Autism advocates I admire have recently shared their burnout with online followers. These advocates are not seeking sympathy, nor are they wallowing in self-pity. Sadly, they must anticipate negative reactions before taking a break from online and real life activism. I separate online from real life because the online world…
Category: Health
From diagnoses to “treatments” and everything in between, posts about health and autistic life.
Driving has been causing back pain, which leads to headaches, and some of those headaches become migraines. A migraine is not merely a bad headache, either. I don’t mind driving on fairly flat, smooth, un-congested routes. The problem is that the roads where we live go over and around hills.…
Since completing my doctorate, I haven’t had a compelling reason to read much about the psychology of autism. When I read scholarly articles in psychology, they tend to be connected to economics or politics. You might imagine that economics and policy, so connected to rhetoric and persuasion, would delve into…
For your consideration, a blog entry I found offensive in its delivery, yet correct in some of the points the doctor wished to express. The Neurodiversity Movement http://corticalchauvinism.com/2015/01/05/the-neurodiversity-movement-lack-of-trust/ Neurodiversity is a catastrophic movement for autistic individuals in general. It is reminiscent of the early religious accounts of Jewish people claiming…
For the last few months I haven’t had much time for blogging, or even quiet reflection on life. This was an overwhelming semester, and I am surprised that I managed to function through the last 16 weeks without total collapse. Partial collapse has followed, though. This semester was too much.…
Sitting at home, with our cats, is where we will be this holiday season. It beats being out and about this week, as Christmas approaches. I have no desire to be among crowds of people or driving in heavy traffic. Peace and quiet are what my wife and I both…
As readers know, blogging frequency varies with life events and schedules. This semester, my schedule allows little time for blogging — or even taking much-needed breaks to recharge my body and mind. The list of activities remains long, as always. I’ve mentioned my to-do list many times on this blog…
As a professor, sometimes I am faced with conflicting impulses: positive advocacy vs. negative reality. Like many advocates, I wish to remind people that most autistics are not violent, bullies, or any more risky than other people in classrooms or workplaces. If anything, people with special needs are more likely…
Autism has a genetic foundation; it likely has many genetic forms, each with its own set of mutations. Press Release: Using New Statistical Tools, Carnegie Mellon’s Kathryn Roeder Finds Genetic Risk for Autism Stems Mostly From Common Genes -Carnegie Mellon News – Carnegie Mellon University I’ve written before about spontaneous, de…
Autistic traits can contribute to being abused and exploited by others, as the following survey data suggest: Half of [UK] autistic adults ‘abused by someone they trusted as a friend’ A startling 44% of those questioned admitted they stayed indoors as much as possible for fear of being harassed. Almost…