Autistic Consultant on Autism, Making Friends and The Hidden Curriculum
Autism, Making Friends and The Hidden Curriculum by Judy Endow It can be difficult for some autistic people to sort out what things are okay to say and what things are not okay to say in various social situations. This was true for a high school student I worked with during the past year. William very much enjoyed talking with others, but was asking questions and making comments that were not appreciated by teaching staff. Worse, these comments and questions were causing other students to avoid him rather than include him in social exchanges. Each time teaching staff explained to
Autism, Perseveration and Holding onto Thoughts
Autism, Perseveration and Holding onto Thoughts by Judy Endow Like many autistics, all my life I have thought visually. My thinking is comprised of pictures, colors, shapes along with their sound and movement. Given that experience, I have had to learn how to hold onto new thoughts because it doesn’t just happen automatically. This is especially true if I see a novel thought while in a slightly (or more than slightly) elevated emotional state. It doesn’t matter if the emotion is negative or positive. Here is an example: When I am looking forward to an event
