[teddytisms]

Intro/Pinned Post

Hello! My name is Teddy. I am an adult-bodied disabled autistic person 👋

Some things about me:

I’m 23 years old

I’m a low support needs autistic

Overall I can usually do ADLs but struggle greatly with IADLs

I’m not yet diagnosed, but my psychiatrist agrees that I’m autistic. Just need to afford the official test

I’m neutrois

I’m biromantic asexual

I’m white

Current special interests as of 7/26/2023 is lizards, puppets, art, Ponyo, TAZ: Balance, Life is Strange franchise, the musicals Rent and Godspell, Julia from Sesame Street, lgbtq+ culture, names, and accessibility aids (specific niches being mobility aids and AAC)

Current hyperfixations as of 7/26/2023 include Bluey and goth fashion

I’m pro-self dx, pro-mogai, pro non-traumagenic system origins, anti-MAPs, and anti-bigotry

I live in Florida, USA

I also have ADHD, Anxiety, and Bipolar 1, AVPD, DPD, & OCD

Some things about this blog:

I plan to post neurodivergent and disability related resources, memes, activism, special interests, and my diagnosis journey

I will also answer any asks that get sent in, but please don’t ask for advice because I don’t have the spoons to be an advice blog

[harlantisms]

Hey does anyone know about immigrating to England while autistic? Does an autism diagnosis automatically mean i’ll be denied a visa? Bc my fiancé and i want to move there in several years for like a year or two for school but im reading that an autism dx might deny me? How true is that?

[nonspeakingkiku]

Kiku gets to go to a trunk or treat this year for halloween (at least, maybe more not sure) so Kiku make a communication board for it (it has Kiku's other name on it because that's the name Kiku uses with people who aren't family or close friends (or in online disability spaces like this).

[autisticadvocacy]

Bilingual AAC - AssistiveWare

Bilingual use and easy switching between languages and voices is a key feature of many of our products – but it took a lot of hard work to

“For bilingual users, it makes a big difference to have access to an AAC system which is useful throughout the day. Access to languages and voices that they identify with increases the chance that they will remain engaged.”

[the-angry-autist]

“Reclaiming” the r-slur

The idea of “reclaiming” the r slur (the slur against people with intellectual disability) is pretty recent and is full of misconceptions.

The r-slur is specifically targeting people with intellectual disability, not every person with a mental disability. Even if this slur was used against you because you have another mental disability, if you don’t have ID you don’t belong to the marginalized group that is targeted by this slur, and therefore do not have the right to reclaim it. An analogy for you: I have been called sinophobic (discrimination against East Asian people) slurs, because people interpret my Indigenous features as being East Asian. However, I am not East Asian, therefore I do not reclaim the slur. Just like how I do not belong to the group that is targeted by that slur, despite being a POC, mentally disabled people without ID do not belong to the group targeted by the r slur. Therefore it is not yours to reclaim.

Most people with intellectual disability do not think this slur is reclaimable. If the group of people targeted by a slur generally do not want it to be reclaimed, it should not be reclaimed, period.

Most people trying to reclaim this slur don’t actually use it in a way that’s “reclaiming” it. For example, calling your autistic traits [r-slur]ed is still using the slur as an insult. Calling yourself an [r-slur] in order to joke about yourself in a negative light is still just adding to the stigma of what that word means. I’ve never seen a neurodivergent person attempt to “reclaim” the r-slur without it just perpetuating ableist stereotypes.

Don’t say the r-slur unless you have an intellectual disability. Yes, even if you’re neurodivergent. It’s not your slur to reclaim and you’re likely not actually reclaiming it anyway.

[Image ID: White text in a Galaxy background reads If you: Derail my posts; are an “aspie”; run a sh/ed blog; are under 16; are a TERF; think cripplepunk is for mental disabilities; think that autism isn’t a disorder; are pro-transabled, trace, transage, etc; are pro-map or pro-zoo; are a transmed; want to completely demedicalize autism, I will probably block or mock you. End ID]

[flowercrowncrip]

Today (July 19th) is Changing Places awareness day!

[Image description: a photo of the changing places toilet with the features listed below /end ID]

What is a changing places toilet?

A changing places toilet is a toilet which can be used by disabled people like me who can’t use a standard accessible toilet. This may be because someone needs extra equipment, and/or room for carers to help them. The main features of the changing places toilet are:

Lots of room! Changing places toilet must be at least 12 square metres. This means that there is plenty of room for a wheelchair user to turn around as well as room for up to 2 carers.

A peninsular toilet! This is a toilet which has enough room on each side were wheelchair to be positioned for transferring. As with standard accessible toilet there are grab rails on each side.

Accessible washbasin! The washbasin must have room underneath for a wheelchair user. An adjustable height washbasin is preferred.

A ceiling hoist! This allows people who cannot transfer independently to be able to safely get out of their wheelchair. A person brings their own sling which is hooked onto the hoist allowing them to be lifted.

