Sensory Challenges
Many autistic people experience sensory difficulties/sensitivities: we experience sensory input (sound, smell, taste, touch, sight) more intensely than others through all aspects of our lives. Autistic people seek sensory input to function and regulate; each person may find different sensory tools or inputs soothing.
You can be sensory-seeking (craving extra stimulation) or sensory-avoidant (steering clear of overwhelm), and this varies based on the sense. Extreme cases are sometimes called Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).
Sensory-seeking or avoidant, you might see, hear, smell, or taste things that others don't, and textures can feel more extreme.
Sensory-seekers often engage their senses more frequently and intensely than others.
However, you might be sensory-avoidant and still find weighted blankets, different textures, sounds, smells, and lighting soothing.
Sensory input can include vestibular input and proprioception, and can sometimes cause a meltdown or shutdown due to overwhelm or physical pain. We will explore what all of this means below.
Clothing
Clothing can be difficult for autistics to deal with daily.
Tags, seams, stitching, embroidery, rough textures, tight or loose fit, etc., can all become problematic for someone who struggles with sensory input. It can vary from day to day and come on quite suddenly.
Some days, there's just nothing that works. Some autistics wear either exactly or pretty much the same thing every day.
Forgetting to tend to our basic needs
There are many reasons why autistics might forget or refuse to do basic things, like eating or going to the washroom.
You might be hyper-focused on something else, unaware that your body needs something, or in the middle of an activity you feel needs to be completed before interruption.
Reminders and routines can be helpful.
Food
Autistic people can be known for having picky eating habits (due to the volume and intensity of textures and flavours), wanting to eat the same food repeatedly, and eating plain foods. You might manage by separating food rather than mixing or eating a minimal range of food. Or both.
This isn't just about having preferences and choosing not to eat certain things. It's also not about purposely being demanding or rude.
What may seem mild or manageable to a neurotypical can be overwhelming and distressing for a person who is hypersensitive to taste.
Forcing a child to eat the food can cause a meltdown, which is often mistaken for a tantrum, and is usually followed by punishment. It is essential to listen to why there is an issue with the food, and see if anything can be done to help.
Kids should not be taught that it is rude to remove things from a meal or ask for ingredients to be left off their plates.
We are just trying to survive without putting ourselves in an overwhelming situation three times a day - especially when it can be avoided most of the time.
Hypersensitivity to Stimulation
Autistics are commonly described as being sensitive in two areas: sensory sensitivity and emotional sensitivity.
Many autistics are hyperaware of our surroundings because our brains take in more sensory input than neurotypical brains - we are not overreacting. Any person would find themselves overwhelmed by a brain like this.
Autistics may appear emotionally sensitive or overreactive due to several factors, such as managing sensory input, masking, and struggling with daily tasks or keeping up with peers. This leaves them with less "space" or capacity to handle stress before it becomes overwhelming.
We may react strongly to something that may seem minor or insignificant, but it is often the tipping point. The reaction is not only about the single event but also about the lack of space to handle the additional stress.
Imagination
Some autistics have a limited imagination. For example:
When handed a set of images or a picture book, we can find it difficult or even anxiety-provoking to attempt to create a story based on them.
When people-watching, it can be impossible to imagine another person's life, even if it's only a game.
Pretend play or role-play using toys can be difficult.
Reading fictional stories may be challenging because we cannot picture the characters or events as we read about them.
Using imagination can be difficult in many situations due to a lack of context. It can be hard to assume something when it may not be accurate - but imagination doesn't come with a "correct" answer.
It's like taking an exam with minimal information and no time to prepare, then never getting your results back.
Imagination is also tricky because many autistics overanalyze small details. Pieces that don't make sense will slow imaginative processes down a lot. And yes, we know it takes the fun out of your hypothetical.
Interoception
Interception is the awareness of what is happening inside our bodies.
For example, it tells us when we are hungry, full, nauseated, too hot or cold, or need to pee or sleep.
Difficulty with interception can mean that autistic people might not feel these sensations, or that they may be unable to correctly identify or interpret them. We might also have a hard time recognizing/perceiving our own pain, as well as our breathing and heart rate.
This means we can forget to do necessary tasks like eating, going to the toilet, or exercising to keep our bodies healthy.
