Explained | How can you know if your child has autism?
The scene is the neighbourhood park. A group of 2- or 3-year-old children are playing together, with their mothers watching. One toddler, Arun, is off to the side. He is looking up at the trees, squinting at the light. His mother calls several times but he does not respond. He doesn’t seem interested in the other children or their toys. He holds a little car tightly in his hand. Sometimes he…
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my sister, who works in child development so I assume she knows, was telling me that the baby's preschool teacher was saying a bunch of things to her that (my sister said to me) "are basically code for 'we think your child might be autistic.'"
and I was like well I mean steve is definitely on the autism spectrum and I probably am and you've been saying you probably are and we secretly think that might also be what's up with our mom, so it wouldn't be surprising if the baby is too, and it certainly wouldn't be a problem. but out of curiosity what does the baby do that seems autistic to them? because I thought the early signs in toddlers were like... problems with joint attention, and ignoring other people. and he's always extremely engaged with me when we hang out
and my sister said "they say he doesn't talk, and he doesn't respond when they call his name, and he spins around in place..."
and I was like huh. well he certainly talks to ME. and responds when I call his name. and when he feels like spinning I simply sing the turn around game song and he loves it and follows all the directions. have they considered that they might just be boring
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Hi everyone,
I found a helpful article discussing autistic burnout. I’ll leave some excerpts from this article below:
“Autistic burnout’ is the intense physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by a loss of skills, that some adults with autism experience. Many autistic people say it results mainly from the cumulative effect of having to navigate a world that is designed for neurotypical people.
Burnout may especially affect autistic adults who have strong cognitive and language abilities and are working or going to school with neurotypical people.”
“Like many aspects of autism, burnout varies greatly from person to person. Some autistic people experience it as an overwhelming sense of physical exhaustion. They may have more difficulty managing their emotions than usual and be prone to outbursts of sadness or anger. Burnout may manifest as intense anxiety or contribute to depression or suicidal behavior. It may involve an increase in autism traits such as repetitive behaviors, increased sensitivity to sensory input or difficulty with change.
Burnout can sometimes result in a loss of skills: An autistic woman who usually has strong verbal abilities may, for example, suddenly find herself unable to talk.”
“Burnout is often a consequence of camouflaging, or masking, a strategy in which autistic people mimic neurotypical behavior by using scripts for small talk, forcing themselves to make eye contact or suppressing repetitive behaviors. These strategies can help autistic people in their jobs and relationships but require immense effort.
It can also result from sensory overstimulation, such as a noisy bus commute; executive function demands such as having to juggle too many tasks at once; or stress associated with change.”
The full article will be down below for anyone who would like to read through it. I hope many of you found this helpful and informative.
Autism Burnout
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I should have known better than to dig through my old stories from when I was a teenager. There's so much trauma packed into them.
So I tried to unwind with a nice little video game (a new dating sim/visual story) since I'm having a high support needs day (high pain, poor mental health, increased confusion, anger, etc.) Anyway, I wasn't expecting the little platformer game. Usually not a problem.
Except today I'm not able to do hand-eye coordination well.
Today I'm not able to problem solve well. Today I'm barely able to get out of bed and am at a 12/10 on the pain scale, have negative spoons, and have the patience of my poor traumatized toddler self whose parents told them at age 10 they were a mistake (accident while on birth control) long after the divorce and whose parents should have never been together to start with.
Today, I had a meltdown because I tried to play a free to play video game, I couldn't edit the settings to make it disability-friendly, and struggled for 15 minutes with a task that in not unsimilar to a level in Mario Maker/Flappy Bird. I cried, screamed, and hit things. I wanted to hit my laptop/self-sabotage. But I didn't. I rage screamed (accidentally left the windows open, oops), tried to control the hitting to pillows only, and sat with my feelings.
I am tired of being exhausted all the time. Reparenting myself when my teenage self hates all adults and doesn't trust them is hard. Being kind to myself when everyone else treats me like scum is hard. Melting down over something I wanted to do to cope but suddenly can't do and can't change that is hard. But I will continue to fight for myself and others because no one deserves to be silenced.
My story matters. I owe it to myself to remember, even if it's hard. I can be kind to myself and not push myself.
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Indicators of Anxiety in Autism
Increased inflexibility, impulsivity, overreacting
Sudden change in behavior, inconsistent behavior
Excessive worry about being able to engage in a special interest
Freezing behaviors, clinginess
Argumentativeness, irrational responses, irritability, anger, meltdowns, aggression, self-injurious behaviors
Avoidance of a situation or a task
Stutter that comes and goes over time
Increased desire for control and predictability
Somatic complaints (stomachaches, headaches, minor aches and pains) and sleep disturbances
“Getting Stuck” on what will go wrong
Tearfulness, crying, fearful affect
Repetitive questions and need for reassurance
Autism
Anxiety
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Signs of Autism in Toddlers
The signs of autism can vary from person to person. Some children display early signs of the disorder, while others don't show symptoms until they're older. But no matter what the age of your child, it's never too late to get a diagnosis and start getting the support they need to live their best life.
Early Signs of Autism in Babies
One of the earliest red flags of autism is an infant who doesn't interact with other babies as well as other babies their age. The baby may not smile back and forth or respond to names, and they may avoid eye contact with their parents.
This behavior isn't normal for an infant and should be reported to their healthcare provider during well-baby visits. Caregivers should also ask for tests to determine if a baby has an autism spectrum disorder.
Some early signs of autism include obsessive-compulsive behaviors such as lining up things in a particular order or preoccupation with a specific topic of interest. This can include memorizing facts about maps, trains, or sports statistics.
Performing repetitive behaviors such as flapping hands, rocking, or twirling can also be an early sign of autism in toddlers. Repeated movements like this can be soothing to the child, but they can also distract them from concentrating on other things.
Self-stimulatory Behaviors (or "stimming")
Some people with autism have very strong reactions to certain sensory stimuli, such as touch, taste, or smell. They may react quickly and intensely to these stimuli or they may respond very slowly and gently.
These responses can be more pronounced in toddlers with autism than in typically developing toddlers. For example, an autistic child with an obsession with light switches might flip them repeatedly or they might play with toys such as keys and rubber bands in unusual ways.
Other signs of autism in toddlers include difficulties interacting with other children and difficulty learning new social situations. These problems often improve with age, but some children will continue to have these issues throughout their lives.
The signs of autism in toddlers and young children can be subtle, but they can make it hard for family members to recognize the differences. For example, a young child with autism might prefer routines and be easily upset by changes in their daily schedules.
High-Functioning ASD
Many individuals with autism are diagnosed as having high-functioning autism, also known as Asperger's syndrome. These individuals can often be very bright and excel in school. They might have impressive vocabularies and a strong interest in particular topics or activities, such as art, music, or science.
They might also enjoy talking in an eccentric way, such as using a very wide range of vocabulary or constantly interrupting conversations with other people. This could be seen as a symptom of adult autism diagnosis, but it could also simply be an eccentricity.
A person with high-functioning autism might have a variety of different skills and be able to learn at a faster rate than other people their age. These skills might be a great benefit to the person with autism, but they can also be a barrier to social interaction.
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