nemo bros

he/him, autistic adult, aac user

[transsexualcanine]

things disabled people should NOT use (according to physabled people on my uni campus) :

the ramp (made for riding their bike down really fast)

the accessible seat (for them to have more leg room)

the accessible bathroom stall (for shitting and watching tiktoks)

the elevator (mobility aids take up too much space)

the automatic open button door (they are going the opposite direction and like hitting buttons)

the manual open door (you take too long to open it)

the sidewalk (not walking fast enough)

the university campus (being near you makes them uncomfortable)

[mickeymusketeer]

When using online spaces centered around autism, I noticed a huge shift between the 2010s, to after 2015 getting progressively worse around 2020.

Autism as a diagnosis is progressively getting to be a more common diagnosis. But because of that, a lot of people online and in person begin to expect Level 1 autism as the standard.

Actual constructive ways to be more Level 2-3 autism inclusive.

Accept that people in the autism community willl sometimes have intelectual disabilities

Be more inclusive to those who don't understand social norms. Do not expect autistics to have memorized social rules.

Understand that autism does come with needing extra help for some. You might have to adjust to their specific social needs.

Stop discussing autism as a superpower or as special interests as if they are magical/intelwctually give you an upperhand.

Fully reject cringe culture. NOT exclusively when it is convenient for you/quirky.

Talk with people. I cannot express this enough, but talking behind an autistic persons back about issues you have with them is still bullying, even if you yourself are autistic.

The way we show love or friendship might be overwhelming, discuss this with us if you have boundaries! Boundaries are not something hardwired into our brains.

Treat us like people, and like friends.

Finally, remember autism is not a quirky character trait. It's a disability. Please treat us (and yourself!) like it is one.

[asexual-amanita]

Unpopular opinion, but ADHD isn’t actually very similar to autism. I’m tired of them being treated like they’re the same spectrum, and same severity. If actually you look at the criteria, they’re really not that similar.

[postmanic]

a comic about different ways autistic people communicate and show we care!

shoutout to @3leafedclover , @mickeymusketeer , and my partner for helping me out with this one and also for letting me use your characters (black cat with shades, orange dog with the mickey plushie, and orange/white dog with the 'nervous' vest, respectively!), y'all are awesomes!

also thank you @3leafedclover for the image ids!

[mossdftba]

[scurvgirl]

October is AAC Awareness month, so let this SLP prattle on a bit about it! Credentials: I am an ASHA certified and state licensed Speech Language Pathologist who has been working in pediatrics for the past three years, I have a Master's of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders. I prescribe, program, and perform therapy with a variety of AAC devices.

AAC stands for Alternative Augmentative Communication - it basically refers to any communication mode other than verbal speech. Lost your voice from laryngitis so now you're using texting to communicate? AAC. You're ordering in a restaurant and don't know how to say the name of the dish you want so you point to a picture in the menu? AAC. You meet your friend's eyes and make a face to express "the guy near me is a creep" - AAC.

So what are those tablets? That is referred to as high tech AAC because...it uses more advanced technology! Thanks to tablets, most high tech AAC is housed in software rather than hardware - but hardware can still be very necessary for who needs access to the device.

Who uses AAC? Lots of people! It's most often associated with Autism right now, but there are many people - Autistic and not - who use AAC. A famous example is Stephen Hawking

Here we see Dr. Hawking using a high-tech speech generating device that is mounted to his wheelchair. How is accessing it? Eye gaze! There is a special camera in that device that tracks his eye movement.

4. Do kids use these? What about screen time? Kids do use these devices and it's honestly so great. These devices are used only for communication - when I introduce high tech AAC to a child, there are no games on the device to clearly separate it from being a toy. Toys are great and we can have fun with the device, but the device's purpose is communication. Kids, Autistic and not, can and do learn this distinction! I am currently working with a 2 year old with suspected ASD and he gets it! He's with it and he's so excited he gets to repeatedly tell me he wants to play with the animal toys.

5. Okay...but does using AAC hinder speech and language development and using "words"? NO. There is no data to suggest that AAC access and use hinders speech and language development or verbal productions. In fact, in a 2024 meta-analysis, it was found that around 80% of children who are exposed to the use of AAC actually INCREASED their vocal productions. AAC is another pathway to communication by definition but there is now emerging evidence to see it as a therapeutic intervention in itself. I've actually had wonderful success introducing and using AAC with clients who I suspect can learn to verbally communicate, but it's going to take a long time using traditional methods alone. One client now has increased her vocal vocabulary AND her device vocabulary and uses BOTH to form messages - she recently told me "No, fine" with a vocal "no" and with the "fine" using her device. And it was 100% contextually appropriate! AAC by design is to create access - NOT STOP IT.

