thinkingautism.bsky.social @thinkingautism Twitter profile

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

2 years

If your autistic child is looking for a social outlet, please for the love of Groot do NOT put them in a “social skills” group or autistic-specific "club.” Instead, seek groups about their interests/passions, like DnD, chess, anime, trains, etc. that can lead to REAL connections.

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

5 years

@ShireenQudosi @JessicaBiel Please stop spreading dangerous misinformation. Vaccines save lives and have nothing to do with #autism ; the research is crystal clear. And yes, my son is autistic, and our story is a public one:

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

3 years

"You may think that an autistic child won’t notice they are different than their non-autistic peers unless someone tells them, due to a supposed lack of social awareness. I have not met one autistic person (myself included) who hasn’t noticed their difference early in life.” 1/2

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@thinkingautism

11 months

So many things could be so much easier if non-autistic folks would just… GIVE AUTISTIC PEOPLE PROCESSING TIME! Examples welcome. #Neurodiversity

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

4 years

CN: Murder of disabled kids, murder apologia. Dylan Freeman, an autistic boy, has been murdered by his mother. Instead of emphasizing Dylan’s right to live, the media is going on about the caregiver burden of his mother due to pandemic lockdown. I'm here to say: Fuck that. 1/

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

7 months

It's funny because it's true. Found in the wild, if you know the poster(s) please let me know so I can credit them properly.

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

2 years

PSA: If you've seen those headlines about autism rates (prevalence) rising to 3.14%, please know: Anyone who pays attention to the research instead of treating autism like a scary campfire story knows that we've always suspected that the official rates are lower than reality. 1/

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

8 months

Why “high functioning” autistics don’t exist: Any autistic who can “pass” is essentially walking over hot coals to perform for non-autistic standards, & those non-autistics usually won’t be around to witness the resulting emotional and physical wreckage.

On Being Articulate

They say I’m articulate. (I think about all the words that stay locked in my throat, and I give a small and terrified smile and look over their shoulder and into nothing at all.) I’m re…

juststimming.wordpress.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

4 years

So here’s the takeaway: Journalists, parents, everyone: STOP EMPATHIZING WITH PARENTS WHO MURDER AUTISTIC AND DISABLED CHILDREN. START TREATING MURDERS OF DISABLED CHILDREN THE SAME AS MURDERS OF ANY OTHER CHILDREN: REPREHENSIBLE: And I’m out. 9/9

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Not going to link to that @CNN story about autism & marijuana, but I will say that it’s *infuriating* to constantly see the mainstream media frame autism as something to “overcome” & autistic children as “lost.” STOP IT. Autistic people need support, not cures. #neurodiversity 1/

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

9 months

If you have an autism diagnosis, please know that there is NO "level" of autism that is NOT defined by "needs support." So any person who talks about diagnosed autistic adults being "merely quirky" or "having a personally difference" is either ignorant, a bully, or both.

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@thinkingautism

3 years

"For me, noticing came through being bullied at school and at home. And since I didn’t know I was autistic, I just assumed there was something wrong with me and that I deserved what I got.” Reid Knight, at TPGA: #neurodiversity #autism #parenting 2/2

Parents: Don't Hide Your Children's Autism Diagnosis From Them — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

since I didn’t know about my autism diagnosis, I just assumed there was something wrong with me and that I deserved what I got.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

1 year

Autistic people are blamed and characterized for having "poor social skills." But research shows that it's NON-autistic people who are quickly judging and excluding autistic people before even giving them a chance. Who needs social skills classes, again?

Neurotypical Peers are Less Willing to Interact with Those with Autism based on Thin Slice Judgments

Scientific Reports - Neurotypical Peers are Less Willing to Interact with Those with Autism based on Thin Slice Judgments

www.nature.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

6 years

“Doctors need to be trained to spot #autism in girls, & we desperately need more fictional depictions of female autism & for more #autistic women & girls to tell their own stories so it becomes something we easily pick up on &recognize.” @Girl_by_the_Aga :

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@thinkingautism

4 months

Researchers "found a relationship between self-compassion and camouflaging, such that [autistics] who camouflaged more reported lower self-compassion." This connection "could play an important role in how autistic traits are linked to mental well-being."

