#AutismAwarenessWeek

[lovecaramelblog]

Some flicks from work days

[raymanp]

Happy 2nd Anniversary The Super Mario Bros Movie and Happy Autism Awareness Day (2025) 🥰😉😀🙂 #SuperMarioBrosMovie #SuperMarioBros #Nintendo #SMB #SuperMarioMovie #MarioMovie #MarioBrosMovie #MarioBros #SuperMario #AutismAcceptanceMonth #AutismAwarenessMonth #AutismAwarenessWeek #Autism #AutismAcceptance #AutismAwareness #AutismAwarenessDay #AutismAwareness2025 #Autism2025 💖💕✊🏾🍄🍑❄🌈🌺🌷🎶🌹⭐💜💛🤍🖤🎊🕯🎄🎉✨🎂🍦🍧🍨🧁🎇🎆

[primordialsoundmeditation]

“The irony is that feeling like you’re not normal is one of the most normal human experiences that there is. You are far more normal than you think you are, my dear.”

Words by Tahlia Hunter

Artwork by Lucy Campbell

#AutismAwarenessWeek

Tahlia Hunter

[debraflores]

AUTISM AWARENESS #children 

[ralfycustoms]

Credit to from @earthbound.madness (@get_regrann) - - Day 4 of #autismawarenessweek. I decided to make another one of these pictures, this time for traits that a girl on the spectrum might exhibit. I read a LOT on female traits in the past couple of years (no surprise there) including a really useful checklist by Samantha Craft which I linked to in my blog (link in bio). I included some of her points on this image, along with others I remembered from previous research. There are loads more common and not-so-common traits but I didn’t have space for any more on this picture, so if you feel like this sounds like you - you might want to check out my blog post. Autism presents very differently in girls, which is why many of us aren’t diagnosed until adulthood. P.s. I’m using the word “autism” as the blanket term here as Aspergers isn’t as widely used as a diagnosis anymore. This wasn’t supposed to sound like an essay but I’m currently writing a dissertation for my MA too and it appears to have crept into my IG post! I am not going to use Harvard referencing for this though. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #autismacceptance #autismacceptancemonth #autisticartist #autisticpride #actuallyautistic #aspergerssyndrome #aspergersawareness #asd #autismawareness #aspiegirl #autismacceptance #aspergers #autismdiagnosis #aspie #aspiesofinstagram #autisticpride #autismblog #kidlitart #autismbooks #neurodiversity #neurodiverse #positivevibes #autism #aspergerssyndrome #autismawarenessday #actuallyautistic #girlswithautism #girlswithaspergers https://www.instagram.com/p/B2W__gcAPVo/?igshid=11huyurr24lch

[stimsensory]

For the Teachers

I have 4 aunts, 3 of which are teachers (one retired). At least one of them has asked if I have any suggestions for classroom related stimming.

First of all, if someone is not harming themselves, others, or property, then there is no need to stop them stimming.

Try to see this from the child’s perspective.

We take in too much information throughout the day and often need a bit longer to process it and respond:

Stimming can help us cope with this excess of information. If I’m having a stressful day, then adding more stress in the form of a classroom is going to be anxiety-inducing. But I deal with it, because I don’t really have a choice. One method of dealing is stimming.

The next video shows the sensory overload of a supermarket. A classroom is rife with similar overwhelming sensory inputs. The overly bright fluorescent lights, the clock ticking in the corner, the ‘naughty’ kids chatting away, the ‘class clown’ making people laugh until your head throbs, the fake fruity smell of deodorant or perfume, the noises of kids in other classrooms or the hallways, the birdsong from outside…

School is sensory hell.

Imagine being in the sensory hell of the above video. Then imagine being there for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, with one hour for lunch (which is even worse!). Then try doing work on top of that. Frankly, you would struggle.

This is everyday life for many people. And the ways they use to cope can lead to intense bullying (most autistic people have been bullied) and severe mental health problems (autistic kids are 28x as likely to experience suicidal ideation, and anxiety and depression is common amongst autistic people).

