29/06/2021
Many people have this idea in their mind about what Autism is- and, truth be told, that’s usually an incomplete or incorrect representation based on stereotypes.
*Autism is not always a clear, visible difference*
Don’t get me wrong, it can sometimes be a clear to an untrained person- but just as often (or maybe more often 🤷🏼♀️) it can be subtle, or even lesser known differences, and only clear to trained specialists- which is why we refer kids for an assessment if anyone thinks one is needed.
Autism IS a constellation of characteristics or differences in 3 key areas, but those differences can present in sooooo many different ways! Some examples can be:
1️⃣ Differences in Language: Can range from non speaking to highly verbose with an advanced vocabulary. It could be a child who speaks more similar to an adult than a child their age. It could be using words more repetitively than expected, or speaking in an unusual pitch or intonation patterns. It could be difficulty understanding jokes, idioms, or sarcasm.
2️⃣ Differences in socialization: Can range from preferring to be alone to being overly social. It could be oversharing of personal information or a lack of awareness or recognition of stranger danger. It could be avoiding eye contact or using intense eye contact. It could be needing people to say exactly what they mean rather than giving vague (socially accepted) hints.
3️⃣ Repetitive Thoughts/Actions: Can range from melting down with changes in routines to asking “why?” when unexpected changes occur. It could be having one area of intense interest to several areas of interest that could be considered age appropriate. Can look like a person has a large fact based knowledge. It may be a focus on details. It can be sensory differences of any kind. It could be flapping arms, lining up toys, finger or body posturing. It could be Sensory seeking: crashing into items, pushing heavy items, loves to be squeezed, enjoys weighted items, listening to sounds over and over, looking closely at items. Or Sensory avoidant: dislikes loud sounds, certain textures/foods, hair washing, teeth brushing, nails trimming, and so much more.
It’s also important to say Autism is not just 1-2 things. It’s several things combined. If a person has differences in 2-3 areas listed above, it’s best to schedule an evaluation to learn more about that persons needs ❤️