An adult size changing table! This allows people need help with undressing to use the toilet, or help changing incontinence pads to have their needs met safely and with dignity. Without a changing table, many people have to resort to lying on the toilet floor to change their pads which is unsafe, undignified and unhygienic.

Why raise awareness?

The lack of changing places toilet means it’s hard for disabled people like me to leave the house. It’s limits our ability to socialise, access work/education, exercise, travel, and even attend hospital appointments. (In the UK there are only 93 hospitals with a registered changing places toilet).

I have to plan my entire life around the few changing places toilet that exist, which massively shrinks my world. It’s incredibly difficult for me to travel (less than 2% of train stations in the UK have a changing places toilet), go days out, visit the hospital, and otherwise experience the world outside my house. Hopefully one day every event like Pride or music festivals will have a mobile changing places toilet, and there will be public changing places toilet with 24/7 access in every town, as well as changing places toilets in public buildings like leisure centres, libraries, museums, cinemas, tourist attractions and shopping centres.

More info including what you can do to help the UK campaigns for more changing places toilets can be found at changing-places.org

[wheelievampire-deactivated20231]

i was interested to learn more about changing places outside of the UK, and i found, from what looks like the same organization, this international map + this Florida/Georgia/Alabama project to install more, in case anyone is in the same area and would like to learn! we apparently only have one in my city, seven in my state, which is absolutely not enough to let people go about their days freely.

[jananpa-deactivated20230821]

you’re allowed to want a cure for your condition.

you’re allowed to want a cure for ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, OCD, PDs, DID, mood disorders, any and all physical and/or mental conditions.

you’re allowed to be vocal that YOU ARE STRUGGLING. people struggle because these mental conditions are disorders. they are not meant to be pleasant. mental disorders are inherently neutral and you don’t have to feel good (or bad!) about having one.

⚠️ this blog is anti-autism speaks, CAN (cure autism now!), and all eugenics movements surrounding disability.

[briarpatch-kids]

My friend Tay asked me to help him teach people about the kinds of mobility aids he uses. Tay has a autism and profound intellectual disability, along with a seizure disorder and a chromosomal disease, so he can't use the same kinds of mobility aid you normally see. Not many people know about this kind of aid, so we're going to teach you!

The first aid Tay uses is called a Gait Trainer. Gait trainers are a lot like walkers, except they follow you instead of you pushing them. They're also built in a way that helps teach you to walk better when when you're not using the gait trainer. Tay's gait trainer has a saddle and straps on it to make sure that he's safe and supported. He also chose a cool green color. Gait trainers are commonly used by children who take longer to learn how to walk and people with intellectual disabilities who can't use a traditional push style walker.

Tay says his favorite part of his gait trainer is playing at the park with his friend. His friend ALSO uses a gait trainer like Tay, which is really cool.

The next kind of aid Tay uses is called an adaptive stroller. Adaptive strollers are a lot like wheelchairs, but with smaller wheels because they're made to be pushed by someone else. These are great when you're like Tay and can't figure out how to push a manual wheelchair or steer a power chair safely.  Tay's adaptive stroller, a convaid rodeo, has the same feature my powerchair has, tilt, so that he can stay comfortable and safe when he has to sit in it for a long time. There's also buckles and straps that help Tay stay in the adaptive stroller, he gets help getting the buckles and straps done. Tay says that he can even be tilted back and go to sleep while everyone else is walking when he's in his adaptive stroller!

Finally, there's the Rifton Activity Chair! Activity chairs are most often used in places like school or developmental centers because they're great for getting people up close to the table and you're able to adjust the how tall or short you want the chair. A lot of high support strollers and wheelchairs aren't able to get as close to the table, but an activity chair is made just for that! It can go up and down and some of them can even tilt closer to the table. Tay says he uses it to make snacks and play in the water table and do crafts at the developmental center he goes to, he really likes his activity chair.

Thank you Tay for helping teach us! I learned a lot while writing this, and I hope it helps a lot of people learn about what these mobility aids are and why people use them!

[misosoupstarking]

talking to people in my life got me curious: have you had COVID-19

yes

yes, twice

yes, three times

yes, more than three times

nope!

other/show answers

Voting ended onJul 9, 2023

Please reblog if you vote for a wider sample :)

[animentality]

[sainamoonshine]

POV: mister Devon Price, PhD, telling me that I am right about everything

Source: Unmasking Autism, discovering the new faces of neurodiversity

[dietspam16]

[autistic-af]

Scene Play and Autism

Not often spoken about is scene playing in autistic children.

What is scene playing?

It's setting up an elaborate story for your toys, putting them into position and leaving them. The set up of the scene is the play, not the self-inserted interaction of typical imagination play.

Movement of toys from others or removal of toys by others can be very upsetting to the child as the scene is disrupted.

The child may leave the scene overnight or all day or until told to clean up.

Children who scene play still can imagination play... But often it's through another child leading them. Self imagination play is often (but not always) limited.

Scenes can range from basic to elaborate as their inner world is vast and highly developed from a young age.

