Research Update! (notes on Mom on the Spectrum)

 So, I'm watching Chart of Easily Missed Traits for Autistic Women (Mom on the Spectrum) video and about 4-minutes in, she goes into how she's a flute player.  If you don't know this about me, I have been playing flute since like 2010 and I even taught people how to play flute.  I wanted to start crying when she said "for me, my music skills are I play the flute", my brain was so excited that I paused the video.

OKAY, enough for me! Just wanted to share!  I might post a post later on with a link/list to all the videos I watched for this project.

I won't share anything more because I don't want to give too much information away, but so far the research process has been very interesting (in a good way).  

LIFE UPDATE!!! (Educational Version)

 Hi readers!!

Life is good so far!  If you didn't know, I am back in school hoping to get into grad school.  

I have a special announcement!  I am working on my first ever undergraduate research project on autism as a content analysis.  I am doing 90% of the work and will be submitting the final parts in a week from today.  I'm so proud of myself.  I've come so far.  

The research I am doing is purely based on videos I am watching and observing.  I figure this is a great way for me to start my research journey in the field of psychology.

I can't wait to share my results.  Until then, peace out :)

Sensory Sensitivities and Autism

 Have you ever stopped to smell the flowers?  Listened to music?  Felt a nice warm blanket?  Ate/tasted the best meal?  Saw the most beautiful sunset?  All of these things have something in common, it's the way that we view and experience the world around us.  As human beings, we are all given the abilities to use our senses.  There's: 

1. Sight 
2. Smell
3. Touch/Feel 
4. Taste
5. Sound

People with autism experience these sensations sometimes too much or not a lot.  It seems like a lot of the time, when people with autism misbehave, they are wanting sensory input of some kind.  

An example of this would be: Jenny is a 5-year old whose mom just had a baby. Jenny's mom has been spending a lot of time with the new baby, which has meant that Jenny hasn't been able to spend time with her parents like she used to.  Jenny has been getting into more trouble than she ever been in.  She will calm down when her parents give her a hug. 

In the example, we learn that Jenny seeks the sense of touch and when her parents can't give her that, so she asks for attention to receive that sensory input.

We should implement and create healthy ways to match the sensory-seeking needs of autistic individuals, we can find ways to match the sensory seeking behaviors that each person has.  With Jenny, when mom can't give her cuddles, she can have Jenny sit next to her with a teddy bear and teach her that giving the teddy bear hugs is like giving mama hugs.

LIFE UPDATE!

 

I have been M.I.A for a while now.  A lot has happened since May 2024.  I did a full semester of classes for the first time since 2021.  I became part of the Autism Incorporated Club Presidency at UVU and we made sensory-friendly stim kits for autistic individuals.  

I am still figuring life out, and it's been a journey so far.  Being neurodiverse is complicated.  There's so many uncertainties and you never know what change is going to happen and how it will effect you.  

I will try to be better at making more entries as I know that some day, they will benefit others who have similar experiences to me.