It’s easy to confuse different types of fatigue. First, there’s physical exhaustion, which can manifest as brain fog, sleepiness, muscle aches, and similar symptoms. Another type is mental fatigue. Since autism often involves difficulties with automatic processing – meaning autistic individuals rely on factual memory for activities that others perform automatically – we are often […]
Author: Paula Tilli
Tom Asks We have a 24-year-old son, Alfred, who lives at home. He was diagnosed with autism at 17 and also experiences depression. He’s tried medication and therapy in the past, but hasn’t found a good fit with any of the professionals he’s seen. He successfully completed elementary school, high school, and earned a bachelor’s […]
It’s common for people with autism to experience difficulties with automatic processing. Neurotypical individuals can perform tasks without consciously thinking about each step, but someone with autism may need to consciously focus on every action, as things don’t happen automatically. This requires significant mental effort, similar to solving a difficult math problem, and doesn’t allow […]
As someone on the autism spectrum, I need support workers to help me get things organized, not just keep them that way. A blog reader asked me to explain this further, and today I want to talk about the difference between setting up an organization system and maintaining it. Understanding the Need for Structure My […]
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Autism Isn’t a Problem to Solve
Have you ever noticed that some people still believe autism should be “fixed” or “cured”? It seems incredible, considering we now understand autism is a neurological difference—it’s simply how our brains are wired. A recent comment on my blog made me wonder what drives this persistent push for rehabilitation. Why is the ideal so often […]
My last two blog posts have responded to questions from I.H., with the most recent one addressing whether autistic children benefit from or are harmed by social training. As I promised last time, today’s post focuses on limiting the special interests of an autistic person. Films and Games as Special Interests This post stems from […]
IH asks (Part 2) The psychologist encourages us parents to practice various social skills with our autistic child – everything from playing games and building Lego together, to role-playing and practicing social phrases. I shared this in a Facebook group and received a lot of criticism – people said it was wrong and would damage […]
IH Asks We have a child with Autism Level 1, possibly Level 2. They are soon to undergo an assessment for Intellectual Disability (ID), and the child is nearly 7 years old. Our child is significantly behind their peers academically and socially. However, they’ve recently started to show an interest in letters. How can an […]
When I run into problems in everyday life, I can’t help but think about how easily things come to people without disabilities. It’s frustrating to see how much energy they save on daily tasks, leaving them with more for other things. Even though I often write about how content I am with my life and […]
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Why Autism Needs Genuine Validation
Those of us with autism often face challenges that extend beyond the everyday struggles everyone experiences. While everyone goes through difficult times, the difference is that autism is a lifelong condition, and our difficulties can be enduring, or at least long-lasting. When a new resident might understandably feel lonely during their first year in a […]