Autism Awareness Tidbit #10

Persons on the spectrum must manage their sensory needs.  This is easier said than done.  What, exactly, does this mean?  I can describe our perspective on that.

With my older son, sensory input initially took the form of oral needs.  Everything went in to his mouth and was chewed on.  Everything.  He sucked his two middle finders until he was about 4.  He chews on pencaps until they are unrecognizable.  He also had what one might call a "stim" phase: he would flick and manipulate his hands and fingers on a regular basis.  This was usually accompanied by some sort of vocal noises, sometimes reenacting a video game he had played, sometimes just an outreach of a vivid imagination.  Most of the time, he must fidget with something in his hands.  Shoe string, his ear, whatever is sitting around.  He was also VERY sensitive to loud abrupt noises.  He would run away screaming if an ambulance or something like that drove by, just as much as if a book suddenly dropped to the floor.  He has learned to cope with this.

With my younger son, the sensory input comes in the form of pressure.  When he was a toddler, he banged his head on the floor to the point of bruising and lumps.  He would also head butt us, which could cause a nosebleed or two if we were not on the lookout.  He also liked (likes?) to heavily jump on the sidewalk from a step without shoes on.  He also enjoys jumping from a bed to the floor for the same sensory input.  He likes to apply pressure with his hand on a person's head as a symbol of endearment.  (It's often the way he says good bye to me in the morning.)  Like his brother, he likes repetitive movements and noises, often reenacting something he's seen.  There is a sensory room in his school where he can go if the regular classroom becomes overstimulating (sensory overload).  This can happen at events like school parties, when structure is at a low.  The sensory room has a variety of items: a swing, a mini trampoline, and, quite frankly, just a place to get away from the crowd.

Sensory overstimulation is the main reason why people should be cautious about touching persons on the spectrum.  For some individuals, it is as painful as a thousand pinpricks, even if the intention is a hug or a pat on the back.  Auditory overstimulation is also a challenge.  If too many noises are going on in one place at one time, a person on the spectrum can have a difficult time processes all of these.  I liken it to an assault in the senses similar to if a neurotypical person would attend a rock concert.