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A squeeze of the hand—enormous documentation—a tiny gesture within the palm, a knee which doesn’t move away, an arm extended, as if quite naturally, along the back of a sofa and against which the other’s head gradually comes to rest—this is the paradisiac realm of subtle and clandestine signs: a kind of festival not of the senses but of meaning.

Roland Barthes, “Contacts” in A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments (via prousts)

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(via Marleyey)

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Fidget spinners are OUT. The hip new fad among teens?

bog mummies

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Mugshot of a teenage girl arrested for protesting segregation, Mississippi, 1961.

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looking at the center between their eyebrows also helps.

real life hack for autistic peeps who have trouble with eye contact. if you stare at someones nose they literally cant tell the difference. i had an employer tell me that they could tell i was confident because i made such strong eye contact and i probably looked at their actual eyes twice the whole time. allistics are wild.

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Stimming!

What is stimming?

In it’s most simple form, stimming is a repetitive body movement that self-stimulates one or more senses in a regulated manner.

What types of stims are there?

Visual Stims

Flapping hands, blinking and/or moving fingers in front of eyes, staring repetitively at a light, pressing on closed eyes to create visual effect [pressure phosphene], …

Auditory Stims

Snapping fingers, tapping on objects, listening to the same song on a loop, rolling Rs, “cat noises”, repeating words, putting hands over ears, singing, clicking tongue, humming…

Tactile Stims

Scratching, rubbing the skin with one’s hands or with an external object, pinching the skin, putting thumb inside fist, sucking thumb, rubbing hands/feet together, petting preferred textures, tying knots/twirling string, twirling/stroking hair…

Vestibular Stims

Moving body in rhythmic motion, rocking front and back or side-to-side, spinning, pacing, walking in circles, walking on tip-toes, jumping up and down…

Taste Stims

Licking body parts, licking an object…

Smell Stims

Smelling objects or hands, smelling other people…

Rhythmic Stims

Tapping on surfaces/objects/self, clicking fingers, making repetitive vocal sounds, bouncing legs, foot tapping, hand flapping, clicking pens, …

There are a lot of other stims as well that don’t necessarily fall under the category of “repetitive” such as pressure stimming, which are still just as valid. Basically if what you do serves the purpose of the stim, you can call it a stim.

Why do people stim?

People stim for all different kinds of reasons. They may stim when they are happy or excited, when they are stressed, as a part of their normal body language, as a way of communication, as a punishment, as a response to something internal or external, as a compulsion, to focus, to self soothe, etc. Stimming can be a coping mechanism, but it can also be so much more! No matter what reason someone has for stimming though, it’s important to remember that all stims are natural and normal.

Who stims?

Anyone that finds stimming useful, whether consciously or subconsciously, can stim. This includes neurotypicals, but mainly stimming is seen as something that neurodivergent people do and it occurs most frequently in:

the autism spectrum

sensory processing disorder (SPD)

Tourette’s

schizophrenia

OCD

people that experience mania/hypomania

people with ADHD/ADD

people with anxiety

etc

Where can I find stim toys/jewelry?

Stimtastic

TherapyShoppe

AutismShop

SensoryUniversity

OfficePlayground

RuthDoodle

FidgetLand

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important thing that may be helpful for autistic/spd/disabled people

hi i’m autistic and basically i  make these headbands and beanies that use fabric to muffle sound and i believe they’re really helpful for me personally because traditional noise muffling devices are so awful and uncomfortable but these are v comfy

basically you can order a plain headband or beanie, one with a plant/space/animal pattern, or a custom one. you can have one that relates to YOUR SPECIAL INTEREST or I can add stims/fidgets to it. basically go wild by spud buds. :3 shipping is $1 and takes a month because i live in greece.

here is the etsy shop please reblog to spread the word and help your local disabled person be a little mess miserable!!!! :)

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When your phone screen is Still Too Bright, go to settings> general> accessability> display accomidations. Turn down the white point. This makes all the bright colors a LOT more manageable. You can also put on color filters if night shift doesnt do enough for you. To turn stuff down quick and easy, go to accessability shortcut and click the box for reduce white point. Now you can turn it down by tripple clicking the home button.