Self-Compassion, Camouflaging, and Mental Health in Autistic Adults | Autism in Adulthood

Background: Previous research shows that symptoms of anxiety and depression are positively correlated with camouflaging and negatively correlated with self-compassion in autistic adults. However, no...

www.liebertpub.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

4 years

I need you—and judges and “that poor mother” reporters like @allisonpearson everywhere—to understand that, however difficult it may be for families to support their disabled loved ones, murder is NEVER excusable. There are always other options. Always. Dylan should be alive. 2/

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

9 months

Basically, autistic middle school students who learn to “mask” and suppress their autistic traits (for the comfort of others) are more likely to end up with mental health issues. Not exactly surprising, but also helpful to have substantiating research.

Study explores how changing autism traits are linked to mental health conditions

A study of autistic children ages 6-11 finds a relationship between changes in the intensity of autism traits and increases in mental health challenges.

health.ucdavis.edu

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@thinkingautism

4 years

NO, there is no “autism epidemic." NO, autistic people do NOT lack empathy. NO, do NOT give autistic kids therapy to make them non-autistic. NO, autism is not trendy, & we are NOT “over-diagnosing quirky kids.” As dispelled by @stevesilberman @BBC :

It’s time we dispelled these myths about autism

These four misconceptions about autism are damaging and in desperate need of debunking, says Steve Silberman.

www.bbc.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

4 years

@allisonpearson It’s really clear that, if I hurt my son, media would write off his murder as a "burden being lifted." This IS UNACCEPTABLE. My son’s life has value. He matters. Autistic and disabled lives have value. They matter. 5/

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@thinkingautism

4 years

If changing your autistic child’s diet changes their behavior (much happier, fewer meltdowns, better GI health etc.), then you need to investigate the MEDICAL reasons why. Diets don’t change autism, which is both neurology and inborn, but can help with certain medical conditions.

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@thinkingautism

4 years

@allisonpearson The media has demonstrated consistently that they would sympathize with ME if I hurt my son. This makes me scream, & want to vomit: That *I* would be the victim for hurting my child who depends on, loves, and trusts us whole-heartedly—just because he was born disabled. 4/

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@thinkingautism

1 year

Don't fall for the "autism is caused by Tylenol" lobbying. It is a class action money grab. Also: "we know that at this point that so many mothers of autistic children are themselves autistic, but undiagnosed, and that autistic children are often born to autistic parents." 1/

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@thinkingautism

3 years

To parents who use ABA therapy on autistic kids: Please believe us when we tell you that ABA conditions those kids to not trust their own judgment, to value non-autistic measures over their own capabilities, and can cause irreparable harm to their self-esteem and mental health.

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@thinkingautism

2 years

STOP SAYING THAT TEENS AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY "HAVE THE MIND OF A CHILD" NO THEY ARE THE AGE THEY ARE AND HAVE ID FFS. #YESIAMSHOUTING #NEURODIVERSITY

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@thinkingautism

2 years

But your big takeaway should be that this study shows how many autistic kids were already here and got overlooked—not that there's an ACTUAL increase in autism. Already here. Not an increase in autism. Next time the rate "jumps," consider this thread. #neurodiversity 4/

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@thinkingautism

4 years

@allisonpearson It’s jarring how much reporters' descriptions of victims like Dylan resemble my son: He’s a high-support autistic dude. He’s minimally speaking. And because he needs (and deserves) full-time support, my husband and I are automatically considered good, selfless people. 3/

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

3 years

If you are a parent or caregiver for an autistic person, we beg you to consider our Autism Checklist of Doom. We hope that by highlighting issues that may not be obvious to a bystander, you can help the autistic ppl in your life thrive. With @AutSciPerson :

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@thinkingautism

3 years

MYTH: #Neurodiversity claims autism is an identity, not a disability, & is just a “different way of looking at the world.” FACT: Autism is a developmental disability. ND advocates usually identify as being disabled, & share the goals and ideals of the wider disability community.

