Kids With Autism: Why It Is OK for My Autistic Child to Be "Weird" by Sandra Matthews


Kids With Autism: Why It Is OK for My Autistic Child to Be "Weird"

Many therapies and programs for autistic children are designed to help them learn to look more normal and minimize autistic-like behaviors. Hand flapping, noises, stims, etc., are often discouraged by MOST educational and therapeutic communities. As an autistic parent, I am here to tell you how ridiculous this is. Stimming behaviors are used by many autistic people to:

  • regulate
  • process new information 
  • calm themselves

Imagine your body is a tea kettle and every time you stim you let off steam. There are many types of stims. For non-autistic people, you might workout, overeat, cry or play an instrument as your stress relief. In fact, these are usually encouraged behaviors, but my child is "weird" because of his choice of stress relief. How so? Acceptance, not awareness, is key.

The information on 30Seconds.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your personal health care provider.

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Donna John
Love your insights on this, Chloe LaFrance . I have never thought about it quite this way before. Thanks for shining a light on this issue - and welcome to the community!
Ann Marie Patitucci
Chloe LaFrance : Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I love and appreciate your perspective. Yes to acceptance! Welcome to the tribe!
Elisa Schmitz
Amen! So thrilled to see this insight shared on 30Seconds. Yes, acceptance is needed now more than ever! Welcome to our tribe, Chloe LaFrance !
Nicole DeAvilla
That is such a wonderful perspective! It is so good for all of us to become more aware of other's points of view. Really it is a necessity. Welcome to the tribe Chloe LaFrance .

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