It's that time again (Autism April)

[Ahriman238]

Can I suggest a good, inexpensive way to replicate some of that "snoozelen room"? A lot of media players come with a visualisation plugin of some sort; my personal favourite for this is either MilkDrop on Winamp or its open-source cousin ProjectM, which works in Qmmp and probably others. Run that through a cheap LCD projector, throw in a couple of cheap novelties like a plasma ball and a lava lamp -which are amazingly cheap on eBay- and the total cost should be under $200.

People have done this. The lava lamp is a terrible idea for a snozelen room, as a rule you want to avoid anything that will burn you if you touch it, the rest may be manageable. A plasma ball is another cool toy for this.


Another cheap and dirty project for sensory stimulation is cloud dough. Pretty much just mix 8 cups of flour well with one cup vegetable oil and you get something incredibly soft but still moldable in the same way as clay. Works great even just for neurotypical kids.

[Broomstick]

I've recently started associating with the owner of a craft store who is interested in buying product from the spouse and I, which is not relevant to this thread. What is relevant is that one of her daughters is autistic. At this point the young woman is highly functional and at times seems normal, other times she's "off". I didn't realize, until her mother mentioned it in conversation yesterday, that that was what the young woman's problem is. Listening to the mom was like hearing this thread again - the description of the grind, the lack of understanding on both sides, etc.

That family is fortunate, though - the marriage survived and, as the mom said "we're reaping the benefit of a LOT of years of hard work and frustration."

[Ahriman238]

It's tough and it never gets easier. But you do get better at dealing with it, and then you have a special unique person. I've known autistics who could spend hours captivated by a spinning top, or the play or light over moving water and just by knowing them I was forced to notice these things again. It isn't easy to deal with someone who has autism, but in my experience it's well worth doing.

[Ahriman238]

Well, April is over and the soapbox goes back in the closet. If anyone has questions or concerns, first direct them to an actual expert and/or medical professional, second PM me. I'm glad to help however much I can, but you should realize that autism is very individualized and what works for some or many may not help you.

I'd like to thank everyone who chimed in and made this thread work so very well. Seriously, you're all great.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Hell, thank you Ahriman for starting it. We might have contributed but you drove it. Kudos man.

[Broomstick]

Autism doesn't end with April - no reason this thread can't continue either, if appropriate.

Thanks for the thread, it's been thought-provoking and insightful.

[Zaune]

Is it worth stickying this thread and/or retitling it to "So you or someone you know has autism..." or something, maybe?

[Ahriman238]

Judgement call for the mods, we can ask though.

Hells, if we're feeling ambitious we might ask for a group like GALE force or Knights Astrum Clades. Don't think there's been a new one in a while. But whatever would we call it?

[Eternal_Freedom]

My first suggestion would Autism Awareness but that sounds like a shit charity.

If I might suggest though, as worthy a cause as spreading knowledge of autism is, not limiting it to just that, but including other disabilities as well?

[Ahriman238]

Works for me. The inclusion bit, not the name.

[Broomstick]

Would that be a forum for disabled members, or disabled members and their caregivers/loved ones?

[Serafina]

I'm definitely in favor of such a forum/group, as long as it covers more than autism.

Not just because it would cover a wider range of related topics - but also because it would allow exchange and support between affected people with different disabilities.

And caregivers/loved ones should definitely be included as well.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Caregivers and loved ones should absolutely be included. After all, they're seriously affected as well.

[Ahriman238]

Would that be a forum for disabled members, or disabled members and their caregivers/loved ones?

Definitely caregivers and loved ones, for reasons others have mentioned. They have an interest and a stake, they're also effected and could use support. Also, while I do have an old diagnosis for ADHD (and my fiancé insists I must have some extremely high-functioning form of autism) my reason for being here in the first place is having a loved one with autism, so I can't imagine excluding others.

[Dragon Angel]

It's a nice idea. I lie on the schizophrenia spectrum, and I'd be willing to contribute to such a group too!

This entire post was also very informative, and I learned a lot more about the autism spectrum. Thank you Ahriman.

[Ahriman238]

Haven't really gotten anywhere yet pestering the mods about a group. And I still can't come up with a good name.

But I did get a reminder of something I'd neglected to mention before, when someone stopped to discuss out dog and thus autism. Said person was puzzled that girls get autism. Well, there is a huge disconnect, four times as many boys as girls get diagnosed but this happens for two reasons. First, if a boy is quiet and just wants to do his own thing obsessively instead of running around and playing, people look for what's wrong and talk to a doctor. To a very real extent, people still treat a girl being quiet and solitary as normal.

The other reason is girls with autism are much more likely to unintentionally build a support network through early childhood. Other girls often come to them to help mentor them through the things they're supposed to do, before getting bored around the ages of eight or nine.

[Ahriman238]

We have approval from on high, just need a forum (I assume off-topic is fine with everyone?) mod and group name.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Off-topic sounds most sensible, I'll happily volunteer to be the mod...as for the name, I've no idea yet I'm afraid.

[Broomstick]

If it requires a mini-mod I can pitch in, I'm already mini-mod for SOS:NBA. Of course, if someone else wants the honor I'm happy to yield.

Name? Asylum for the Exhausted? Happy Haven? A Cuppa and a Warm, Fuzzy Blanket?

[Ahriman238]

I have half-a-dozen, but they're all terrible.

For a bit I tried making acronyms of the more common disabilities but even the best I came up with, DREAD, was too exclusionary of too many major disabilities. I suppose I was a bit to inspired by GALE force.

I thought of 'the Inscrutables' but that's just something I was reading and rather too autism-centric. The untouchables, for how often the disabled are made pariahs or found at loose ends, but too much of a downer. The SDN shortbus, just no, though an interesting study in how people will even momentarily consider self-use titles they'd hate bitterly if anyone else proposed them.

[Eternal_Freedom]

Happy Haven sounds pretty good. And The Untouchables, well, I don't think it's too bad really.

I'll keep pondering the name, but as I said, I'll happily mod the group (Broomstick, I'd welcome any advice on that via PM if that's ok).

[Ahriman238]

Sure, I have zero mod experience and would be only too happy to defer to you, EF.

...

I can't believe in a forum this well-read and varied we're having so much trouble finding a name for a vaguely heroic band of cripples, outcasts and misfits.

I suggest though that we give people a day or two to chime in. Much as I'd love to see this group happen, I don't think we're in enough of a rush to keep everyone from having a say.

[Eternal_Freedom]

True. I'm sure we'll come up with something.

[Dragon Angel]

The Untouchables sounds sufficiently gallows-y for my tastes. I've been mostly trying to think of my condition in that manner lately, anyway.

The Inscrutables can also twistedly refer to schizophrenia, what with magical thinking and such.

[Broomstick]

Cripples and Caregivers
Changelings (in the old days "odd" babies were said to be changelings left by the fairies when they took the human baby)
No Normals Allowed
Handicapped and Helpers
The Lame and the Exhausted
Disabled, Distracted, and Different (3D)

OK, I'm being morbid tonight....