I also do this too! Thank you for the reminder and helpful tip for everyone else! ~Love Mod Gwen

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Could you please point me to some Autistic owned stim stores? Thanks!

Sure! Please note, though, that unless otherwise specified, these stores are based in the US. For those willing to shop from neurodivergent-owned businesses (as distinct from specifically autistic) there’s a little more choice. If you’re not in the US, you’re very likely going to have to pay extra in conversion and shipping costs (which is why I don’t use ND-owned as a basis for what content goes on this blog, as cool as it is to support fellow autistic and ND creators).

If you’re an autistic crafter and you’re not on this list, it’s either because I haven’t yet heard of you, I’ve committed the terrible crime of forgetting you or I’m unsure if you’re autistic (as per the brief). Please comment; I will add your name and details!

I’m pretty sure most folks have heard of Stimtastic by now (@stimtastic), but on the off chance someone hasn’t, I’ll mention it! I don’t believe anyone has had any negative experiences with their order; the linked Tumblr is packed full of happy customers saying great things. There’s everything from fidget toys to chewables! I love my braid pendant, scented vial necklace and - while I didn’t buy it from Stimtastic because I found it here in Australia - crocheted stress balls. @werevampiwolf makes their bead rings!

@caseydickdanger on their Storenvy store Ca5ey sells handmade slimes, fidget toys, weighted plush, squishies and unique fidget jewellery.

@wiresandchains at etsy store Chain Mail Slime sells handmade slimes and very unique chainmail fidgets and fidget jewellery.

If you’re after cute crocheted plush toys, @stimwithoutshame runs etsy store Spacecraft Crafts.

If you’re after bean bags or marble mazes, @asenseofselfshop runs etsy store A Sense of Self.

@spacerobotstudio creates and sells amazing fidget jewellery, communication necklaces and pride accessories on etsy store Spacerobot Studio.

@dragonadventurescrafting sells a fabulous range of handmade plushies and bean bags on her etsy store Dragon Adventures Crafting.

@dollboy runs etsy store Weird Faeles where you can find chewellery and witchy jewellery.

@transsliime sells handmade dough and many varieties of slime on their etsy store TransSlimes!

Autistic Rabbit on etsy makes and sells weighted blankets!

Sister Cat Blankets (etsy, based in France) makes weighted lap pads, blankets and stim toy cases. (She’s one of the mods of @autistickitten but I don’t know her personal.)

@elsinore-snores runs etsy store PangeaMea (based in Greece) where you can find noise-muffling beanies and headbands.

@bartonnbishophumandisastersatlaw runs etsy store Wilde Spoons and Stims where you can buy marble mazes and dinosaur egg fidget toys.

@stevenuniversequartz runs Spoonie Studio, where they sell slimes, floam, glitter jar necklaces, putty and chewellery.

@neurodelightful runs etsy store NeuroDelightful, where you can find fidget jewellery and glitter/shaker bottle pendant necklaces and earrings. Some even glow in the dark!

@piefanart stocks handmade plushies and very cool gear/steampunk-styled fidget necklaces on etsy store PieFanart.

@papercrafthugs sells fidget bracelets and custom amigurumi from UK-based etsy store Papercraft Hugs.

Fidget Club is online retailer with a fabulous range of stim toys. They’re also one of the few autistic and ND owned stockists of Tangles!

@punkrockstimming sells a range of beaded fidget bracelets and beaded fidget toys at xyr etsy store True Trans Soul Rebel.

@fabulousfidgets stocks hot/cold bags and marble mazes on etsy store Fabulous Fidgets.

@luna-stims runs Etsy store Lunar Ocean Studio where you can find her Teeny Bean fidget bean bags.

Fuzzwumpet is an Etsy store based in Canada that sells marble mazes, monster bean bags and spoonie bag self-care kits.

@dailyspheal runs Etsy store Waggles Studio, which stocks handmade fidgets made from woven loom bands.