[crazycatsiren]

I scene played almost on the daily with my stuffed animals, action figures, and Barbie dolls, and my family thought I was completely normal.

[hop-water-music]

Reblog this and put if you're taller or shorter than the person you reblogged it from im curious.. I'm 6'1

Taller

Shorter

Voting ended onMay 28, 2023

Put your height in the tags

[clownrecess]

AAC users who use a high tech device, which program do you use? (No see results option because messes up feedback)

Proloquo2go/Proloquo/Proloquo4text

Avaz

LAMP

Speech Assistant

Coughdrop

chatterboards

TalkTabletPRO

Symbotalk

Snap core first

Other (tags)

Voting ended onMay 27, 2023

[birdofmay]

FAQ autism post

"Sina, sometimes I listen to people and my brain can't make sense of what they say, what's that?" - Maybe....

an ADHD thing

a sensory overload thing

receptive language issues

What is receptive language disorder? Get a definition of receptive language disorder and information on signs and how it’s diagnosed in this

auditory processing disorder

aphasia

...or check out how language processing and auditory processing works in general, autism can make these things hard without it being an additional disorder ☝🏼

"I want to say something but say the opposite or feel like my mouth and my brain don't cooperate, and I've been in speech therapy!"

check out childhood apraxia of speech, even if you don't have it, sometimes it's soothing to know that there are people with similar experiences

"I don't know what my verbality level would be considered!"

Me neither! But check out my masterpost

Hello autistics who aren't well-versed in "high support needs autistic" circles and want to learn more, especially with autism acceptance mo

and don't forget that "unreliably speaking" is for people with apraxia

"I've heard that we shouldn't say "going nonverbal", what other words can we say instead?"

Here, a nice little list!

(correct me if I'm not aware of some nuances, and please add other words in the comments) If you suddenly can't speak/struggle to speak: l

"I don't know my autism level!"

Me neither, only the DSM-5 has autism levels, I don't have an autism level either.

I was diagnosed with severe autism because they made me take several additional "severity tests" after the normal diagnostic tests.

If your country uses the DSM-5, maybe you've been diagnosed when they still used the DSM-4.

"I don't know what support needs I'd be considered!"

Me neither, but check out my support needs masterpost:

With autism acceptance month coming up, this post aims to make the difference between autism levels and support needs more clear, because th

A "general rule of thumb" is "Help with IADLs = low support needs, help with IADLs and some BADLs = medium support needs, help with IADLs and most or all BADLs = high support needs", but these categories aren't as strict as they seem.

Do you have care needs? No? Then you're not high support needs, you're most likely low or low-to-mid support needs.

My country re-assesses my support needs regularly; if you're medium or high support needs and weren't medically neglected your whole life, you'd normally know that you're medium or high support needs already, because that's tested (if you're not sure, check the documents). But testing is different from country to country.

Unless, of course, something happened recently that you now suddenly need a lot of help, definitely more than before. In this case there likely wasn't any testing yet. But in that case I can't help you either, because I don't test you.

"How should people who want to be friends with you in real life act, so that you're not overwhelmed?"

see, that's the main difference between my (severe) autism and most people on Tumblr. I'm not interested in real life friends. Chatting via messenger is the most relaxing kind of communication for me. I have one(1) friend in real life and we never meet, which is why we're friends.

My parents, carers, accompanying people, etc. tell others exactly what to do or not to do so that I'm not overwhelmed. But you'd mostly speak to them instead of me anyway because direct contact is overwhelming.

[the-angry-autist]

Weirdly specific poll: autism edition

Which one applies to you?

Semispeaking in the sense that my speech is almost always incoherent

Relate to autigender but identify as genderqueer to avoid confusion

Cannot understand the concept of pain

Has been diagnosed with Aspergers, PDDNOS, *and* ASD by separate professionals

Got an ADHD and BPD diagnosis *after* the autism diagnosis

Arrested during a meltdown

Visibly autistic and low masking but still late diagnosed

More than one (put in tags!)

None of the above

I’m not autistic

Voting ended onMay 8, 2023

Rb for sample size

[defectivegembrain]

Like look a big part of why you're coming across so many autistic people online is that we don't know where else to go. We are very often isolated in real life interactions. Even whatever tiktok autistic you think is doing so well is probably different face to face. Online you can often stop to think about things more, and you don’t have to look people in the eye, and there's no chance of unwanted touch, and if you're worn out from socialising you can just close the window. It's definitely not universal, and I understand there are autistic people who also find online communication just as daunting, and yes there are still aspects of it that are confusing to me, but like, if and when it works, it's an escape. It's an exception. It's not an accurate reflection of how we are in society in general.

[theconcealedweapon]

In online posts, you have all the time in the world to think of what to say.

In online posts, you can reread what you're saying before posting it.

In online posts, your body language and tone are irrelevant.

In online posts, you won't be interrupted and have assumptions made about what you were going to say.

In online posts, you don't have to wait until it's your turn to speak nor do you have to figure out when that is.

In online posts, you can't be physically attacked for what you say.