6. AAC users not CAN be bilingual - they are!! Most of my AAC using clients are Spanish and English bilingual speakers. I create both Spanish and English grids and provide the client access to them. I will link them together so the client can learn to code-switch - and don't you know, they do it! I have a client who has the names of her school friends in her English grid but not in her Spanish grid so she will say the name, switch over to Spanish then tell the device to say it again in a Spanish accent because she knows she is Hispanic! The cultural identity and interaction she has now because of her device is priceless, and it was deeply meaningful to create that grid with her family to create that connection.

7. Okay but are non-verbal kids even cognitively - Stop it right there. I am tired of people who do not know any non-speaking people or work with them literally trying to speak for them. That girl who is navigating between the Spanish and English boards for accent purposes? She'd be considered "non-verbal". Another "non-verbal" client told me "6-7" last week using his device and it was completely age expected! One of the most beautiful moments in my career is when I learned that my client's favorite color was purple because he finally had access to words and he asked "Is it purple?"

Part of why I wrote this is because there is not enough discussion about it. AAC is incredible, particularly high-tech AAC. And I also want there to be more awareness of it for anyone who needs it. When I was an intern, I met a woman who had her tongue removed due to cancer and for ten years she had to get by with just writing little notes on her notepad. Her doctor never brought it up! We have the technology!

[only-knives]

some things i need help with because i wanna acknowledge it instead of beating myself up for not being able to do it/do it alone:

grocery shopping

cleaning dishes

cooking meals

doing laundry

making phone calls

making appointments

going to appointments

talking to professionals

cleaning my house

knowing when to speak to someone

talking to people in general

remembering to brush my teeth

ordering food at restaurants

going to an unfamiliar place

doing something i've never done before

transportation (i can't drive)

communicating my needs

communicating at all when not able to speak

... basically i need help managing things that you need to do in order to live as an adult. and. i have help with some of this but. not all of it, especially the self-care & house stuff.

[only-knives]

some things i need help with because i wanna acknowledge it instead of beating myself up for not being able to do it/do it alone:

grocery shopping

cleaning dishes

cooking meals

doing laundry

making phone calls

making appointments

going to appointments

talking to professionals

cleaning my house

knowing when to speak to someone

talking to people in general

remembering to brush my teeth

ordering food at restaurants

going to an unfamiliar place

doing something i've never done before

transportation (i can't drive)

communicating my needs

communicating at all when not able to speak

... basically i need help managing things that you need to do in order to live as an adult. and. i have help with some of this but. not all of it, especially the self-care & house stuff.

[chrome-barkz-aac]

i made this instagram post !!! there isn't as big of a community of AAC users on instagram so I thought I would share this on my instagram (@cytochromesea).

EDIT: i got an ask that states that not everyone knows what AAC is which is an oversight on my part, it stands for alternative and augmentative communication!

Image ID:

A light blue background with a rainbow and a cloud and some stars. There is a blue border collie with wings holding an aac tablet that says I love you! Text reads: AAC etiquette. Do’s, Don’ts, and other stuff. By cytochrome sea.

The same background appears in every following slide. Text reads:

AAC is my voice! It is not a toy or accessory

Don’t touch my AAC without my permission

Don’t take my AAC away from me, for any reason (joke, punishment, etc)

Don’t press buttons randomly or flip through my communication cards without permission

How would you like it if I randomly poked you on the mouth and throat (or on your hands if you sign)? It would be unpleasant, so don’t do that to me

Some AAC users can speak sometimes. It is not your business why someone can or cannot talk

Don’t ask questions about why an AAC user cannot speak. 

Do let us communicate however is best for us in that moment

Don’t ask us if or when we will be able to speak verbally. It’s not your business 

Do not value verbal speech more highly than AAC. Any communication is good communication

Some of us never talk, either, and that’s ok! Those of us who can talk sometimes are not better than those of us who can’t. None of us owe you an explanation for our use of AAC.

Don’t look at my screen until I show you. It feels really invasive!

It feels like when someone is looking at your phone screen over your shoulder, so please don’t do this

This applies to low tech AAC as well, don’t look at someone’s cards or letter board until they show you

You have the dignity of forming your thoughts in your head before you say them, whereas my thoughts are all on display. Please afford me the same dignity that you get automatically.

Don’t shame someone for not being able to speak verbally. It makes us feel horrible

We are real people with thoughts and feelings. Please treat us with kindness. 

We are trying our best

Don’t shame someone if their device mispronounces a word. It’s quite literally out of our control.