@yuuriandviktorkatsuki runs UK-based Etsy store Chloe G Crafts, where she currently stocks handmade bead bracelets and soft crochet bracelets, and will stock fidgety things made from split rings.

If you know more autistic-owned places to buy great toys, please let us know by commenting on this post or sending in an ask. Tumblr has stopped showing the notes in all reblogs, and we now get traffic enough that I (mod K.A.) don’t have the spoons to click on every reblog to see if there’s been an addition. We can’t miss comments, so you’ll help us a lot by commenting. Thank you!

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My daughter popped one of the squish balls and the fumes were sooo intense. I am admittedly sensitive to smells, though.

I'm thinking of ordering stretchy squish balls with a bunch more stuff soon and I was wondering what's inside them, and if I accidentally broke the skin of one could I keep playing with what's inside or should I throw it away?

It’s just foam so it’s not harmful and if you don’t mind the texture you can keep using it. Probably just follow the normal precautions you would with putty or slime, like washing your hands after using it (and especially before putting them near your mouth/nose/eyes). And really that last bit of advice is because I’m a huge germophobe. ;-)

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I want all the delicious things!!!

Flash Giveaway!

Want to win this yummy collection of stim toys? Sure you do.

To enter, just reply to this post by 5 PM ET today and tell me you want all the delicious things! I’ll pick one random winner.

Photo description: Five items laid out on a white background. Top row is a watermelon shaped plush bag and a small glass vial on black necklace cord filled with green key lime scented smelling salts. Bottom row from left to right is a light pink chewable donut pendant with multi colored sprinkles on a black cord, a watermelon shaped foam squishy, and a white and black chewable cookie pendant on a black cord.

Are you in?

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I found this on Facebook this morning. I’ve never had words for this, but have always wanted to describe it to people. Well, here it is. This is the hardest part of being autistic, for me.

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Dear friends,

The Senate plans to vote THIS WEEK to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The vote could come as early as TOMORROW – even though we still don’t know which of the recently proposed bills they’ll be voting on. But we do know that all of these bills would be devastating to people with disabilities – and anyone else who hopes to access health care in the coming years.

This chaos and uncertainty is part of their plan. They’ve seen that when we speak out strongly, their backroom deals fall apart. Their only hope is that we become tired and confused and give up. We can’t let that happen.

What stands in the way of the Senate passing this bill? YOU.

We have to keep calling. You can find your Senators’ contact information by entering your ZIP code at contactingcongress.org. If you find it easier to leave an answering machine message than to talk to a staffer on the phone, you can call after work hours, and your message will still be counted. If you don’t speak, you can call using your AAC device, or get a friend to call in and read your message. No matter how you do it, your call is critical right now. Here’s a script you can use:

My name is [your full name]. I’m a constituent of Senator [Name], and I live in [your town]. I’m calling to ask the Senator to vote NO on repealing the Affordable Care Act. If this bill is passed, millions of Americans will lose health insurance. This bill takes away protections that patients depend on, and it will return us to the bad old days when people with disabilities like [me/ my family member/ my friends] were uninsurable. We can’t go back. Please vote AGAINST repealing the Affordable Care Act. It’s time for Congress to scrap repeal, leave Medicaid alone, and work together to improve the ACA. We’re counting on you to do the right thing.

A bill that puts millions of Americans’ health care — and lives — at risk is not a replacement for the ACA. It’s time for Congress to scrap this bill, and work together on a meaningful, bipartisan basis to improve the Affordable Care Act and make health care better for all of us. They work for us – but they need constant reminders. With your help, we can remind them how much this bill would hurt all of us, and make sure they do the right thing.

Let’s go.

Julia Bascom Executive Director Autistic Self Advocacy Network

P.S. – Need help understanding what the ACA repeal does? You can read about how it would change the ACA and Medicaid in our plain-language toolkits.

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For me the weather being constantly hot is fine, I just stay inside as much as possible. My problem comes in with the sensory challenges of barometric pressure change. I feel incredibly anxious and stressed anytime it changes.

Stim Toy Package giveaway

Summer is heating up here in the northern hemisphere so we’re giving away 2 summer themed stim toy packages this week. 