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@thinkingautism

4 years

@allisonpearson I blame the tendency of such twisted dismissals of the value of autistic lives like my son' on the constant negative media barrage about autism, especially the recurring theme of how awful it is to be an parent of an autistic kid like my son: 6/

When The Progressive Media Sells Out Autistic People

If autistic people like my teenage son make you uneasy, you’re wrong — but it may not entirely be your fault. Our media conditions its audiences to fear and pity people with disabilities. And it’s…

medium.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

1 year

"I started wondering something explicitly for the first time recently, and that is: How many autistic kids who fly under the radar for years, or forever, present primarily to non-autistic observers as exhausted?" @epballou at TPGA: #Neurodiversity #autism

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@thinkingautism

4 years

"The most important gift any parent can give to their disabled offspring is the understanding that they are loved, they are capable, they are competent. That can't happen if we insist on mourning what we imagine they might have been if disability were not part of their lives.” 1/

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@thinkingautism

4 years

When stories about "loving parents" violate the most private moments of the autistic children in question, listeners are further conditioned to see parents as victims and their kids as unreachable and inhuman. Most parent gazes of autistic children are dehumanizing, scarily. 7/

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@thinkingautism

6 years

“We believe the most effective interventions will involve teaching both autistic and non-autistic people to recognize each other’s social signals, rather than insisting that autistics behave like non- #autistics do.” #Neurodiversity #autism #acceptance

Important new work on autism could change interventions

A new paper is pushing back hard on the notion that people with autism are not interested in socializing.

news.ucsc.edu

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Dear media outlets: Please stop writing “autism doesn’t stop this person from doing X!” stories. If the story is about a passion project, it’s entirely likely that autistic focus & dedication is WHY that project is happening—& that should be framed as a strength. #Neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

2 years

If you are an adult & think you might be autistic, one tool to consider is the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS–R), which "is a self-report questionnaire designed to identify adult autistics who 'escape diagnosis' due to a subclinical level presentation." 1/2

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@thinkingautism

4 years

And knock off the “not enough services” excuse, per @Cal__Montgomery : "Filicide & other violence against autistic people is one conversation. The services conversation is another. They are both important, but they are separate. Mixed, they can have deadly consequences.” 8/

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@thinkingautism

2 years

There are a lot of factors in play here: We keep getting better at recognizing and identifying autism in underserved groups, instead of just the stereotypical young white boys from advantaged families. That is a good thing! Ideally, more autistic kids will be getting support. 2/

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@thinkingautism

4 years

. @NYtimes claims autism isn't a disability to #neurodiversity advocates. NOPE: "Autism is specifically a developmental disability. ND advocates usually identify as being disabled & tend to share the goals & ideals of the wider disability community.” More:

Neurodiversity FAQ — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

So you’re doing a story about Neurodiversity, or you want to know more about the Neurodiversity Movement. We’re here to help.

thinkingautismguide.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

3 years

CN: Suicidality Just saw the Variety article on Sia’s relapse & suicidality due to the backlash against her movie Music. I hope Sia gets the help she needs, & recovers fully. And also the autistic+ criticisms of her movie are valid. Those two conversations should be separate.

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

1 year

Since the autism "spectrum" is such a multifactorial gradient of traits, it is not possible (or helpful) to pick a boundary at which 'Severe' or 'Profound' autism happens. We can only determine what individual support needs are, and—ideally—make sure people get those supports.

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@thinkingautism

7 months

Also interesting to note what autistic people do NOT want from autism research: "The three least important topics were genetics or biological aspects of autism, autism treatments/interventions and causes of autism."

Ann Memmott PgC MA (Autism)

@AnnMemmott

7 months

Lovely new paper on autistic adults and our priorities for what we actually want researched: Mental health/well-being, id/diagnosis of autistic people, support services, knowledge & attitudes towards autistic people, & issues impacting autistic women.