Some autistic people can manage this by having a routine that includes times for breaks, meals, and water.
Others may need help with planning healthy meal sizes or appropriate clothing for different weather conditions.
Hearing and Listening
Listening can look very different for autistic people (I know, you can't really "see" listening).
I might not turn my head when you say my name, but I could still be listening.
I might not make eye contact when you're talking to me, but I could still be listening.
I might be fidgeting, looking around, or doing something, but I could still be listening.
When I respond, my responses might seem unrelated to what has been said, but that doesn't mean I wasn't listening.
It could mean I made a different connection in my brain, and that's where my response came from.
It could also be that I heard you, didn't see a need to say anything further, and I've helped to keep the conversation going by starting a new topic.
I could even be wearing headphones or earplugs and still be listening. This depends on the level of noise-cancelling and the reason I'm wearing them. A lot of the time, someone wearing headphones and earplugs doesn't want to be spoken to, so it's best to check before starting a conversation.
Requiring an autistic person to do the things that make you feel like they are listening can mean they cannot actually listen. For instance, if you are talking to me, you might notice that I have a hard time making eye contact, sitting still, or giving acknowledging statements that show that I’m following what you’re saying (like "yeah," "no," and "mmm"). None of this means that I’m not listening to you.
If you want me to actually hear and process what you have said, you have to let me do it my way.
If you are unsure if an autistic person is listening to what is happening, ask them nicely, i.e.,
"Hey, just checking that you've heard everything. Would you like me to go back and repeat anything?"
Meltdowns
An autistic meltdown is an uncontrollable outward explosion of emotion as a reaction to built-up stress.
It may appear out of nowhere, but the present triggers are often just the tipping point.
After a buildup of stressors, you might feel like an overflowing bucket.
Though they are known for happening most often with children, we are referring to meltdowns experienced by autistic adults.
Meltdowns are often mistaken for tantrums and misbehaviour.
The difference is that a meltdown isn't seeking to gain anything - the autistic person is not doing it to get their own way.
Meltdowns, at the moment, are the only way to release that built-up stress. They are not a choice.
We often mistake men’s temper tantrums for having anger issues they have a proclivity for because of excess testosterone. They are probably just having a meltdown (feel free to inform your father the next time he has one if it is safe to do so).
A meltdown can be very distressing for the individual going through it.
The autistic person is not trying to make anyone look bad, and the meltdown is not a reflection of bad parenting.
Meltdowns can involve yelling, kicking, screaming, hitting, and other violent behaviours, so it is important to ensure that no one is getting hurt.
But otherwise, once a meltdown has started, it's best if no one tries to force it to stop.
Proprioception
Proprioception is the awareness of our body in relation to space and objects, how it is positioned, and how much force is used.
Issues with proprioception can lead to clumsiness, bumping into things, being too rough, using too much force, difficulty with motor skills, etc. I also struggle to tell how tight my grip is and often walk into things.
It is common for autistics to have poor proprioception, but it can manifest in many ways. For instance, I cannot feel how my body is positioned unless I am touching a stable surface. I know how to move my body into different positions, but I cannot feel the difference between them. A handstand with legs straight and together feels the same as with them bent and apart.
Proprioceptive input provides intense sensation or input to the muscles and joints. Behaviours that provide proprioceptive input include using a weighted blanket, having a tight hug, walking on tiptoes, chewing, interacting with things that provide pressure (like squeezing into small spaces), etc. Autistics often find proprioceptive input calming and comforting.
Sensory Overload
Sensory overload is a state of feeling overwhelmed due to excessive sensory input.
People may not always be aware that their overwhelm is due to sensory overload - especially if it has built up gradually over time or if they are unaware that they are autistic. They may receive too much information from their senses, noticing things others do not.
This can make everything feel too intense; lights may be too bright, sounds may become painful, and smells can be overpowering.
Hypersensitivity (which leads to overload) is like listening to music and hearing each instrument and voice as a separate piece all at once. Except it's with everything. Every sound, flavour, texture, movement, smell, or change is experienced as individual, separate details instead of one combined experience.
When this happens too much, and there is no escape, it becomes challenging to function.
