15 Minutes of Fame: WoW buoys autistic youngster
by Lisa Poisso 
Apr 13th 2010 at 4:00PM
Should little kids play World of Warcraft? Players and non-players, parents and childless alike seem to relish pontificating. Ultimately, it all comes down to active parenting -- you have to judge whether your child's development and personality are suited for a dunk in the waters of a massively multiplayer world, and you have to stay plugged in, yourself.
For WoW player Tsiva, mother of an 8-year-old with Asperger Syndrome, the decision to bring her son into the game has paid off. "It's helped with his reading, counting, confidence, motor skills and it's provided him with a heck of an incentive to work hard outside of the game," she reports. Tsiva's been blogging since last summer about her son's adventures in Azeroth, in the hopes that their experience will enlighten other players and spread awareness of the ways playing games like World of Warcraft can be a positive force for many children, including those with disabilities.
Main character Tsiva Guild <Insurrection>
Realm US Sentinels-H
Thomas' main character Merve
Guild <Insurrection>
Realm US Sentinels-H
15 Minutes of Fame: Tell us a little about Thomas' challenges and needs.
Tsiva: Thomas has Asperger Syndrome, which is considered a high-functioning form of autism. He also has ADHD and a receptive learning disorder. He was very hyper and rambunctious from the time he was a toddler and he didn't start talking until he was about 4 years old. I knew something other than his initial diagnosis, ADHD, was the problem but I couldn't put my finger on it. We had a lot of testing done on him, but it wasn't until he started exhibiting some tell-tale signs (making loud, bizarre noises compulsively) that it clicked in my head as to what it might be. My brother also has Asperger's, and when Thomas started making those same odd noises, I was fairly certain Thomas had the same thing. I had to raise some hell to get the testing done, but upon being tested, the specialist said that Thomas is a classic Asperger kid.
Since we got that diagnosis, Thomas was placed in a special needs class at a new school and he's getting the specialized teaching he needs. It was incredible to see him go from failing academically, depressed and destructive, and socially withdrawn to thriving academically (reading and writing, to boot!), self-confident and happy, and capable of interacting with other people in a more normal way.
What first gave you the idea of starting him in WoW?
Thomas has spent a lot of time at my side, just watching me play. I'm not sure why I did it, but while I was farming mobs in Netherstorm, I prompted him to start counting. And count he did. I was a little surprised at how well he was doing and it occurred to me that without killing the fun inherent in the game, I could get him to play the game and use it as a learning medium.
How do you see his gameplay helping him?
It seems like it's helped him in a multitude of ways. I've noticed some improvement with his eye-hand coordination. It's also helped with his counting and subtraction. As he progresses through quests that require him to get a set amount of items, he has to look at the numbers and figure out how many he's gotten and how many more he needs.
How has his gameplay evolved since he began playing?
Well, he started out very slowly. He has problems with his motor skills, so at first, he was very slow when it came to moving his toon around and fighting mobs. Now, he moves his toon around and fights very fluidly. He also no longer mindlessly just spams certain moves. It took a while to get him to understand that sometimes it's good to go on the offensive and sometimes you need to stop and quickly heal yourself or others with you. (His main is a druid.) Lastly, his communication skills are a lot better, so he's been able to reply to others in-game.
And now you're playing along with him. How has that changed things?
Well, it's made me appreciate how easily I can do stuff in game. For Merve, he's making great progress and he's learning a lot, but a lot of the in-game stuff doesn't necessarily come easily to him. I have to work with him on certain things and coach him. It's frustrating for us both, but rewarding when he gets new achievements, does new things and gets really stoked about it. I've also had to cut back some of my own personal play time to accommodate running him through dungeons and helping out in game when he needs it. It's worth it, though. ;)
What restrictions and limitations do you place on his gameplay? Well, I let him play for 30 minutes to an hour most nights, plus or minus. If it's not a school night, I'll sometimes let him play longer. I'm sure he'd play a lot longer if I let him, but I prefer he goes outside to play and do things other than WoW.