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@thinkingautism

6 months

Content note: suicide “Surviving as an autistic adult in a neurotypical society is a Herculean task.” An autistic therapist on why her peers are more at risk for suicide than non-autistics, and ways to improve autistic QoL. #neurodiversity

Why Suicide Is All Too Common Among Autistic Adults

Suicide rates are extremely high among autistic adults. Reevaluating the way workplaces, families, and friends relate to the support needs of autistic adults might be the answer.

www.psychologytoday.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

2 years

If you're the parent of an autistic child or adult, and you are also horrified by MAGA-style disinformation, please know you should be just as skeptical about getting autism information from people I'm going to call "grievance parents." #Neurodiversity 1/

Grievance-Based Parent Organizations Are Autism's MAGA Movement — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

Horrified by the misinformation peddled by MAGA truthers? You should be just as concerned about grievance-based autism parent orgs.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

6 years

Bummed @GoodDoctorABC is promoting the myth that #autistic people lack empathy. In reality, the issue tends to be difficulty recognizing others’ emotions, NOT being uncaring about them (autistic people often care more/more intensely—sometimes to incapacitation). #neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

5 years

@ShireenQudosi @jerkheadface @JessicaBiel The facts that vaccines are as safe as any medical procedure can be, & have nothing to do with autism, are firmly established. Framing willful denial of those facts as “disagreement” is strategy, not evidence. And I am very tired of autistic people being used as antivax pawns.

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@thinkingautism

3 months

“Autistic people are not being brainwashed. The rest of society is. We just happen to be resistant to the social conditioning that teaches everyone else how essential the gender binary supposedly is.” By Jorie McKibbin.

Autistic people aren't being fooled into being nonbinary. We see past the binary that fools you. -...

We examine social norms that others accept without question, so we're more likely to reject the idea that everyone has to be a man or a woman.

www.lgbtqnation.com

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thinkingautism.bsky.social

@thinkingautism

2 years

But we're still missing a lot of autistic kids, and not just because the study uses parent reports. It's because it lists a stereotypically skewed boys > girls gender ratio—when research shows that, if you don't used sex-biased tools, the ratio is even: 3/

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Creating a "Profound Autism" Category Is Segregation, Not Progress. At TPGA: #neurodiversity

A "Profound Autism" Category Is Segregation—Not Progress

The term “profound autism” is not very useful. Instead, parents need to connect with people who understand autistic kids’ high-support traits.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

2 years

If your autistic child suddenly explodes because their sandwich has been cut wrong, It's not the sandwich necessarily; it's a build up of things—and that sandwich was the last straw, the last thing they could control. @EDalmayne , at TPGA: #Neurodiversity

It's Never Just a Sandwich — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

When you have meltdowns it's as if the world is ending. Everything is too much, and an overwhelming darkness has engulfed your very being.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

1 year

Hell yes: "A growing chorus of autistic and non-autistic advocates, including researchers, physicians and clinicians, argue that autism research, writ large, is not serving the needs of autistic people and could, in fact, be causing harm." In @Nature :

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@thinkingautism

4 years

Autistic people deserve the love & respect that come with acceptance, not merely acknowledgment that autism exists. Awareness is passive. Acceptance is a choice. Here are ten ways you can honor autistic people of all ages. (Hark, a thread!) #Neurodiversity #autism #autistic 1/

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@thinkingautism

2 years

And finally, you might see disingenuous people using the 3.14% rate to whip up fears about "severe" autism increasing. Honey, no. Autistic kids with significant disabilities do NOT get overlooked. Misunderstood, badly treated, under-supported, yes. But not overlooked. 6/6

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@thinkingautism

3 years

When we criticize “autism martyr” moms, it’s NOT because we deny autistic people & their families (i.e., us) are struggling and deserve more supports. We side-eye moms who demand the right to publicly humiliate/cure/torture their kids, + dismiss autistic insights. #Neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

1 year

For #AutismAcceptanceDay , be aware that Autism Speaks does very little to support autistic people and their families, so you should support orgs run by autistic people themselves. Please read & share if you can. People need to know better! #Neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

7 months

Please don't hide your kids' autism diagnoses from them Autistic kids already know they're different (so do their peers) They just may not know why And if they don't know why they are different Your child will struggle to cope—and, especially, to thrive #Neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