To enter, reblog and share a little something about the sensory challenges of coping with weather. Got a tip for coping with extreme heat/humidity? A strategy for adjusting to seasonal changes? A system for figuring out how to dress for comfort on a crummy day? Need help with a specific sensory issue related to the weather? Just wish it was fall already and you could wear your favorite sweater? Tell us about all the things!

On Thursday July 13th at noon ET I’ll randomly draw two winners, one for the cool colors stim toy package and one for the warm colors stim toy package shown below. 

Cool Colors Stim Toy Package

Photo description: A collection of stim toys. From top, there is a small off-white canvas zipper bag with a repeating pattern of green cacti; a plastic bead lanyard with varying colors of medium blue beads; a black flower blossom chewable silicone pendant on a black cord; a small clear plastic vial with a silver color top, filled with blue lavender scented salts hanging on a black cord; a small bumblebee made of yellow and black beads with silver beaded wings; and a medium blue lotus shaped chewable silicone pendant on a black cord.

Warm Colors Stim Toy Package

Photo description: A collection of stim toys. From top, there is a pumpkin orange flower blossom chewable silicone pendant on a black cord; a dark red mushroom shaped chewable silicone pendant on a black cord; a rectangular wet bag folded in half that is light pink with a white zipper and various pink, orange, red and yellow colored flowers, butterflies and birds printed on it; a sparkly pastel rainbow color sand filled butterfly; a rubber caterpillar on a keyring with 5 neon colored round spiky body sections and a painted on face; a white plush rabbit finger puppet.

Rules summary:

Enter by reblogging and sharing something about the sensory challenges related to weather of any sort. 

Two winners (1 for each package) will be randomly drawn after the giveaway closes on Thursday July 13th at noon ET. 

Open to entrants worldwide.

Winner must have an open ask box or other way for me to contact them on tumblr and be willing to give a mailing name/address to receive their items at. 

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I love my echolaliac brain. My grandpa just passed away, and because I'm autistic I can still remember sentences upon sentences of things he's said to me - exactly and in his exact voice. I almost never lose an argument because of this trait, and my special interests can completely consume me in a way that is magical and invigorating.

I would love set #5 if I win.

Random Stim Toy Giveaway!

Because it’s still April and April is a hard month in our community. 

How to enter: 

1. Reblog this post and tell me (a) at least one thing you love about being autistic and (b) which stim toy set you’d like if you win. 

2. Open to folks worldwide who are autistic (professional or self dx/identified).

3. One entry per person please. Okay to enter if you’ve won previously. 

4. Winners will be chosen at noon ET on April 26th. 

Photo descriptions: 

Photo 1 is a collection of stim toys: small off white canvas bag with black sketch of a bicycle, aqua Chewable Dulcimer pendant, lime green wrist cord, size 6 spinner ring with arrow design, Indigo Chewable Kleintastic pendant.

Photo 2 is a collection of stim toys: small blue canvas bag with sketch of Eiffel tower and postcard style text, blue Chewable block necklace, blue wrist cord, black and gold snake twist, Indigo Chewable Kleintastic pendant.

Photo 3 is a collection of stim toys: small light blue canvas bag with light pink flower print, gold Chewable bangle bracelet, silver beaded black leather fidget bracelet, black and gold snake twist, black Chewable Dulcimer pendant.

Photo 4 is a collection of stim toys: small light purple bag with dark purple heart pattern, pink Chewable Dulcimer pendant,black Chewable Kleintastic pendant, black wrist cord, pink chewable falling star charm.

Photo 5 is a collection of stim toys: small white waterproof bag with multicolor swirly design, lilac Chewable Dulcimer pendant, purple wrist cord, multicolor wooden spinning top, Plum Chewable Kleintastic pendant.

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Barometric pressure

I am in such a weird place today. Barometric pressure changes always create this bizarre feeling of being too large for my skin. If your child is autistic, there is a good possibility that they are feeling something similar if they are in my area. Please be patient with them.

Repost from my facebook. For clarity’s sake, I mostly have parents of autistic kids on my facebook and not many autistics themselves, hence the wording.