Do children with autism really like whales more than others?

Hello, I am BCBA Minjeong Kwon.

A while ago, I sat down with a child who refused to eat lunch and asked him, "So what do you want to do instead?" He smiled the brightest and cutest smile and said, "I want to see whales!"

Many of the children I've met in my classes have expressed a love for whales. I started researching why children on the autism spectrum have such a special love for whales. I figured others might be curious about this, so I thought I'd share my findings today :)

Do children with autism particularly like whales more than typical children?

To cut to the chase, no.

Many people believe that children with autism enjoy marine life more than typical children, but there doesn't seem to be any scientific evidence to support this.

However, there is also something called Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) for children, and children who are fascinated by whales, whether they have autism or not, are said to have a special love for the marine mammals for the following reasons:

1) Sensory appeal: For children with specific sensory preferences, the soft textures and puffing sounds of dolphins and whales may appeal to children with sensory hypersensitivity.

2) Predictable behavior: Dolphins and whales in captivity often engage in repetitive behaviors. This can provide a sense of security for children with ASD who prefer routines and predictability.

3) Nonverbal communication: Dolphins and whales communicate nonverbally, which can resonate with children who struggle with verbal communication.

Although the popularity of Dolphin-Assisted Therapy (DAT) has led to the appearance of a special connection between dolphins and children with ASD, studies show that it has not been effective in treating ASD or other conditions.

A review by Marino and Lilienfeld (2007) also found that DAT is a treatment method with no scientific basis and strongly discourages its use for autism or any other condition. They stated that any observed effects were likely due to the children's exposure to a novel environment or a placebo effect, and not related to the dolphins themselves.

In summary, some children with ASD may like dolphins or whales and enjoy interacting with them, but this is simply a preference, and interacting with whales does not appear to have any particular therapeutic benefits!

Ultimately, this perception appears to stem from awareness or marketing efforts by dolphin-assisted therapy facilities rather than from the characteristics of the autism spectrum.

Here's the research...but I still go to school today with a ton of photos of marine animals. There are plenty of cute, adorable whales waiting for me, shouting, "I love whales! I love killer whales!" :)

Well then, let me come back with another interesting story.

Thank you for reading~