4 years

"I think autism gets easier in a sense as you get older because you have more information. You’re collecting the data. When you’re really young, you don’t have all the data.” Hannah Gadsby, in @nytimes : #autism #Neurodiversity #autistic

Hannah Gadsby on Comedy Trolls, Anti-Vaxxers and Burying Her Dog (Published 2020)

People who want to hate me — there’s nothing I can do about it.

www.nytimes.com

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@thinkingautism

8 months

"Every day I walk on eggshells to avoid offending others. I make eye contact; I shake hands — all done solely to make allistic [non-autistic] people feel better. Meanwhile my boundaries are considered both too unimportant & too 'weird' to be accommodated."

When You’re On The Autistic Spectrum, Consent Is Complicated

How are autistic people meant to negotiate boundaries when they spend the vast majority of their lives having their own boundaries ignored?

medium.com

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Wondering how many autistic people have been criticized by partners for not intuiting their unspoken needs, but then also had their own clearly stated needs (no surprise schedule changes, just tell me what you want and I’ll do it) dismissed or disregarded. #neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

3 years

CN: Filicide PSA to media outlets & in general: It is NOT “love” when parents kill their autistic children. It is MURDER. Excusing murder bc of disability is not only f’d up—as most parents DON’T kill their autistic kids—it leads to copycat killings. STOP IT. A thread. 1/

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@thinkingautism

4 years

“Part of the reason we want to get these [autistic] girls & women diagnosed earlier […] is so that they can say, ‘Okay, that’s what’s going on, I’m not that unusual, I can find other people like me.’ They can feel like they have a tribe & are not alone.”

Women “camouflaging” autistic traits suffer severe mental health challenges, BYU study finds

A new study shows a strong correlation between how much women with autistic traits camouflage—hide or compensate for autistic qualities to fit in—and the severity of their mental health concerns.

news.byu.edu

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Autistic & non-autistic people can have different social expectations & communication styles. "That is why building understanding & empathy is described as a 'double problem,' because both autistic & non-autistic people struggle to understand each other.”

Double Empathy: Why Autistic People Are Often Misunderstood

Autism affects how someone makes sense of the world around them. About 1–2% of people are autistic. You might have an autistic classmate or family member, or maybe you are autistic. Autistic people...

kids.frontiersin.org

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@thinkingautism

1 year

A refresher: If you are horrified by MAGA-style disinformation, please know you should be just as skeptical about autism info pumped out by a bitter, wealthy, anti-autistic, DARVO-steeped contingent we call "autism grievance parents." 1/ #neurodiversity

Grievance-Based Parent Organizations Are Autism's MAGA Movement — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

Horrified by the misinformation peddled by MAGA truthers? You should be just as concerned about grievance-based autism parent orgs.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

4 years

Re: That study going around about how cats make autistic kids more empathetic? Typical ableist BS. Autistic people are already empathetic—sometimes more so than NT peers. Cats don’t make so many absurd social demands & so can be easier for autistic kids to connect with, is all.

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@thinkingautism

2 years

Dear autism researchers: It would be great if you'd shift your focus from drugs for “treating” autism to drugs that can help autistic people with anxiety & pain, especially as autistics tend to have atypical/paradoxical reactions to drugs like stimulants/sedatives. cc: @Spectrum .

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@thinkingautism

6 months

ABA Mythbusting time: Your autistic child doesn't need ABA therapy to learn—that's what special ed teachers are for. Nor do they need ABA therapy to acquire skills —that's what SLPs/OTs/PTs are for. What your autistic child DOES need is teachers/therapists who understand autism.

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@thinkingautism

4 years

Beth, an autistic teen who was locked in isolation for years, now has both autonomy and joy in new living circumstances thanks in part to autistic advocates. And it "happened because people moved into my world. They stopped trying to drag me into theirs.”