Our parents never validated our sensory issues and called us dramatic, so we understand if you are going through the same thing.
My parents never understood why a soft material they have worn before is itchy or uncomfortable for me. Finding the right language or approach to speak about these topics with the people in your life and having your needs met is very important.
At the very least, don’t invalidate yourself. If an itchy clothes tag or a fold is bothering you, it is not nothing. And it can catch up to you at an inopportune moment.
Listen to Katherine May’s story about her meltdown in the middle of a grocery store because of an itchy clothes tag.
Shutdowns
Shutdowns are another way that autistics may cope with an overload of stress. Like meltdowns, shutdowns aren't always controllable.
They may involve hiding, curling up, or not talking. Some autistic people may lie or sit on the floor, regardless of their surroundings.
Often they may only be able to engage in whatever task or activity they were doing once they come out of shutdown.
Shutdowns may just need to happen. In most cases, being allowed time and space is the best way to recover.
However, sometimes other people may be able to draw us out by engaging in our interests or offering tools to cope with the situation.
Vestibular Input
The vestibular system uses receptors in the inner ear to send information to the brain about the head position, balance, movement in space, and changes to the speed of movement. Issues with the vestibular system can lead to an avoidance of intense vestibular activities, such as spinning or jumping, or it can cause poor balance, never getting dizzy when spinning, constantly moving, or seeking out more powerful forms of vestibular input.
How it presents itself depends on whether the individual is under- or overprocessing information from the inner ear. Vestibular input engages those receptors - swinging, spinning, climbing, jumping, being upside down, balancing, etc.
It is not uncommon for autistics to engage in spinning or rocking or be clumsy. However, difficulty with the vestibular system is only one possible explanation for these things.
Intense vestibular input can also be used as a form of self-regulation.
Tried & True Hacks
(from your fellow autistic girlies in suffering)
Have a variety of clothes - long, short, tight, loose, stretchy, firm, etc. - but when you find an item of clothing that works for you, buy more than one. Alternatively, you can opt to buy specific sensory-friendly clothing.
Clothing
Hypersensitivity to stimulation
Wear noise-cancelling earbuds to prevent overstimulation at the grocery store – this muffles the background sound, but you can still hear the “excuse me” of someone trying to pass you. Wearing them at the movies has been a game-changer for me. I actually enjoy going to the movies and don’t come home feeling drained - who knew?
Meltdowns
Dear loved ones, please don’t try to give unsolicited advice if someone is having a meltdown in front of you. Offer the autistic person coping mechanisms and sensory tools, be empathetic and caring, and provide a safe space, but don't be surprised if the meltdown just needs to run its course.
set reminders
make it a routine, or task-bath it
set routines around it (e.g. after I get dressed, I eat breakfast)
allow yourself to eat "grazing" foods (well-balanced/filling snacks that will provide nourishment but will not require much prep, and can be eaten without stepping away from what you're doing, such as carrots & hummus, or crackers & cheese & grapes. fancy!)
Tending to our basic needs (aka self-care)
A Sensory Diet
Having a sensory diet means using tools to prepare for, manage, or recover from activities that are either over- or understimulating. Sensory tools, stimulation, or lack of stimulation can help regulate and avoid feeling overwhelmed. For example, using headphones or noise-cancelling earplugs to manage excessive sound. For a hypersensitive person, it might mean allowing time for something soothing before or after an overstimulating activity: music, quiet, foods, smells, small spaces, being in the dark, climbing, stimming, proprioceptive input, vestibular input, or anything else that is helpful. Here is a list of different sensory regulation tools. These can be options for a sensory diet, depending on what works for you:
1. pressure-related: weighted blanket, body sock, massage ball, weighted stuffed animals, sensory sheet, Sensory swing, weighted lap paD 2. sound-related: noise-cancelLing headphones/earplugs, rain or ocean drum, music, instruments
3. fidget-related: stress ball, bubble pop fidget, play dough, magnetic fidget rings, fidget cube, infinity cube, building blocks
4. movement-related: scooter board, wobble cushion, wobble stool, spinning chair, climbing frame
5. other: bubbles, bubble tube lamp, lava lamp, indoor tent, chewelry (soft, silicone jewelry you can chew discreetly), scented candles, pets