Healing Social Environments

September 27, 2013

Why Do Autistics Have Restricted Diets?

When your roof needs repairs, you’ve got to have both the roofing supplies (nails, tiles, ladders, etc.) and the actual labour and energy. If you’re missing one of these, or the other, the roof isn’t going to get fixed. It’s the same with when your body needs repairs. If you’re […]

September 20, 2013

Autism Behaviours: Why Autistics Have Sleep Problems

If you’ve ever shared sleeping quarters with an autistic, you may have some idea of what I’m talking about when I say sleep problems: trouble falling asleep, waking at the slightest disturbance, recurrent and awful nightmares, waking and staying awake for long periods during the “wee hours” for weeks or […]

September 13, 2013

Why Autistics Pace, Jump, and Flap

I have autism. Through my life, I’ve found that most people, when they understand what is at the root of my symptoms, can shift from antipathy or shunning to empathy and support, in terms of their relationship with me and the other autistics in their lives. I sincerely hope that […]

September 6, 2013

Why Autistics Organize or Line Things Up

I have autism, and from a happy accident the summer I turned 11, I learned that there were things which could make my quality of life a lot better, and others which could make it a lot worse. My life since then has been shaped around discovering what hurts the […]

August 30, 2013

Why do autistics drone and bang their heads?

I have autism, and from a happy circumstance the summer I turned 11, I learned that there were things which could make my quality of life a lot better, and others which could make it a lot worse. My life since then has been shaped around discovering what hurts the […]

August 27, 2013

Restoring Health — Or Not.

The Story of Mike and Jackie Mike was born on August 18th, 1958. He was one of my dearest friends from July 1988 until his death on May 15, 2013. The day before he died, he had spent hosting a mother’s day celebration for his family, his parents living a […]

August 23, 2013

Why Do Autistics Tune and Script?

First, I may need to explain what the words tuning and scripting actually mean, when you’re speaking about people who live with autism. Autistics will sometimes sing the same melody over and over again, for minutes, for hours, sometimes for a whole day. We don’t just sing all of […]

August 20, 2013

Jenny McCarthy is a Hero

When a friend sent me this link from the local paper, I simply couldn’t refrain from writing a reply. http://www.therecord.com/whatson-story/3912114-popsmacked-jenny-mccarthy-s-autism-views-don-t-merit-exposure-on-the-view/ This Record article is a poorly researched and cynical emotional diatribe. Jenny’s doing a good job with the incomplete information she has. I deeply respect her unwillingness to swallow the […]

August 16, 2013

Why do autistics rock, bounce and swing?

For many people working with those who have an autism spectrum condition, autism behaviours can be difficult to understand. This lack of understanding often translates into lack of empathy. I explain the reasons behind rocking, bouncing and swinging in the hopes that a better understanding of these behaviours will assist […]