Autistic teen who was locked up 24/7 now loves hair dye, gardening and fishing one year on

Beth, 19, has been moved to an open plan unit with bespoke care after her desperate situation was highlighted by Sky News.

news.sky.com

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@thinkingautism

3 months

On getting a truly late-in-life autism diagnosis: It "makes me angry because 60 years of my life I have had a problem that could have been dealt with better if people around me understood me better and if I understood myself better." #neurodiversity

'Autism diagnosis could finally give me answers'

A man has set up an autism group to help those like him who are still waiting to be diagnosed.

www.bbc.com

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@thinkingautism

4 years

[CN: murder of an autistic child, parent-victim fallacy] Yet another autistic child has been murdered by a parent, who claims the child is in “a better place.” F*** that. I’m not going to link, bc all the expletives, and mourning a bright life lost. Here’s a thread instead. 1/

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@thinkingautism

5 years

"I don’t care about being popular. I care about climate justice and the living planet.” And this is why Greta Thunberg is not a climate activist "in spite of" her #autism , but because of it. From @stevesilberman , at @voxdotcom : #Neurodiversity #autistic

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@thinkingautism

3 years

CN: transphobia For those not aware, Tania Marshall (Aspiengirl) is promoting the non-evidence-based notion that trans autistic kids are not actually trans—but are traumatized/seduced into transitioning. She is trying to fund a detransition clinic. We have unfollowed her, hard.

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@thinkingautism

11 months

"A growing body of research is pushing against that stereotype [of autistic people lacking empathy], finding that many autistic people yearn for human connections and community at least as much as their neurotypical peers." By @stevesilberman , at @sciam :

Autism, Human Connection and the 'Double Empathy' Problem

Despite stereotypes, many autistic people yearn for meaningful relationships, but they are daunted by neurotypicals’ assumptions about them

www.scientificamerican.com

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@thinkingautism

3 years

"As a community, autistic people have documented our research priorities, and causes of autism or “cures” do not feature prominently. We want research that will directly and positively affect our lives.” @AutisticDoctor on #Spectrum10K concerns, at TPGA:

Spectrum 10K and Cognitive Dissonance in Autism Research — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

Autistic people are a vulnerable community, and as stakeholders in the Spectrum 10K debate, we deserve full and transparent engagement.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

2 years

Also, the study notes that (reported) autism rates actually fell in 2016-2017 compared to years before and after, but for some reason that drop is not being covered. Hmm. Could it be that complexity doesn't work for people who need "OMG AUTISM" eyeball-grabber headlines? 5/

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@thinkingautism

1 year

When you see articles about autistic social skills "improving," be skeptical. Unless the authors are autistic or autistic-informed, they are usually talking about making autistics conform to non-autistic standards—not about helping autistic people thrive socially. #neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

5 years

“As an autistic parent to a child with classic, non-verbal #autism , I'm here to tell you: it's OK. We're OK. We are not a damaged version of a "normal" brain. […] There is no non-autistic child hiding beneath the #autistic one.” At @cbc : #Neurodiversity

As an autistic parent to an autistic child, I implore you to accept us: Point-of-view | CBC News

This autism awareness month, Dela McDonald encourages people to better include autistic people in society.

www.cbc.ca

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@thinkingautism

1 month

“I feel like we shouldn't have to be trained in neurotypical social skills, doctors should be better at communicating with people with autism.” Evelyn Froend, who is autistic and has Ehlers-Danlos.

Friends with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome helping others to deal with the little understood but painful...

Evelyn Froend has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which means she wakes every day in chronic pain. She needs to wear braces on many of her joints just to stop them dislocating, but her condition is not well...

www.abc.net.au

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@thinkingautism

5 years

Please don't force #autistic children to make eye contact: Why? Because, with autism, eye contact is "not about the child; it’s no benefit to the child to do something that in many cases is painful.” @EDalmayne , at #TPGA : #neurodiversity #autism

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@thinkingautism

5 years

Autistics diagnosed late in life often grow up believing they are “bad people,” & get diagnosed with depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions instead. “More work also needs to be done to support older people after they receive a diagnosis.”

