Stress is the constant companion of anyone on the autistic spectrum, and can aggravate the symptoms of an already challenging condition. Autistics often have trouble sleeping, and may feel agitated while awake. I’ve been using Body Shop’s Deep Sleep Dreamy Pillow & Body Mist, to help with sleep, and during the day to keep me calm. Just spray on the pillow for a soothing night-time aromatherapy session. I carry a small bottle of it during the day, to spray on a handkerchief and sniff if I’m feeling stressed. The smell is citrus with a touch of woodsy, from ingredients that include lemon, jujube and camomile. It doesn’t make me drowsy, but clears the mind and promotes relaxation, which seems to help me with both stress and clumsiness!
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Deep Pressure Vest to Calm Autistics
Deep pressure (something like a hug) can relieve the stress of sensory overload for many autistics, by releasing calming hormones in the brain. The Squease Vest is a handy inflatable garment that can be worn comfortably and inflated when necessary, to provide just the right amount of pressure to the torso when required.
Right Brain v. Left Brain Explained
Interesting talk about right brain v. left brain, by a brain scientist who had a stroke and lost her left brain function temporarily (yes, she’s holding a real brain):
Reflections on NLD: Five Years After the Diagnosis
Very encouraging article in Psychology Today by Pia Savage: a writer, journalist, and former social worker diagnosed with Non Verbal Learning Disorder (NLD) as an adult.
Loc8tor Plus Personal Locator System
Autistic children sometimes ‘wander off’ when you least expect it. There’s no substitute for vigilance, but some parents use a personal locator system (like the one featured here) as a back-up. The handheld device gives visual (directional) and auditory (proximity) cues to the location of the homing tag (which also bleeps when in ‘locate’ mode). It bears repeating though, this device was developed to find possessions and is not designed to be a substitute for parental vigilance.
Easy to use, sets up in seconds.Tag size: 1.2″H x .76″W x .33″D. Weighs 5 grams. Range is 100 feet up to 600 feet based on a clear line of sight and the environment. Developed to find possessions and should not be relied on to find patients.
S#!T Ignorant People Say To Autistics
Every statement written in the script for this video has actually been said to an Autistic person’s face. None of these are made up. They are all real. Watch the video, share the link, and please don’t be this person.
Temple Grandin: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds
http://www.ted.com Autism activist Temple Grandin talks about how her mind works — sharing her ability to “think in pictures,” which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.
I Just Like It: Sapien Bookcase
A more comfortable way to browse, and apparently works great for stacking towels too.
Induction Cooktops
If you suffer from absent-mindedness or ‘brain fog’ as I often do, induction is probably the safest and most convenient option for cooking. Here’s why:
- Induction cooktops don’t produce heat. They induce heat in metal cookware through electro-magnetism, lowering the risk of accidental fires.
- Many induction cooktops (like the one pictured here) switch off automatically if they detect that cookware has been removed (and cannot be switched on if there is no cookware on top). No worries about forgetting to turn off the stove.
- No gas leaks.
- No flames.
- Just wipe clean.
- Highly controllable heat output.
- Energy-conserving.
- Works with any cookware that a magnet will stick to.
Communication Tip for Autistics
Thought I’d share this little tip that I found helpful (though I tend to forget to follow it). Many autistics have trouble interpreting non-verbal cues, including the unspoken rules of conversation. As a result, they tend to just say what’s on their mind, in a straightforward literal manner. Sometimes, this may come across as insensitive or otherwise inappropriate. Here’s a tip that anyone (including non-autistics) may find helpful in face-to-face communication. I call it the 3-Step Method, but I’m not sure who thought of it first.
Instead of just saying what’s on your mind, think of communication as a 3-step process (I’ll list the steps first, then explain them):
Step 1: Prepare the listener to positively receive what you’re about to say.
Step 2: Deliver the message.
Step 3: Deliver a ‘closer’ that clarifies the message and leaves a positive impression.
Here’s how the 3-Step Method works. Step 1 involves doing and saying things that makes the listener positively receptive to the message. This could be as simple as smiling, saying ‘excuse me’ before asking for directions, or saying something encouraging before delivering bad news. For example, before asking a colleague to do something, you could say something like “I really need your help, and you’re really good at this task”. This makes them feel valued and helpful, rather than feeling like a tool for someone to use. Step 1 is really hard to do. It requires a pretty good ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, precisely the ability that is impaired in many autistics. However, it’s still worth the effort to try and work that ’empathy muscle’.
Step 2 is self-explanatory. Step 3 involves clarifying if the listener understood the message, and putting a final positive ‘spin’ on it so the listener gets a good impression. This could be as simple as saying ‘thank you’ after a request, or offering to do something for a colleague after asking for their help. Now you know why I often forget to follow the 3-Step Method! It really is difficult (even for a non-autistic person), but it promotes the good habit of communicating to build relationships rather than just getting things done.
DESIGN FOR ASD 