Honestly, rather than trying to encourage the child to stim in ‘less annoying’ ways, I would suggest finding ways to reduce their sensory overload. Fight bullying, don’t tell the kids the same things they’ve heard from mean kids already (that they are acting ‘weird’ and should stop, that they are ‘stupid’ or worse words, or that they are ‘annoying’ others). Trust me, we have heard it already. And we see it every time autism is in the media. Teachers can make an enormous difference to a confused, isolated kid. Don’t encourage them to mask (it can lead to intense anxiety, even depression). Don’t tell them off for stimming.

I get that stimming can be ‘disruptive’. But all of the non-autistic kids are fidgeting in ways that are annoying me, and aren’t getting told off. Yet when I do it, I have to stop because they are ‘struggling to focus’.

Figure out why a kid is stimming in a disruptive manner.

Are they humming loudly? Maybe the room is too loud and they need to block out the background noise.

Are they tapping the table? Maybe those kids chatting in the back are saying cruel things that they want to ignore.

Are they chewing on their clothes? Maybe they are experiencing high levels of anxiety because they are perfectionists, and the chewing comforts them.

Before you try to change the child, try changing the environment.

Look at the environment from an autistic perspective. Or bring an autistic person in to evaluate your classroom.

Maybe your clock ticks. I would suggest replacing it, but due to the non-existent budget for teachers it may be better to simply remove in and ensure you have a digital time display available like the laptop. If a child asks for the time, tell them (not knowing is very anxiety inducing in my experience).

Maybe you leave your windows open. Maybe you have radiators on. An autistic person may struggle with the fluctuating temperature, so allow them to pick a spot away from either of these things, and try to avoid using these methods unless necessary.

School clothes are incredibly uncomfortable! I would want to rip mine off by the end of the day, because the jumper was loose and kept brushing against my skin lightly, which was physically painful for me. Try bringing this up with the head teacher so they can consider this the next time they change a school uniform. Maybe children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis could be allowed more lax uniform rules (for example, just ensuring they have a white top rather than a white polo). Maybe they could wear something comfortable underneath, and just wear a school jacket or jumper over the top. Also, it’s really annoying when you have to wear a dress and have no choice. School dresses hurt because they kept brushing against me. Encourage your head teacher to have gender neutral clothing!

Let the kid go somewhere quiet, like the bathroom or an empty room. If they are older or more responsible, let them have headphones in class. If they aren’t, make sure they have access to ear defenders.

Give kids somewhere other than the canteen to go for lunch. It’s really loud! People sometimes throw food. The floor has messy, slippery bits. It’s a social nightmare if you don’t have friends.

TALK TO THE INDIVIDUAL. Maybe send the child’s parents an email asking how to make your classroom more autism friendly. Maybe talk to the child after class is over (make it clear they are not in trouble though!). Also, instead of expecting answers the first time you ask, encourage them to write down things during class if they annoy, frustrate, or overwhelm them, and give them to you at the end of class. Asking them once with no time to think back on it means you will miss a lot of stuff.

Once you’re completely sure you’ve done everything you reasonably can to help the child, then MAYBE consider working with them (with their consent!) on replacing ‘disruptive’ stims (whilst always allowing them to say ‘no’ and reject your ideas and just leave this extra work). If they are verbally stimming, try asking them why. If you can’t figure it out, you could buy a cheap karaoke set, or just get them to go into a separate room for 10 minutes in the middle of a lesson when they get restless, to sing and hum to their hearts content. If they are stimming with their body or seeking tactile input (EG tapping, clicking, etc), try finding silent, tactile stim toys for them to use instead. Maybe something to do with a special interest. Work with the child, not in opposition to them.

Also, don’t stop kids from rocking. It doesn’t affect anyone. It doesn’t make noise, it doesn’t involve destruction, it doesn’t affect anyone else in any way other than making them feel ‘uncomfortable’ with the ‘weird’ behaviour. It is very good for decreasing stress and coping with the sensory environment.

