Lots of people on the autism spectrum have executive function problems. When I was diagnosed, I was very surprised to find an extra diagnosis of severe ADHD, which my doctor explained as executive function issues that are a frequent part of autism. She told me […]
Stimming is a necessity for autistic people. It allows us to manage our sensory overload, keep our stress levels down, and generally maintain an even keel. If we’re going to hold a job, stimming is even more essential to keep us functioning well in that […]
In my last post, I talked about how I finally came to be diagnosed with autism. Today, I want to talk about what my life was like up to that point. Before I received my autism diagnosis at 35 years old, I thought I was a […]
I was diagnosed with autism at 35 years old. Unlike many people who get diagnosed in their 30s, mine wasn’t sparked by my child getting diagnosed. I’d been sure that I was autistic for a long time, but I had to wait for the science […]
It’s a very true saying that if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person. We’re all very different, with varying strengths, abilities, sensitivities, and needs. But one thing we pretty much all have in common is stimming. What is stimming? “Stimming” is […]
I recently heard a story from another autistic person regarding an experience in a CPR class. The NT instructor, not knowing any of the adult students there were autistic, said the following: “When typical people walk into a room they see all the chairs and the lights. When an […]
I’ve talked before about why a lot of the autistic community doesn’t accept Autism Speaks. So now I’m sure you’re wondering what advocacy groups can you support with a clear conscience? Which organizations are doing real work to actually improve the lives of autistic people? […]
April is Autism Awareness and/or Acceptance Month, depending on which groups you associate with. The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network uses “Autism Acceptance”, while the Autism Society of America uses “Autism Awareness”, and the Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network seems to use both terms. Personally, I kind of hate using “awareness”. Spreading awareness is what […]
One of the more well-known autistic symptoms is sensory sensitivities. Because autistic people process sensory input differently from NT people, we get overstimulated really easily by things that other people might not notice at all. These sensory incursions are literally everywhere we go. I present to you a non-exhaustive […]
As probably the most well-known autism “advocacy” group in America, it’s understandable that parents or adults facing a new diagnosis might go to Autism Speaks for information and assistance. But if you spend any time in the autistic community, you’ll soon find out that they […]