In game, he's not allowed to group or chat with players he doesn't know. His communication skills in game are still rather limited. He can read quite a bit, but he has a hard time typing up responses. He has to abide by a no-whisper, no-group, no-trade and no-target rule to avoid him pestering people who don't know him and don't know his communication limitations.
I've had some people wonder what the point of him playing in an MMO is when he can't interact much with other players. Even without the interaction, though, he still manages to have a good time -- and to me, that's the entire point.
What's his favorite in-game activity?
He likes to fish and farm mobs. He gets really excited when I take him into dungeons, but if he had his way, I think he'd be more than happy to wander Azeroth, killing mobs along the way.
What is his behavior like now?
Thomas takes medication for his compulsiveness. There are some things, though, that medication can't fix. He is still, to a degree, more impulsive than a typical kid, even with his medication. He has a hard time focusing. He doesn't pick up on "normal kid" things. There's a lot of stuff kids pick up without being taught. Those sort of things we have to make it a point to teach him, and it's not always easy.
He also views things in a totally different way from other people. He simply does not relate the same way. He's very obsessive. He likes to hoard things. He's often noticeably anxious in social situations and will cling to you if you don't get onto him. And he doesn't have a sense of what's right and wrong socially, like most people do. It leads to some awkward situations. Mind you, he's doing so much better than he was before. But it can still be very stressful dealing with his issues.
He's working on reading comprehension, grammar and math. His teacher is also teaching him social skills that he didn't pick up like non-autistic kids do. I've seen him do things this year that a couple of years ago, I wasn't confident he'd ever be able to do. It's been within the last half year that he's really started to read and write well.
What about your own main character?
Casual raider, altaholic, PvPer ... I really like to mix it up. I raid a couple nights each week and spend the rest of my time either PvPing, chatting with friends or working on alts. I also find myself going off after certain objectives (achievements, mounts, etc.) when the mood strikes me. I have two level 80 priests, Tsiva being my second but more progressed priest. I main tank-heal with her for a casual 10-man raid group that I absolutely love. I also PvP quite a bit. I enjoy being that annoying disc priest who's a pain to kill.
How did you get into WoW?
My husband and I wanted an inexpensive way to spend time together. We figured 30 bucks a month for the two of us would be a lot less costly than going out every weekend. So, we got a couple of trial discs at a local Best Buy, were immediately hooked and the rest is history.
Follow the continuing adventures of Tsiva and Merve at Running With Merve. Read more about combining families with gaming in MMO Family at our sister publication, Massively.
15 Minutes is LFM- Are you an ICC raider over the age of 60?
- Do you play WoW across the miles with one or more generations or layers of your extended family, as a way to keep in touch?
"I never thought of playing WoW like that!" -- neither did we, until we talked with these players. From an Oscar-winning 3-D effects director to a rising pop singer ... from a quadriplegic player to a bunch of guys who get together for dinner and raiding in person every week.Filed under: Interviews, 15 Minutes of Fame
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
st4rscream Apr 13th 2010 4:08PM
I swear I thought it said: 15 Minutes of Fame: WoW buys autistic youngster...
Brasson Apr 13th 2010 4:13PM
Same here. o_O
Kat Apr 13th 2010 6:13PM
Andrew, wtf dude.
Nazgûl Apr 13th 2010 4:12PM
What a brilliant idea! That's a dedicated mom.
hudsonzero Apr 13th 2010 4:14PM
world of warcraft helped me with typing and spelling and i'm dyslexic
Arrowsmith Apr 13th 2010 4:13PM
This mother is awesome and she should feel awesome, especially for having such an awesome son.
-Hunter with Asperger's
Doctor Adorah Apr 13th 2010 4:14PM
I'd hardly consider Aspergers syndrome a form of autism. Yes I know it is, as I have Aspergers Syndrome, but compared to some of the low functioning versions of autism, Aspergers is a godsend.