Depending upon the age and maturity of the kids, they could be taught about autism and about stimming. I’ve heard kids nowadays may be kinder towards kids with disorders, disabilities, and special needs (obviously not all kids, there is more than enough evidence that many kids are still cruel). So maybe explaining why a child is stimming would help them not get annoyed by it. Because people seem to get annoyed by things they don’t understand even if it doesn’t affect them (such as rocking). This won’t help with ‘disruptive’ stims but it may help increase understanding and acceptance, which is vital.

https://www.stimsensory.co.uk/blog/2019/4/2/for-the-teachers

[essentialise]

Great fun joining the wonderful @staceycopelandboxer on BBC Radio Manchester on Monday. Talking autism, achievement and allyship! #bbcradiomanchester #autismacceptanceweek #autismawarenessweek #maleally #allyshipintheworkplace #allyshipinaction #inclusiveleaders #manchesterbusiness #radiointerview (at BBC Radio Manchester) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqcf1ltoY4m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[theatricdoll]

Happy Autism Awareness Day! As someone on the spectrum, I'm all for spreading proper information on autism and for people understanding my struggles and the struggles of anyone else on the spectrum. I decided to draw my character Tammy (who has Asperger's Syndrome) in the color for autism awareness. Sending love to all my fellow brothers and sisters on the spectrum! #art #traditionalart #drawing #markers #markerdrawing #alcoholmarkers #alcoholmarkerart #originalcharacter #walkinred #autism #autismawareness #autismawarenessday #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessweek #autismawarenessandacceptance https://www.instagram.com/p/BvwtNEJAEq3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=141qbjntxupbf

[adamelkins500]

Today is #WorldAutismAwarenessDay! I’m one of some 700,000 autistic people in the UK. There are a lot of misconceptions around autism and we are often capable of far more than people realise: for example, I have a masters degree in aerospace engineering, completed the @spaceuniversity Space Studies Program, completed two skydives, visited several countries across two continents and climbed a 2500ft mountain. Many of us are capable of living a wide range of lifestyles with only modest support. Unfortunately we still face many obstacles in life due to a widespread lack of understanding. Most seriously, only 16% of autistic people are in full time work and we often face spending years out of work. Progress is being made but there’s still a long way to go. • • • • #AutismAwarenessDay #AutismAwarenessWeek #AutismAwarenessMonth #AutismAcceptance #WorldAutismAcceptanceDay #Autism #ActuallyAutistic #Aspergers #AspergerSyndrome #30DaysOfAutismAcceptance https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvwo8PYgOmS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qrl9ddgopqsw

[trendycreations]

Love it! Don’t hesitate you can order be kind pullover hoodie from my ,link in the story #worldkindnessday #kindnessmatters #kindness #worldkindnessday2019 #kindnessquotes #choosekindness #kindnessiscontagious #autismawareness #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autism_awareness #autismawarenessweek #autism #autismwarrior #autismparenting #antibullying #antibullyingweek #antibullyingday #bekind #bekindalways #be_kind #bekindbyellen #spreadkindness #begoodtopeople #kindnessisfree💞 (at United States of America) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClIgNB8tNcW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[nissyart]

#発達障害啓発週間 今年の素敵な展示も明日で終わり。 世田谷区は午前中から。 渋谷区は夕方から撤収します。 ありがとうございました #maste #heart #世界自閉症啓発デー #自閉症 #autismawarenessweek #autism #shibuya #warmblueday #wb_2022 #tokyo #旅するハートストリート #ハートストリートトーキョー (渋谷区役所) https://www.instagram.com/p/CcCW16ELHi6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[studiono13]

Autism Awareness

It’s Autism Awareness Week and it’s also about a year since I stopped pushing away the niggling, seemingly unlikely suspicion that I might be autistic and actually started to look at it properly.

For years, people would mention things about autism and they’d seem hauntingly familiar.  At every different stage in my life I didn’t quite fit in but there were also many ways I could explain away my difference.  I never thought to look at the fact that I literally thought differently, looked on the world and its situations from an alternative view point.

It was a Sue Perkins podcast with Hannah Gadsby that first made me look into it, do some reading, seek out more information -https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hannah-gadsby/id1481218159?i=1000505189859.  The thing that really cemented it was a podcast with Maisie Hill of Period Power where she talks about her autism diagnosis - https://www.maisiehill.com/podcast/autism.

It was a proper lightbulb moment where every single thing resonated and meant I could no longer ignore it.  Most of the podcast is about harnessing the power of your menstrual cycle (just lost any men reading) but there are a few podcasts around this time where she discusses autism, her diagnosis and answers people's questions - all really helpful.

