Physical Attributes of Autism

Many people are aware that people with autism have difficulties with communication and socialization.  However, many people on the spectrum also live with a whole smorgasbord of more physical problems that are often associated with autism.

I would like to write about some of these symptoms that affect me.

Low Muscle Tone
Starting when I was a baby, I learned how to walk late due to loose hips.  Now I have trouble with relaxing because my body tends to be tense in order to compensate for weaker core muscles.

Poor Circulation
I have mild Raynaud's which means that sometimes my fingers and less often my toes loose circulation and turn white when they get just slightly cold you can read more about that here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud's_phenomenon
I also usually have trouble staying warm even on warm days and end up wearing a coat and turning on a heater when the rest of my family are wearing t-shirts.

Leaky Gut Syndrome (yes I know it sounds gross)
When I was a little kid I lived for a long time with rash on my legs that turned out to be caused by Leaky Gut Syndrome.  Luckily, after trying eliminating foods and adding supplements with limited success, I was taken to a homoeopathist and, though I still have some gut/nutrition absorption problems, I have be pretty much free form that problem ever since.

MTHFR Gene Defect
This is something I was tested for and found out that I have very recently.  It's not really a system, but it may possibly be a contributing factor to my neurological problems.  You can read more about this fascinating MTHFR thing here http://www.methyl-life.com/mthfr-and-methylation.html        

last but not least, here is a article about this topic.  It also list some other sort of categories of characteristics that I did not get around to writing about.
http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Physical_Characteristics_of_Autism

Please feel free to ask questions and thank you for reading.

The Great Grotto Grip

Hello readers,

It is summertime now, so I have some time to blog.

For the last few months, I took a math class that required me to do a lot of writing by hand.  This was causing a lot of discomfort until I found a new type of pencil grip (the Grotto Grip).  This post will show some of the pencil grips that I have tried over the year.

This is called the Grotto Grip and Fun and Function carries them here http://funandfunction.com/grotto-grip-p-346.html

I like it because not only does it have a cross over guard, but it also keeps my finger joints from binding backwards.  All in all, it allows me to write with a somewhat relaxed arm and hand.

This one is a classic.  It is called The Pencil Grip
and is better then nothing and probably works great for people who's thumb doesn't cross over.

This one is similar to the Mini Pencil Grip.  I bought them at Target and I do not remember the brand.

I really like the idea of this grip.  It is smaller and less noticeable them the other types, and therefore would be good for older kids and adults who are self conscious about needing a pencil grip.  It just doesn't have enough support for my hand.




You can find these types of grips and more at http://funandfunction.com/fine-motor-grips-c-65_70_94.html

And here is a pile of pencil grips so that you can see what they look like with out a hand in the way.  Please do not take my pictures with out permission.

50 Day Throw it Away Challenge

Last year I started a tradition for myself that I like to call the 50 Day Throw it Away Challenge.  I tend to have a lot of trouble getting rid of things.  Even thing such as price tags, old rubber bands, and small pieces of yarn.  I often feel as though they will come in handy someday, and sometimes feel sorry for the item that I am getting rid of.  Furthermore, larger cleaning and organizing jobs are often overwhelming for people like me on the spectrum.  I am sharing my idea for anyone who is interested in joining my tradition.

You are free to adjust the challenge however you like, but this is how I do it.

When: I will start on the first day of spring, and continue for 50 days.

What: I will throw or give away something every day for said days.

Why: because I have a tendency to hoard things, my room is cluttered, and I will be rewarded with $10 dollars of shopping at Half Price Books.

Feel free to do more or less days and reward yourself with something when you finish.  If you forget a day, just get rid of that day's item the next day.  Last but not least, if you want, retweet, or otherwise share this idea.

Autism/Aspergers Disclosure

I for one am rather partial to partial disclosure.

It is very common for people to ask me about why I do something that is symptomatic of autism. The most common thing people ask about is my sensitive hearing. Because I usually do not know the person asking the question very well, I usually say something along the lines of "I have sensory problems". Which is true, and does a fine job of addressing the behavior that they were questioning.  What I find is good about this type of disclosure, is that people don't seem to think much of it, which is nice.