This kid deserves no special coverage. He's just as smart as anyone else his age, he's not mentally challenged or retarded. He's a completely normal kid, with a label, and that's it.
I just wish more people would know that and stop labeling me.
Myrsila Apr 13th 2010 4:23PM
You are forgetting the other problems he has along with it. He IS worth mentioning. Asperger's is a high form of Autism. But, it affects others differently. Because you are doing great, doesn't mean everyone with it is, as the Autism scale is vast... even with just the high end of Asperger's.
tatsumasa Apr 13th 2010 6:36PM
i disagree that he deserves no special coverage. it's not all about raiders all the time. sorry to burst your bubble. my five-year-old plays (with me right next to him the whole time) and i think it's great to watch him learn things that relate to both in-game and real life. i too have had people whisper him to question what he's doing and i respond that he's five, that he means no offense, and to please leave him be, only to have people ask me what's the point of letting him play when he can't yet talk (type) to people in a social game. not everyone plays the game the same way though. just because some younger kids get something different out of wow doesn't make their gaming experience any less valid than anyone else's.
Nazgûl Apr 13th 2010 4:24PM
No offense intended, but autism is a medical term that describes a group of conditions. The only labeling going on are people who label it as one of the low-functioning forms. Be angry at them, not at the people who actually know what autism is.
(current medical student)
He also does deserve special coverage because, unlike most patients of Asperger's, his mother is writing a blog about it. That's the special part right there.
Don't be so eager to take offense.
Nicholas Tam Apr 13th 2010 4:28PM
@ Doctor Adorah:
Asperger syndrome may not be nearly as crippling to one's ability to function in society as some of the more serious diagnoses in the autism spectrum, but I do think what merits "special coverage" here is the way in which the game is played. Clearly the mother believes her child's condition to be in need of treatment, and to use WoW to assist the child's development is something unconventional and worthy of 15 minutes of fame.
It's certainly no fun for anyone to be defined by their condition, and I understand where you're coming from here. But there's a point when brushing things off as normal, or not in need of special attention, isn't a very good plan for securing someone's ability to participate in society in the long run.
cendrekai Apr 13th 2010 4:30PM
Students with Asperger's can have as many problems with life as children who are autistic. As it says in the article he also "has ADHD and a receptive learning disorder," which coupled with Asperger's can make many things hard.
For one, children with Asperger's already have trouble with communication. Among other things they cannot comprehend normal conversation cues most other children can. Couple this with a receptive learning disorder (causes MORE communication comprehension problems) and you often have a child you has trouble connecting with their peers and teacher.
Also, this failure to comprehend language and greatly reduce how well children can learn. And ADHD causes compulsiveness and obsessiveness that causes even more problems in school.
You of all people, (you say you have Asperger's) should not label others. Just because it affects YOU mildly means nothing.
Coming from a Special Education Major (third year working in schools) and an Aunt to my niece with Autism who also plays on my WoW account. :)
jealouspirate Apr 13th 2010 4:33PM
No offense intended by any of this, but Aspergers Syndrome is a form of Austism by definition. This child clearly has troubles with communication, focus, and hoarding in a way that the average child doesn't. He is not a completely normal kid.
You don't have to be ashamed of receiving a label, and neither does Thomas. It means exactly what it means, and nothing more. No one is defined completely by their autism, race, religion, or whatever Syndrome/disease/condition they have.
Wingy Apr 13th 2010 4:46PM
I'm afraid I have to disagree with you Doc.
My family had a feeling with my youngest sister that something was just a little…off when she was younger. It wasn’t until we saw a newspaper article featured on Aspergers that we went and got her tested and what do you know – she had it. It explained a lot – the hoarding, the odd hobbies, the communication skills, the lack of knowledge for social practices that seemed second nature to us. So, we put her on a gluten free, casein (milk protein) free diet, had her go to speech therapy and encouraged her hobbies while making gentle reminders every now and then that sometimes, it wasn’t okay to remark on the marks on the lady’s face in front of her, much less stare, etc.
