Autism Acceptance Month
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April is Autism Acceptance Month, with 2nd April being Autism Awareness Day. Around 1 in every 100 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum and over 7% of autistic people have differences in some or all of their senses.
We can learn through the eyes of those who deal with autism every day. Autism Acceptance Month helps us to learn what people with autism go through every day, and how they are often perceived by the world. Autism Acceptance Month was established to promote a better understanding between those with Autism and be a part of the world that they live in.
The society for Autism was founded in 1965 by Dr Rimland to promote reach, help and guide those who live with this condition, and to support those living with people who face the world with autism to gain a better understanding of what is going on with their loved ones.
The Society of Autism campaigns started in the early 1970s, creating an insight for those on the outside looking in. Each person that lives with this condition faces different challenges, depending on where they lay on the autism spectrum and which facets of the condition they experience most.
Autism and The Senses
Sight: 19% of people on the autism spectrum experience a sensory difference in their vision and in some cases, it can cause physical pain. Someone with an under-responsive sense of light may be captivated by small details, unnoticed by others, or be found staring into light sources, patterns, or colours. A person with over-sensitivity sight might find it difficult to use or maintain eye contact.
Hearing: There are several ways in which an autistic person may experience challenges to do with hearing. Sometimes the noisiest person is noise sensitive, it helps them to block out the other sounds. Some other challenges are Over / Under sensitivity to sound (hyper-responsive) resulting in sudden loud noises causing distress, Environmental Meaning Deafness which is when sound recognition doesn’t process i.e., a fire bell meaning fire, Meaning Deafness resulting in the person not understanding what languages mean and Tonal Deafness meaning they don’t get or understand inflections within languages.
Smell: A hypersensitive sense of smell creates strong and intense smells from everyday ones. Everyday smells like spicy foods, scented shampoos and petrol can be overwhelming, they may refuse to eat certain foods or go to certain places. An under-responsive person might seek strong smells such as curry powder, flowers and perfumes.
Touch: Tactile sense helps us interpret pressure, texture, movement, vibration, temperature, and pain. Some people have trouble processing tactile information. A touch seeker may self-injure or chew on inedible items or clothing, and they may seek physical touch and different textures to experience. A touch avoider will avoid certain tactile experiences, they may find another’s touch unpleasant or painful.
Taste: some people may prefer foods of certain food groups, textures, or temperatures. A person with other sensitive tastes might have a limited diet to what they can tolerate, it could be odours are too strong and limit their food to certain textures, appearances, and tastes. A person with an under-responsive taste may prefer spicy foods and might taste non-edible items.
Proprioception: Proprioception tells us where our bodies are in relation to other objects and open spaces. A person with over-sensitive proprioception has difficulty understanding where their body is, they can appear clumsy, or misjudge another person’s space. A person who is under-responsive will seek out more sensory input by banging objects, jumping, or biting on fingers. Deep pressure like hugs, tight clothing or weighted items is helpful.
Vestibular: The vestibular system is located in our inner ears. It can impede an autistic person’s understanding of what’s happening to them and in the world around them. Over sensitive vestibular system may have a debilitating response to motion usually in the form of motion sickness, this is difficult for an autistic person if they don’t know what’s causing their nausea. Someone with an under-responsive vestibular will seek out experiences to boost movement, they may appear hyperactive, but these movements will stimulate their senses.
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Sensory Toys and How Do They Help
A sensory toy is designed to stimulate one or more of the senses. They help by engaging with senses, providing feedback to their sensory systems and regulating sensory needs. Sensory toys may be more appealing to children on the autism spectrum as they can help to remain calm and provide the sensory experiences they want.
How You Can Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month
·????????Find a seminar or conference to gain a better understanding of how to recognise and support those with autism. Access the below links will be a start into researching the complexities of the condition.
·????????Take part in a sponsored walk, run or marathon.
·????????Wear an Autism Awareness Ribbons – a ribbon with a multicoloured jigsaw pattern that represents the complexity of the autism spectrum.
·????????Fund research into autism and help the world understand the lives of those who live with it.
The Neurodiversity Movement has made huge progress in changing the way we think about autism and other neurological differences like dyslexia.
Official websites:
QHSE & Sustainability Officer
1 年Employment levels of autistic adults are appalling low. Only about 30% of autistic adults are in full or part time work. Society needs to do better.