Autistic adults thought they were 'bad people' - Neuroscience News

Many people on the autism spectrum who were not diagnosed until later in life grew up believing they were "bad people."

neurosciencenews.com

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@thinkingautism

3 years

"Autistic people have different sensory experiences, and when a parent either disagrees with or denies those sensory experiences, the impact it has on the autistic kid is gaslighting, even if it wasn’t intentional.” From @AutSciPerson : #Neurodiversity

Autistic Sensory Pain and the Medical Consequences

I want to talk about the physical health of autistic people and how the gaslighting of our sensory sensitivities teaches us to ignore our pain – whether it be physical or sensory. There are m…

autisticscienceperson.com

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@thinkingautism

5 years

Another victory in the fight against horrible #autism pseudoscience and fear-mongering: “ @Amazon removes books promoting autism "cures" and vaccine misinformation.” #neurodiversity

Amazon removes books promoting autism "cures" and vaccine misinformation

Amazon joins Facebook in trying to crack down on the spread of misinformation about vaccines

www.cbsnews.com

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@thinkingautism

4 years

@JosephRanseth @Sia The parent-led National Autism Association is not a reliable org for what autistic people want, deserve, or need. Neither is the parent-led @NCSAutismOrg . We recommend @autselfadvocacy or @awnnetwork_ instead. Here is our position on useful autism orgs:

How do you know if an autism organization is good?

Not every autism organization helps autistic people. Here's how you can tell the difference, with examples.

thinkingautismguide.com

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@thinkingautism

5 years

“Kids on or off the spectrum should be allowed to stim/flap to their heart’s content (barring self-injurious behavior), and any care provider or therapist who is still saying “quiet hands” needs to be out of a job.” TY @Nicole_Cliffe ! #neurodiversity

Dear Care and Feeding: My 6-Year-Old Lies All the Time

Parenting advice on lying and creativity, different rules in different houses, and flapping.

slate.com

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Why is it SO HARD for autism professionals and researchers to talk about autistic passions as awesome, fulfilling, satisfying, comforting, or rewarding—without a “yes, but…” on leveraging those interests for social skills/compliance training or career success? #neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

5 years

My #Autistic Son Needs 24/7 Support. And That's OK: "We have a good life, because we stopped buying into mainstream notions about what happy families look like.” @shannonrosa , at @BuzzFeed @buzzfeeders : #neurodiversity #autism #parenting

My Autistic Son Needs 24/7 Support. And That's OK.

We have a good life, because we stopped buying into mainstream notions about what happy families look like.

www.buzzfeed.com

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@thinkingautism

5 years

"If you devote tens of [ABA] hours each week to exhaustively and exhaustingly teaching a small child that he gets a reward when he suppresses his own preferences and does exactly what he’s told, you have grievously compromised that child’s nascent sense of autonomy.” #autism 1/2

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@thinkingautism

3 years

CN: Child suicide, racism We mourn the loss of Isabella “Izzy” Tichenor, a Black autistic fifth grader who committed suicide four days ago. Her family alleges that Izzy was constantly bullied—often with racist slurs—yet no one intervened despite reports.

Grieving Family Wants Answers After Bullied Autistic Girl, 10, Dies By Suicide

A federal probe found a pattern of the Utah school district ignoring complaints of racist taunting.

www.bet.com

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@thinkingautism

4 years

“You didn’t lose a child to autism,” [autistic activist Jim Sinclair] said. “You lost a child because the child you waited for never came into existence. That isn’t the fault of the autistic child who does exist, and it shouldn’t be our burden.” #DontMournForUs #ADA30 1/2

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@thinkingautism

5 years

When we talk about #autistic burnout, it’s usually as a result of overwork or overwhelm. But we rarely mention that this can happen when people love what they are doing & want to continue working—but those spoons/batteries are just gone. Comments? #AskingAutistics #Neurodiversity

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@thinkingautism

8 months

"High functioning autism" is a nonsensical and counterproductive label. If you want to be an ally to autistics—or as an autistic person, give yourself some grace when other people refuse to do so—please listen to autistic explanations about why this label sux. #Neurodiversity

Autie-biographical Comics

@Teesy738

8 months

I'm not labeled "high functioning autistic" because of how well I function, but how well I hide my autism. #AutieBiographical #ActuallyAutistic #Masking

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@thinkingautism

4 years

PTSD is triggered in autistic people by a wider range of events than in non-autistic people, a study indicates. Yet another factor in why so many “maladaptive autistic behaviors” are actually reasonable responses to stressful situations. See @AnnMemmott :

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@thinkingautism

3 years

“autistic people aren’t just angry about the connection to Autism Speaks or NEXT for AUTISM’s dubious connections to prevention and cure ideology. We are also opposed to their support for and use of Applied Behaviour Analysis or ABA.”