Other Don’ts. Don’t

Don't Treat an AAC user as childish or stupid for not being able to speak. Our ability to speak does not define our worth

Don't Show frustration at the way someone communicates

Don't Make comments about how fast or slow we communicate

Also don’t…

don't Act surprised when we swear or talk about adult topics like sex, drugs, or violence. We are not pure uwu precious smol beans, we are normal fucking people

don't Assume what is “wrong” with us. There are about a hundred reasons for someone to use AAC and you probably aren’t the expert in any of them.

“OK, so what CAN i do?” im glad you asked! When interacting with an AAC user, DO…

Ask us how we prefer to communicate and support us as you are able

Assume that we are competent

Talk to us with the same respect, tone and vocabulary that you would for any one else

Give us money (this one is a joke)

Understand that AAC grammar isn’t perfect and we are doing our best

Is it rude if…

I can’t understand your device? Not rude! Misunderstandings happen all the time in any conversation, just be patient as you would normally. 

I want to complement your AAC? Not rude!

I ask to see your AAC and understand how it works? This isn’t rude if you are already talking about AAC, but don’t ask random strangers this. They don’t owe you an AAC tour. 

Thank you for listening! This post is for the community! If you are an AAC user, let me know if I missed something in the comments and I will pin it! I hope you are filled with peace and love and I hope something good happens to you today! End ID. 

[asexual-amanita]

Some autistic people can’t mask btw. Some of us are visibly disabled and visibly autistic, and that’s okay.

This does mean some of us are more vulnerable to ableism and violence, as we are unable to mask even temporarily for our safety.

Autistics who can’t mask/can’t mask well deserve to be included too.

[willtheweirdrat]

Here's to the autistics who are "way too aggressive". Here's to the autistics who get angry easily. Here's to the autistics who are impulsive. Here's to the autistics who have destructive meltdowns. Here's to the autistics who's anger ruins friendships/relationships. Here's to the autistics who can't control their emotions. Here's to the autistics who are bitter and mad. I see you, I love you (platonically), and I hope you have a great day.

[echolalialand-deactivated202512]

i think low support needs autistics take some of the things we moderate and high support needs autistics struggle with for granted.

like, showering. "i have meltdowns when i can't shower because i feel dirty." i can't put the right pieces together in my brain to get myself there more than once every other week or sometimes less without support, and even then i never do it "all the way". the sensory experience of showering is way worse than being dirty and i can't just "force" myself to go through it. imagine feeling dirty and being unable to clean yourself? feeling dirty and being unable to communicate that?

eating. i'm sorry that eating something weird upset you but that you "had" to, but i will starve without access to my safe foods. i literally will not have an appetite without access to my safe foods. imagine not being able to tolerate food to the degree of needing a feeding tube, or being unable to continue eating a safe food when the packaging changes.

cleaning. disorganization upsets you. great, me too. i need extensive emotional preparation, warning, and continuous prompting in order to even hope to clean, and even then it is extremely difficult and causes meltdowns and i may not even be able to do it. imagine having to leave cleaning your space completely up to someone else, how much of an invasion of privacy that is.

these are only a few of the things that i struggle with and many msn/hsn autistics struggle with. and there are even more.

not to say that lsn autistics don't struggle with these things, but that some lsn autistics tend to take things for granted that many msn/hsn autistics can't do independently.

[autistic-robo-deactivated202605]

The communication bill of rights by Tobii dynavox

[asexual-amanita]

Please please please let your kids ask questions about disabled people. Nothing makes me more sad than a parent shying away and avoiding an opportunity to educate their kid about disabilities.

If you don’t know the answer, you can either look it up, or respectfully ask the person your kid’s asking about. There’s also tons of online forums where you can ask real disabled people. Curious kids turn into educated adults. Let your kid ask questions.

[shepandem]

To my AAC-using friends: Please show me your device/card/board setups, I love seeing others' AAC systems! 😁

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

autistic people dominate AAC conversation on tumblr so for this AAC awareness month (October), let us also remember all non-autistic AAC users & autistic AAC users who not use AAC because or solely because autism.

people use AAC for from intellectual & developmental disorders to neurocognitive disorders to neurological to physical disorders. people use AAC for disorders from birth & acquired disorders. progressive & non progressive disorders.

some AAC users have mouth speech, motor, and/or sound clarity related difficulties, others use for language and/or cogntive difficulties, some for combo of reasons.

those with…

intellectual disability

genetic & chromosomal disorders like down syndrome, rett syndrome, angelman syndrome, williams syndrome, etc.

cerebral palsy

speech language disorders like aphasia & dysarthria

schizophrenia & schizoaffective & schizo-spec

brain injury

dementia

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), huntington’s, frederick’s ataxia, etc.

tracheotomy

locked in syndrome

n so much more not listed here

[zombblehh]

Shout out to neurodivergent people who drool. Love you 🫶/p

Don’t have best control of saliva and drool often, wish people would not say gross