Anything, but Ordinary

I loved going back to school. I always looked forward to it. Getting school supplies and back to school clothes was exciting. I looked forward to seeing who was in my class and who I was getting as a teacher. As I got older, school became easy for me. I always did my homework the second I got home from school, but when I was younger, there were some challenges. Looking back, you know that it was autism, but it was not a diagnosis at the time. I know there are kids that dread

Flying for anyone can be overwhelming and nerve wrecking, but with Autism, flying can bring on anxiety. There is a lot going on and sometimes when things are chaotic and/or doesn’t go as planned, someone with autism can start to get anxious. There’s a lot that goes on at an airport and it’s overwhelming especially if you haven’t travelled or flown that much or if you are flying by yourself. There’s noise and crowds of people. Navigating airports can be confusing and intimid

You would think that making friends while living in an apartment would be easy since you see the same people all the time. It's not as easy as people think it is. Everyone living in an apartment has different schedules, different lifestyles, you never know who’s home at any coming time so being able to meet and connect with your neighbors in the hallway or when you're waiting for the elevator can be challenging. I’ve noticed that it's rare to go on another floor and because o

I’ve been hurt and disappointed by people. I’ve felt disrespected by people who I thought cared about me. Nobody thinks of me when it comes to big events. Nobody stands up for me. I feel like an after thought. I don’t need that type of person in my life. I want to feel valued and seen in someone’s life. I don’t want to have a one way relationship and not get that respect back. I’ve always been the one that would reach out because I want to keep whatever contact I can with so

Research shows that genetics play a major part in autism, but there is no single “autism gene.” Instead, hundreds of different genetic variations can interact to increase the likelihood of an autism diagnosis. Autism is not caused by parenting style or emotional upbringing. Many children with autism are born to parents with no history of the condition in their families. Research shows that genetics play a major role in autism. Studies of twins and families estimate that auti

There is no evidence that vaccines cause autism. There are some side effects when getting a vaccine, like mild fever or soreness, but vaccines don’t cause or have a child develop autism. Parents choose not to vaccinate their children due to overlapping concerns about safety, distrust in pharmaceutical companies and healthcare systems, and a desire for "natural immunity." Autism is understood to be a neurodevelopmental condition influenced largely by genetics and early brain

Stimming, short for "self-stimulatory behavior" or stereotypic movement, refers to repetitive physical movements, sounds, or behaviors—such as hand flapping, rocking, or spinning—common in individuals with autism. These behaviors serve as essential coping mechanisms for regulating emotions, managing sensory input (avoiding overload or seeking stimulation), reducing anxiety, and aiding focus. People with autism stim to help them self-regulate. It can be anything from rocking

When someone with autism masks, they are trying to blend in with people who are neurotypical. They want to be accepted and not be looked at differently. They want to fit in as much as they can. During this time, someone would start to pick up social cues from people around them. They do what they can to make sure their autism isn’t known to whoever they are around. It can eventually lead to anxiety because they are trying to be someone they are not. In a lot of situations, t

When I was in California with a friend, we were out front of Knotts Berry Farm for the shuttle to take us back to our hotel. As we were waiting, a woman came up to us and started chatting with us. She asked where we were from and once she heard Canada, she started to ask questions, the one that stuck out the most was if Canada was like anything like Degrassi. Which got me thinking of how different schools are in both Canada and in America or how people think what they see on

Having a brother or sister with autism can be hard. If the siblings have a close relationship then it is beneficial since they have someone that they are comfortable with, but it can also be challenging because the sibling with autism is going to get more attention since they're going to need extra help in their daily lives. Every autism family is different, there’s no two families that are the same. Getting an autism diagnosis is going to be hard and there are going to be a