Is she mentally retarded, as you have implied Asperger’s kids are?
Hell no.
She brings home A’s and B’s in her classes, has dozens of friends and makes really interesting duct tape dresses and art. She’s a great kid that is blooming now that she is getting the help she needs.
Aspergers in itself is not an implication of mental retardation but an autism spectrum disorder where the person has trouble with socially interacting and has repetitive behavior/patterns. The things that occur to us, like knowing not to ask how much a woman weighs or what’s wrong with that man’s clothes/whatever or that person was making a joke, ha ha? Doesn’t happen for them and that is a very difficult thing to teach and understand. The kid in this article isn’t normal, but he and his clever mother are trying their best to adjust to a completely different mind frame than the rest of the world and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
Also,if you are experiencing people labeling you as mentally challenged just for having some problems understanding some things socially- well, I would seek a new group of people to interact with.
Tl;Dr (god I hate doing this)
This kid isn't normal, he isn't retarded- just different and he deserves coverage. Deal.
Lokanaya Apr 13th 2010 5:32PM
Speaking as a kid with Autism and Asperger's myself and having a severely autistic brother, I have to disagree (To put it mildly) with your assumption that kids with autism are retarded. I'll have you know I'm in all AP classes, and have never ended a grading period with under a 90. While I don't like being defined by my mental difference either, is that really an excuse to say, "This kid obviously doesn't have Autism, and he doesn't deserve this article?"
And no, he is not normal. (I say that in a good way, because I think that Autism is an advantage once you learn to deal with it) He is different, and has some disadvantages from his peers, and is working on overcoming them. Saying he doesn't deserve this article is like saying Helen Keller doesn't deserve all her fame.
Muse Apr 13th 2010 6:22PM
Another aspie, and I agree with Doctor Adorah. We're perfectly capable of functioning normally in society. We're as smart and as capable as any other individual. Sometimes people like the kid in the article have additional complications. But having Asperger alone is not a reason for singling someone out as different or abnormal. So please stop labelling us already. Asperger only *barely* belongs in the autism spectrum, and aside from the purely diagnostic reasons it goes there, the differences are a lot more important than the similarities.
I sympathise with anyone who knows someone or is someone who has difficulties with being an aspie, but being an aspie is in and of itself NOT synonymous with having difficulties.
Hassashu Apr 14th 2010 5:45AM
As you look at how many people reply to this with a certain awareness of autism, you notice how frequent it actually is present in families and whatnot.
You also notice that it's very important that people know about autism, just for the sake of knowing what it's all about, so that there's no drive to judge people with autism as 'mentally disabled.'
Omegan01 Apr 13th 2010 4:16PM
A very awesome story. So many articles you see have the habit of painting video games in a bad light (and to be fair, there's a kernal of truth to that sometimes) that it's a nice change of pace to read a piece like this.
bones Apr 13th 2010 4:18PM
I could never get my autistic son (Asperger's Syndrome) into MMOs. He didn't like having to talk (type) to people. He did get into FPS and now is trying some online squad based games.
Gaming has been a big deal for us. We have a weekly gaming night at our house, with several high functioning autistic friends over. It's been great for socializing and bonding. Making friends and appropriate social skills are very hard for people with autism. Listening to a bunch of autistic teenagers talking smack to each other is a riot.
If Tsiva reads this, good work and there is light at the end of the tunnel. My son is graduating HS this year, and has been honor roll since middle school.
We used the social story books as framework to make stories for him. Since he's a gamer, stories with Mario and Luigi and Bowser worked great. Since your son plays WoW, stories with dwarfs, gnomes, and trolls might work well.
CaryEverett Apr 13th 2010 4:21PM
That's a little odd.
I vastly prefer typing to talk to people than speaking to them face to face. While I find it very difficult to speak aloud to people; I find typing to be relaxing and easy.
I always assumed that was an aspect of my Aspergers.