Ashe “Anxious Crip Assassin” Frey MACDS

@crippledscholar

3 years

I am so pleased by the #ActuallyAutistic takeover of #ColorTheSpectrum , we need to keep up the pressure

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@thinkingautism

2 years

Damning study of a small group of autistic adults, re: ABA therapy: The adults report being traumatized, resented being conditioned to act like NT peers, and do not feel limited benefits were worth suffering "significant negative long-term consequences."

Autistic experiences of applied behavior analysis - Laura K Anderson, 2023

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability affecting individuals across their entire lifespan. Autistic individuals have differences from nonautisti...

journals.sagepub.com

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@thinkingautism

4 years

"Disabled people always have to justify our existence—by inspiring you, by amounting to dollars or votes, by showing how our curb cuts help you with your rolling luggage […]. You don’t value us unless we add value for you." @Aubrie_Lee , @RootedInRights :

The Hardest Part of Being Disabled is Being Ignored

Content note: includes discussion of COVID-19 and racism World, I have so much to tell you. The question is, are you ready to listen? Because people with muscular dystrophy tend to die of respirato…

rootedinrights.org

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@thinkingautism

9 months

Autistic kids NEED to be able to say "stop." See @AutisticNW 's consent primer: "If you want an autistic child to learn about boundaries, teach them about their own. If you want an autistic child to learn about respecting boundaries, respect theirs too."

The Stop Rule: teaching children consent through play

Content Warning: this article discusses the dangers of making children vulnerable to abuse and manipulation, but does not discuss specific instances of abuse. Not long ago there was a debate on a...

autisticnotweird.com

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@thinkingautism

3 years

Journalists: Please stop using “suffering from” for conditions like intellectual, learning, or physical disabilities! You can just say “has,” unless the person you’re writing about (or interviewing) asks you to use another word. TY. #disability #neurodiversity #TryingNotToYell

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@thinkingautism

4 years

@AutSciPerson And, flipside, many autistic people are incredibly sensitive to tone of voice—so what NT people consider a “calm but firm” voice comes across as yelling or berating, and can trigger anxiety, needless self-doubt, and even meltdowns. That double empathy thing again!

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@thinkingautism

4 years

Autistic Commonality and the Illusion of “Quirky”: A thread from a TPGA article by @epballou ! Some people insist on describing the autistic spectrum as ranging from the non-speaking and very profoundly disabled, to the “just quirky.” (Ed.: Emily will explain why this is BS.) 1/

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@thinkingautism

6 years

“What we think we know about autism from research is actually just what we know about male #autism .” @happelab on why non-male Autistics are often undiagnosed/unsupported—which can negatively affect their quality of life & mental health. #Neurodiversity

Thousands of autistic girls and women 'going undiagnosed' due to gender bias

Number of girls and women with the condition in UK may be vastly underestimated, leading neuroscientist says

amp.theguardian.com

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@thinkingautism

3 months

Autistic sensory sensitivities aren't just "preferences." They are legitimate overstimulations of a sensory system. Sometimes they just suck, sometimes they actually hurt. Either way, please take your autistic person's sensory sensitivities (or your own) seriously. TY @autball1 .

Autball

@autball1

3 months

When sensory issues are disruptive to a person's life, sensory desensitization can sound like something that might help. But reducing sensitivity isn’t really a thing you can do TO someone. At least, not without inducing a trauma response or two. #sensoryprocessing

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@thinkingautism

2 years

Hearing story after story re: non-speaking patients presenting w/significant behavior changes and urgent symptoms, and being dismissed or told they'll get eventual care. After advocacy resulting in faster care, turns out they had bad cavities, kidney stones, etc. #SafeInitiative

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