Autism in the Family

These are just ways that I notice that I like to be approached and ways that I seem to get my son's attention.  You have to remember that everyone is different.  People on the spectrum are just people, we all have are own ways. 

Why We Zone Out?

1.  Sensory Overload is the main reason for zoning out.  We get over stimulated in our environment.

2.  Processing thoughts.

3.  It is enjoyable.  We are thinking about wonderful things.

HOW TO GET OUT ATTENTION

1.  Use our name when talking to us even if we are the only other person around.

2.  Use short sentences just in case we are hearing sensitive.

3.  Do not insist on eye contact sometimes we need to focus on a person's mouth to understand what is coming out of it. -- or sometimes we have to focus on something else to hear the words coming out of your mouth.

4.  Do not insist we stop stimming or we might not be calm enough to comprehend what you are talking about.

5.  Always make sure we don't have to go to the bathroom, or are not sick, or are not hungry because this can be distracting as well if you are trying to communicate with us.  

6.  Never assume we do not understand or that we are not paying attention.

WHAT IS STIMMING AND WHY DO WE DO IT?

1.  Stimming, is something that everyone does whether your on the Autistic Spectrum or not, -- it is just more pronounced and noticeable in people who have an ASD because we do it more often, in strange ways and don't care if it is socially acceptable.

2.  Stimming can be anything from hair twirling to nail biting to chewing on your pencil to scratching your bum in public.  A lot of people seem to think it is mostly flapping your hands or rocking.

3.  Stimming has to do with coping with sensory overload, that all of us have to deal with in our environment.  Stimming helps us concentrate.  In other words stimming helps us not run screaming from the room.

SENSORY OVERLOAD

1.  Sensory Overload is anything that overwhelms our senses.  It can be touch, smell, hearing, seeing, the texture of our food, or just being around too many people.

2.  What helps sensory overload is zoning out, doing something different, being by yourself in a dark room, doing your favourite thing, or concentrating on something else like a tune in the back of your head.