Autistic children can be strongly drawn to gaming which may result in spending excessive amounts of time online, become socially withdrawn or obsessive, and react badly to comments from other players. Whilst it is also noted that there are many benefits of online gaming and specific apps to support autistic people. Here we discuss whether video games are good or bad for autistic children.
When it comes to jobs for autistic people, there are many stereotypes about which types of roles are suitable – and which are not. It’s a huge misconception that autistic people should not be in customer-facing roles because of having poor social skills, and we’re going to explore the reasons why this is not always true. But first, let’s put in simple terms what a customer-facing role means.
This is a personal account from a Mother detailing how her child with Autism was struggling at school. It details how a profile through Aspiedent has made a life changing impact to her daughter's school and home life.
With the rise in popularity of the American science fiction TV series Stranger Things, and the recent release of Season 4 Volume 2, now is the perfect time to raise awareness of the danger of glorifying superpowers. Why being a neurodiverse person with a superpower is not a positive association to make for many, and why the term 'autism is a superpower' actually puts many autistic people at an even greater disadvantage.
It is common for people diagnosed with Autism to also be given diagnoses for other conditions such as Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, and ADHD. This blog post explores why this is the case. It turns out that the causes of the symptoms for these conditions are included within the causes of the symptoms for autism. The problem is that autism is an umbrella term that encompasses a vast range of difficulties. Having further diagnoses helps to narrow down the difficulties so that more targeted interventions can be put in place.
There is often a misconception that many Autistic people have what appears to be 'superpowers', but this really isn't the case. While we can give examples of autistic people who have superpowers, this is actually rare. Most autistic people do not have superpowers. For those who do have superpowers, it is not always clear whether these are innate or as a result of an aptitude that has been very well developed. It is not uncommon for Autistic people have an uneven ability profile. This can make the results of IQ test meaningless.
We discuss how many autistic people are categorised as having lower intelligence than they actually have. A few even get categorised as having a learning disability, but then go on to get a PhD! If someone has a processing difficulty regarding what’s going on around them, struggling to process speech and unable to hold a conversation, it doesn’t mean that they don't have a high level of intelligence. If they get the opportunity to learn about something that interests them, there is no reason why they shouldn't do well in an appropriate job – or even get a PhD!
A first hand account of the impact of an autism profile on a boy and his mother. The impact on the boy now having a way to describe his experience of the world and how he is feeling is profound. The impact of the mother now understanding her son has been life changing for both of them.
Aspiedent discusses how delayed processing is different to slow processing of incoming information. Do you ever get told a joke and it takes a day to get it? Delayed processing is an issue commonly found in autism, but can be found in anybody. This blog post talks about the difference between slow processing of incoming information and delayed processing. Although they may sound similar, they are actually very different issues. Perhaps you have delayed processing.
This blog post discusses potential job roles for people with slow processing of incoming information. Jobs for people with slow processing speed or a slow processing disorder do not have to be low paid or boring! Slow processing issues are often found in autism and neurodiversity.