What can you tell me about Autism?

why would the therapist have said that in the first place? Was it part of the assessment? ... or was it a joke and not an actual experience?

i don't know, i'm _reading_ it as either a joke or the sort of small talk people make at the beginning of a conversation. i can relate since my infodumping and monologuing has been super bad lately, that's kind of what i started my blog to try to keep under control but it's only going so far.

that's absurd!"

Is it like when you know that something isn't just wrong, or maybe not even wrong by some measures, but implies a category error. And you know that explaining this in a real way is going to come across awkwardly, so, not to be too much of a pedantic ass or bend their ears off, and, crucially, keeping within the bounds of the inital assertion in order to meet them half way, you settle on boiling it down to.. you know they had a couple of albums that were moderately large hits as well as the single you're probably thinking of. All of which empathic consideration innevitably really pays off with expressions interest and gratitude from the recipient / victim.

(I'd probably try and duck the whole thing tbh, but I'm not particularly a Devo-tee, if that's the right term. I'm sure given the right trigger I'd be off.)

I wonder which snitch neighbour will be the first to report me for filling the pool in the garden today. It might be the drug dealer next door, who I kid not phoned the cops on me once when Alex was having a severe meltdown (what kind of a bootlicking dealer tries to get an autist in trouble with the law ffs!). Alex is a priority services customer, suckers - snitch away! Anyway some frequent hydrotherapy throughout this summer break from college has been very important in keeping him on an even keel and maintaining good mental health and isn't a frivolous use of water during a hosepipe ban. Although I wouldn't bother explaining this to people who are bigoted to the core.

I've just had a communication from post 16 transport via a passenger assistant that from now on if the students aren't ready to leave the college within 10 minutes then the taxi can leave without them. It's easy to understand why with a group of mostly autistic young adults engaging in different activities and lessons that it can be difficult to get them to disengage in a timely fashion and be ready on time every day.

I told the passenger assistant that this shit is rank disablism and her line manager who is coming out with this shit ought to be sacked. It's also dangerous because many of them have other health conditions and loads of them have epilepsy. One of his 20 yr old classmates died in his sleep during half-term. The college is out in the sticks and not all parents/carers have cars nor the means to pay £50+ for a return journey taxi to pick them up because transport have decided that they are fucking amazon packages rather than human beings with complex needs. I'm fucking livid rn!

I feel like there should be a neurodiversity thread but buggered if I can find one. This might be a bit niche, I'm not sure, but this podcast chat with Robert Chapman is good and his book sounds excellent: https://www.everand.com/podcast/702055056/The-Rise-of-Anti-Capitalist-Neurodiversity-Robert-Chapman-s-Empire-of-Normality

By 'niche' I think I actually mean 'theorising about neurodiversity' when there are people battling with real-life consequences of a fucked system that does little to aid them or their dependents. I feel like I'm stating my credentials, but ftr I have a neurodiverse kid (and then some) and teach plenty of neurodiverse kids.

Chinaski, apologies if I have over-shared on this but. I am looking after a child with a severe intellectual disability.

Neurotypical / non-neurotypical is, for us, a severe understatement. He's not someone with some sensory issues, or a learning disability that can be accommodated for with extra test time or being allowed to use a calculator, but will otherwise be okay.

My son cannot talk, will not go to college, will likely never have a job or date or get married. I know I have already posted about this and it's probably tiresome, but it is where we are.

In the meantime I have nothing but good wishes for all others.

I am aware Puffin, as I am with Calzino, that's why I'm cautious about sharing stuff and sounding insensitive. I can only offer compassion for what you both carry with this.

Fwiw, my son is coming up 18. 'Neurodiversity' doesn't do justice in naming his struggles, even if that's how he's labelled. At present, he's being treated for severe OCD and has been out of education since he was 15. There have been periods in the last four years where he hasn't been able to leave his room (these periods have been up to a month at a time; people take 'can't leave his room' to be a metaphor. It isn't.) He has various ASD traits but has never been formally tested.

(It goes without saying but: he is fucking awesome.)

Best to you Chinaski