As for people, such as teachers, who I work with regularly, it depends on how much I feel my autism will affect my participation in whatever they are teaching. 

I still have a lot of trouble just saying “I have Aspergers” mainly because it is difficult to predict how different people will react.  Most people do slightly change how they treat me once they know that I have Aspergers.  Which is not necessarily bad, but you know what people like me think about anything changing.

For anyone interested, I just started a Twitter account https://twitter.com/Elainaism

Fun and Function T-Shirts

Allow me to introduce you to my most worn t-shirts http://funandfunction.com/sensational-hug-tee-long-sleeves-navy-p-2033.html

They are a very reasonably priced t-shirt for sensory sensitive people. I wear them most days a base layer, underneath a regular t-shirt, or in the summer as I would another t-shirt.

They seem true to size as I am a skinny 5'6" person and normally wear adult small and (apart from the long sleeves being too short) I fit the 12-13 size. Which, according the website, is "compared to a size small adult"

The only quality problem I have had with them, is the threading on the seams tends to come undone.

Long Time No Blog

Long time no blog.

I have been busy getting acclimated to college work, but I will try to blog every now and then and during summer break.
 

I will leave you all with one of my writings from English class.

I am Different and Normal

By Elaina Franklin

Tears are often the result of sadness, which for many people comes about when they don’t quite fit in to what is considered typical.  I think that such a person would feel better if others would just accept him or her as just a regular person.  Whereas, when others keep trying to suggest to such an individual that their difficulties are just problems that everybody has, then it only reminds the individual of how very difficult their differences can be to live with.

Just like the cheetah in a traditional Zulu story, I started the long and occasionally tearful journey of realizing that I would not just grow up and be (for lack of better words) normal:

One day, the cheetah, with its great eyesight, spotted some large cats off in the distance and eagerly went running as fast as she could toward these cats. As she was running toward them, one of the cats, which was much larger than the others, stood up and roared. The loud noise frightened the cheetah and she dug her claws into the dirt and came to abrupt halt. The cat was a big male lion, and he roared out to the cheetah in a very low booming voice, “Who are you and what do you want?” (How the Cheetah Got Its Tears 2)

“Who was I and what did I want?” I thought to my 11-year-old self.  Just like the cheetah in this story, loud noises frightened me and I seemed to be a bit different from other kids my age.  I had just started to realize that I went about the world in a slightly unconventional manner. 

Fast forward six confusing years, and here I am diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a type of autism spectrum disorder and affects social skills, communication, and many more areas of life.  I found out that I might have Asperger’s Syndrome when my pediatrician suggested that I might have it, and then I got evaluated and diagnosed.  In many ways, being diagnosed has been helpful for me and my family because now I have a better idea of what is happening in my brain, and I can get the help I need to reach my potential.

I have felt, on some occasions, excluded from being treated like a peer but, thankfully as far as I know, have never been bullied.  I have zero developmentally appropriate peer relationships, and I have trouble understanding what other people are thinking or feeling.  I am generally a happy person, but just like the cheetah, who “…thought about how the lion roared and did not want her, and how the wild dogs yelped and bit at her feet, and she felt sadder and sadder.” (How the Cheetah Got Its Tears 3), I do get sad about having trouble making friends.

Some people try to relate to my troubles by talking about how they think that the movie theater is too loud or that they “suck at making friends too”, when really they have what doctors would consider normal peer relationships and their brains process information just fine.  When people say things like this, it just reminds me of the troubles that I have.

It would be a lot nicer for me if people would just accept me, rather than trying to relate to me.  I feel the most comfortable around people who treat me as they would treat any other person.  Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.  “Each animal had to get used to its own body, so the cheetah started running and found out it could run very very fast” (How the Cheetah Got Its Tears 2).  People tend to see what is different about other people before they see how they are the same.  However, I assure you that I really am normal in at least as many ways as I am different.