Since then it's been quite a year - all the emotions - mostly a massive relief of everything making sense but also more complicated ones, grief, resentment, moments of who the hell am I then, lots of what ifs, lots of smaller realisations, constant reassessing and making sense of things.   Questions answered, more raised - all running alongside the rollercoaster of the chaotic world we're living in.  And whilst it seems self indulgent I'm spending some time sorting all this out - trying to resolve these things because I want to make sure that this undersatnding is the positive thing it should be, an opportunity to make the most of my strengths rather than trying to imitate the qualities and live up to the expectations of others.  I want to break out of the cycle of surviving, surviving, coping, coping, crashing, breaking down and then building myself back up again.  I can see that cycle in my past so clearly now, over and over again and it's been destructive, debilitating and just plain exhausting not just for me but for my husband and my children too.

So I'm making my life smaller, my social engagements mostly one on one.  Spending time with people who enjoy that too, on people who are positive, understanding, supportive not subtly (or not so subtly!) undermining.  I can't believe it's taken me nearly 50 years to do this but I've always been so keen to please, to do the things I 'should' do, arrange the do, call the people. 

And of the people who know (and acknowledge) that I'm autistic - some people see it clearly and are understanding, curious and helpful, some don't at all and are sceptical or dismissive.  I think some people are wary because they don't want to look too hard at themselves.  That's the biggest thing about my newfound awareness - is that I see it everywhere now.  I see so many people who are autistic or have ADD - it's really not uncommon,  it's just not recognised and a little understanding would help an awful lot of people.

I worried at first that this discovery would change the way my husband felt about me but it doesn't seem to have done.  I have changed outwardly, I feel free to be more truly me but I think I always was with him and I think he always knew, it's just that neither of us knew that that was the word for it.

I’ll post some other links and things this week that might be useful for other people.

Have a good week x

[quotesimtazsposts]

#autismspeaks #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessweek #autismawarenesseveryday #bekind #respecteachother #lovelearning #aquaponics #greenfingers #consciousliving #shadow #peterpan #shadowmastery #france #atlanticocean #butyoudontlooksick #notalldisabilitiesarevisible #chronicillness #invisibleillness #autoimmunediscease #multiplesclerosis #metamorphosis #butterfly #faithoverfear #bekindtoyourself #lawofattraction #attractions (at Colombo, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQab0mBN54A/?utm_medium=tumblr

[stimsensory]

Food Sensitivities

I’m a very ‘fussy eater’. I won’t eat anything with sauce, other than a few notable exceptions such as pizza or calamari with garlic or lemon mayo.

I can’t eat lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, carbonara, and the majority of dishes in most restaurants.

I hate the texture mix. The combination of liquid and solid makes me feel nauseous, regardless of whether or not I like the taste. I would rather starve than eat baked beans, because of the liquid sauce and gritty beans. It just feels… wrong. It’s overwhelming to have too many textures or tastes. That’s also why I will only have a burger consisting of the patty and the bun, nothing else (except occasionally lettuce. Oh and chips, having the chips between the burger and the bun makes it taste great). This makes eating out difficult.

I usually have to go with the script of ‘I’ll have the burger with no sauce, no cheese, nothing but the burger and the bun. Yes, just the burger and the bun. Nothing else’. I have to add the last bit because people always need clarification as to whether I truly want just the burger and the bun.

But ordering out is always risky because often they will forget this, even if I make it perfectly clear. So I’ll get a burger with mayo on it usually. If I’m already overwhelmed (which is likely because restaurants are very loud and bright), I may not have the energy to deal with sending it back (because that requires getting a staff members attention, explaining what is wrong and dealing with the guilt of complaining, and potentially even attempting to explain my sensory sensitivities, which the vast majority of people do not understand, and THEN dealing with them apologising over and over and the guilt from that, and finally having to wait even longer to eat and stay in the loud, bright environment for even longer, and having to eat my food once everyone else is halfway done and feeling guilty for holding them up). There is a lot of guilt involved on my part, and it’s emotionally draining, especially when I’m already in sensory overload.

