If you want to do right by your autistic kid (or any autistic person, really), then please do your best to understand and respect these eleven factors about being autistic. From this article, but this is also a thread:
thinkingautismguide.com/2017/04/eleven… #Neurodiversity #autistic #autism 1/
thinkingautismguide.com/2017/04/eleven… #Neurodiversity #autistic #autism 1/
(1) Processing Time: Almost every #autistic person I know has their own rhythm and speed at which they process information. In my son's case, this means giving him a few beats to respond, rather than impatiently assuming he didn't understand what was said. 2/
Other processing scenarios include relying on captioning for comprehending videos or movies—even for those who can hear—or needing to record & re-listen to lectures. Disregarding processing needs can lead to #autistic ppl having their abilities or comprehension underestimated. 3/
(2) Visual & Auditory Processing: #Autistic people often process visual & audio input faster, or with greater intensity. Sometimes this means "super hearing," as in being able to detect—& act on—parents' whisperings re: hidden cookies, from several rooms away. #Neurodiversity 4/
Sometimes this means overhead lights flicker distractingly or painfully in ways non-#autistic people don't notice. And sometimes, kids who can't screen out overwhelming sights or sounds on their own end up doing poorly or even melting down in classroom or other settings… 5/
…because they're using all their energy to cope with torrential sensory input—instead of learning, or being able to communicate. Noise-canceling headphones, and non-fluorescent lights are just a few options to make home and classroom environments more #autistic-friendly. 6/
(3) Sensitivity to Barometric Pressure: I don't need to consult Weather.com or my Dark Sky app to know if rain is approaching, because my son will usually have already let me know that his head hurts due to the barometric pressure change. 7/
Autistic people often report being more sensitive to barometric pressure than their non-#autistic peers; in some cases, the pressure change can trigger migraines. So if your child gets distressed any time a storm comes in, consider that they may be in pain rather than scared. 8/
(4) Heartburn: If your child has a hard time going to/staying asleep, or is going through an agitated patch, consider that they may have heartburn/reflux. This hurts like hell, gets worse upon lying down—and is usually easy to treat with OTC meds (but consult a doctor first). 9/
Treating my son's heartburn has genuinely improved his ability to fall asleep, as well as his quality of life—and is but one example of how what is dismissed or assumed to be #autistic "behavior" can actually be a reaction to an undiagnosed medical condition. #Neurodiversity /10
5) Stimming: Flapping hands, flicking a straw, chewing on a silicone tube—these are all examples of the kinds of "stimming" that can help #autistic kids entertain themselves, regulate themselves, or cope with being overwhelmed—& which serve beneficial and legitimate purposes. 11/
But since stims can be perceived as odd or undesirable by non-autistic people, great effort is often put into blocking or "extinguishing" such stims (and not just in #autistic kids, by the way—behavioral suppression is also being used for kids with ADHD.) 12/
Healthy or self-regulating #autistic stimming needs to be understood and accepted, and is different from repetitive self-injury, distress, or aggression. (See @durrsten on self-injurious stimming/SIBs: kirstenlindsmith.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/the…) 14/
(7) A Serious Need for Chill Time: Autistic people get overwhelmed by the world. So when your kid comes home from school, an outing, or even after spending time with you, be sure to give them all the downtime they need. 18/
Be sure to give your autistic loved ones space to process, reintegrate themselves, stim, watch favorite videos—however they indicate to you that they best decompress. 19/
Chill time is especially crucial as #autistic kids tend to be highly scheduled, with therapies & other activities that require more energy than expected of non-autistic peers. Think about it: no kid whose energy reserves are completely drained is going to be at their best. 20/
(8) Face Blindness, or Prosopagnosia: Face blindness is a real thing for many #autistic people, though its degree can vary. (Agnosia in general is an autistic thing, actually—difficulty differentiating between shapes, smells, buildings, individual cats.) 21/
Try to help your face-blind #autistic child compensate: Teach them to recognize people by traits besides faces, and be aware of situations that may stress them out, like meeting up with friends or acquaintances, or recognizing teachers or aides. #Neurodiversity 22/
You can also help your face blind #autistic child come up with a strategy that works best for friends or family to approach them, like having the other person always approach them by saying, “Hey, it’s me, [Name].” 23/
(9) Sensitivity to Tone of Voice: Autistic kids can be incredibly sensitive to other people's emotions, sometimes absorbing and even magnifying them. This means that keeping your tone of voice neutral or positive when speaking to your #autistic child is a worthwhile effort. 24/
What you many consider a "firm" kind voice may be perceived as hurtful and angry by an #autistic person who vibrates at a high emotional frequency, so do your best to practice a calm, comforting communication style with your child. 25/
(10) Simplify Their Space: People who get easily overwhelmed by visual and audio input, experience agnosia, and need processing and chill time often appreciate bedroom and classroom environments that are soothingly spare and uncluttered. 26/
If your #autistic child has a difficult time creating or tending an uncluttered space on their own due to common autistic co-occuring attention, executive functioning, ID/LD or other factors, then do your best to help them organize and maintain these spaces as they prefer. 27/
(11) Need for Respite: If your #autistic child is indeed an emotional sponge, they will need period breaks from the primary emotion emitters in their lives—their family members. 28/
Do your best to make sure your #autistic loved one get breaks from family, however you can & they desire—such as giving them space, taking them for silent car rides, or having them spend time with a respite worker or other trusted person who is not you. You'll both benefit. 29/
Every autistic person is unique, which means these eleven factors may not ring true for every #autistic person, even though these factors are all incredibly common. This list is also not meant to be comprehensive (so please, add your feedback!). 31/
To end: Consider this a starting point, a check list, a mini-guide for parents to think about #autistic matters and perspectives they may not have known about, and which may help them & their kids live the Best Lives Possible. And please take care of yourselves/your crew. 32/32.
