DFW Assessment PLLC

04/15/2022

I always start parent interviews by asking caregivers to share about a child’s strengths. Often, these strengths are common Autism characteristics and parents are surprised when I share that with them!

Common responses are:
• They are very smart
• They are independent and can figure out how to get things around the house they want, often in creative ways
• They have an amazing memory and can remember specific details
• They study how things work or learn and memorize tons of facts about topics they enjoy
• They know all of their letters, numbers, and shapes - or can even read words early on
• They are very neat and organized
• They can navigate through technology very easily

And so much more! What are some more strengths you see?!? 👇🏼

03/23/2022

It actually factually did.

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My husband and I have been together for 23 years - this coming June will be our 20th wedding anniversary. I truly believe that understanding our sensory profiles helped us stay together, happy. We are both neurodivergent and have COMPLETELY DIFFERENT profiles.

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Over a decade ago, I started learning about sensory profiles. My son had been identified as autistic and, per the cliché, I was next in line to realize I was autistic, too.

I have a veerrrrrry low-low-low tactile threshold. I am hypervigilant to touch and most touch is uncomfortable to me. Love's got nothing to do with it - if someone light touches me, my systems immediately flare into DANGER MODE.

We have a pre-bed cuddle routine but I cannot be touched while sleeping, and my husband has always been fine with this. However, we still struggled to sleep together.

I would startle awake multiple times a night PI**ED, confused, and ready to fight.

*

This made little sense to me because I genuinely like my husband and had no idea why I turned into a rage monster most nights. It was uncomfortable for me and it caused issues in our marriage. One, nobody was getting good sleep, and two, we were both confused by the intensity of my reactions.

And then I took my sensory profile and saw my low-low-low touch threshold and suddenly everything clicked - it was the blanket.

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Yes, the blanket. My husband would shift in the night as human beings are wont to do, and it would slide the comforter ever so slightly against my body, and BOOM - all my trauma systems were activated. Enter Rage Sarah.

It would take forever for me to fall back asleep due to my system dysregulation.

*

What was the solution?

Get another comforter.

My own blanket = no shifting fabric against my skin = a solid night's sleep.

For me, it was as simple as that. Finding ways to protect my low threshold systems and saturate my high threshold systems meant my brain was regulated. My sensory gating system healed. Sleep is so, so important and I finally was able to access its restorative benefits on a consistent basis.

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This Sunday (3/27) from 2-3:30 PM Eastern, I am holding a workshop, Making Sense of Sensory, and I want you there. My goal is to talk to you, neurosib to neurosib, to give you practical, non-jargony information to better understand your profile and set yourself up for sensory success.

Tickets are $25 and include recording and resources. If you cannot afford the $25 fee, a donation is welcome - and you still get access to the recording and resources. If you cannot afford a donation or do not have access to online payment methods, shoot me an email at theautisticot@gmail and I'll make sure you are there - and you will still have access to the recordings and resources.

This information is so so so important for neurodivergent individuals and I am committed to making it as accessible as possible.

Here's the link to snag a ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/making-sense-of-sensory-tickets-300923368897

My goal is 100 tickets - and I'm currently at 72/100! Thank you!

Image description: A graphic featuring an unmade bed reads, "Sensory saved my marriage" and features the logo of The Autistic OT.

02/24/2022

Please help me welcome Dr. Chrishawn Finister to the practice! Dr. Finister will be seeing clients in person at our Coppell location beginning in March. She brings passion and energy to every diagnostic evaluation.

10/07/2021

I had to use this image earlier this week to explain neurodiversity and Autism. Anyone else have to use images to explain what they mean?

-Rae

09/19/2021

08/28/2021

OCD is a serious mental health condition that should not be mocked or used as a casual term for personality traits. To destigmatize mental illness, education is key. To learn more visit nami.org/ocd
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Image via what.is.mental.illness

08/24/2021

We’ve all probably heard these well-meaning comments that are frequently said to parents. I get it, people want to be supportive- but these comments can actually have a negative impact and prevent parents from seeking evaluations for their children. These comments also insinuate needing support or having delays is bad and should be avoided at all costs- when really we should be supportive of parents getting their child support!

Intervention and evaluations are a GOOD thing. Giving a child a means to communicate from the ages of 1-4 is a GOOD thing. So let’s make it happen! ❤️❤️

07/07/2021

'Autism is a spectrum. This does not mean that everyone is a bit autistic. It means every autistic person experiences different combinations of autistic traits and each to different intensities. It is non-linear and our ability to cope with different things varies day to day.' ~ Emily (), a 19-year-old student, mental health activist & Autistic advocate, www.authenticallyemily.uk/blog.

Learn more here:
▪ From artist Rebecca Burgess via The Art of Autism, 'Understanding The Spectrum: A Comic Strip Explanation' (tinyurl.com/ycquoqur)
▪️ From CL Lynch of NeuroClastic, '"Autism Is A Spectrum" Doesn't Mean What You Think' (tinyurl.com/y3h8gqzx)
▪ From Autistic Not Weird, 'We Need To Stop Saying, "We're All A Little Bit Autistic"' (tinyurl.com/58jrdabf)

06/27/2021

In the late 1990s, brain imaging literally made a hidden disability visible. Yet, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, only 4.5 percent of students in public schools are diagnosed with a "specific learning disability," the IDEA category that includes , , and .

06/14/2021

🌈♾❤️ It’s been a while since I’ve talked about this and I think it’s time to revisit: Which language should we use when talking about those on the autism spectrum- autistic or person with autism???

Like many of you, person first language was drilled into my head in graduate school. “A person is more than their disability, so we say they are a person first and it’s just wrong to say otherwise”- makes sense, right? I thought so too UNTIL I really started listening to adults with an autism diagnosis. And while it’s not true for all, many many adults will say they prefer to be called autistic. This is because they say Autism is not a disease- like you would refer a person who had cancer... Many feel autism is a part of who they are and nothing to be ashamed of (because there’s literally nothing to be ashamed of). Kind of like I’m a white person- not a person with whiteness. This actually isn’t a new concept- the Deaf community has been very outspoken about this as well!

I think this is something that needs to be talked about and shared- we should be listening to autistic voices! Also, I think it’s best practice to ask what the person you are speaking about prefers- This is obviously easier in adults or older adolescents. If it’s for a child, I recommend using the language used by the family. ❤️