So sometimes I just don’t bother. The food is no longer enjoyable, and it overwhelms me and I may be unable to finish it. Usually I’ll pick out the bits I can eat and leave about half of it, regardless of how hungry I am. And this leads to me being even more overwhelmed. The sensory aspect of the incorrect food is upsetting, and the change in what I expected and planned for is anxiety-inducing. Often I won’t really talk during a meal if this occurs, because I’m dealing with the sensory and emotional overload and disappointment.

This is partially why going out somewhere is so tiring, because I’m always anxious about whether they will even serve me something I’ll eat. It’s also why I prefer going places I’ve been before, because I know they will probably be okay. It’s why I need to know where we are going beforehand so I can see if there is anything on the menu I will actually eat (though I’m more willing to be spontaneous about a restaurant if my parents choose because I know they will check the menu and make sure there is something I’ll eat, whereas other people don’t think to do that). I cannot go to most cafe’s, because they mostly have sandwiches and pastries and toasties. I cannot eat sandwiches with sauces, and I swear almost every sandwich out there is loaded with mayo! Toasties often have some sort of mayo or ham or a combination of foods that create a disturbing texture for me. So before we choose a cafe I have to check their options to see if there is even one thing I will eat (generally, this will be a mozzarella, pesto, and tomato toastie).

At home, food isn’t as stressful, because my parents know what I will and will not eat. For example, when they are making spaghetti bolognese I’ll have plain spaghetti with veggies and a little butter, often with a plain chicken breast. If they are having meatballs, I’ll just have spaghetti and plain meatballs with no sauce. When they have curry, I’ll usually have plain rice, veggies, and either chicken or beef or something. If they are having something that cannot be made without sauce, I’ll often just have pizza or pilau rice instead.

This may help at uni because I won’t need to pay as much for food (because I won’t need to buy sauces), and I’m already used to eating fairly plain foods.

Once someone asked (after I explained this) if I only really eat for sustenance. This is definitely not true! I enjoy those foods that people consider ‘plain’. I’m happy with some meat, rice, and veggies. Plus I, like the majority of people in the UK, America, and other first world countries, am probably addicted to sugar in some way. I love chocolate and sweets and other unhealthy foods, so I definitely eat because I like food rather than to survive. And yes, I need to cut down on the sugary snacks, I know.

https://www.stimsensory.co.uk/blog/2019/4/3/food-sensitivities

[loudlyclassynightmare]

Happy World Autism Awareness Month! We celebrate and support those on the spectrum! Link in bio! #autismawareness #autismawarenessmonth #autismawarenessday #autismawarenessweek #autismawarenessandacceptance #autismawareness💙 #puzzlecharm #puzzlebracelet #wovenleather #wovenleatherbracelet #wovenleatherjewelry #gemstoneandleather #diffuserbeads #lavabeads #lavabracelet (at Toronto, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fJbCyBK4j/?igshid=17z2tlbf47b81

[harisghole]

Today is 2nd April, the World Autism Awareness Day. We are all different. Some differences are easy to see like color, height, gender, etc. Other differences can't be seen like our fears, our passions, our favourites. The way our brain works and how we see the world is also different. The reason why some of us excel in certain things and struggle in others. Some of us perceive situations differently than others, and communicate differently. Autism is this difference in perception and communication. We may have many people around us who are autistic, i.e. they communicate and perceive things differently. It is a spectrum condition, which means every person who is autistic may experience autism differently. What we can do is be understanding and be aware about this. While we all are different in our own ways, we also know that being different is totally normal. And okay. This is me at Taj Mahal 6 years ago when I visited India to present a paper in a dental conference. It was probably my first one related to dentistry, psychology and mental health. For those of you who don't know me, I've been passionate about psychology long before I got into dentistry. While pursuing a career in dentistry is what I want from my life, I'm also working on my own psychological model for depression. Believe it or not I have touched more lives by being understanding and listening to people than I have by changing their smiles. And I have changed a lot of smiles. Be kind to others. It does magic. I hope you don't frown upon or make fun of people you find different from yourself. Your normal, my normal and everyone's normal is, well, normal. . . . . #autism #autismawareness #autismawarenessday #tajmahal #traveldiaries #globe #tajmahalindia #travelindia #incredibleindia #dentistlife #pakistankadentist #lahorekadentist #autistic #autismawarenessweek #life (at Taj Mahal, Agra City) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-e5LOoBJjG/?igshid=3pmemxoxwdnt