for control, and how it's best to work with such obsessions, rather than against them.

The comments from Guardian readers in response to the article make for very interesting reading too, with one commenter explaining how YouTube helped her autistic adult sister to diversify her interests, while a teenage Aspie explains how his obsession helps him to stay calm.

If you're at all concerned about your own autistic child's obsessions, I'd highly recommend giving this article a read.