FLEAS AND AUTISM By: Donna

September 24, 2003

FLEAS AND AUTISM

By: Donna

www.donnawilliams.net

Author of the Books: " Somebody Somewhere " & " Nobody Nowhere "

If the largest percentage of cases of autism occur in those with

compounding co-morbid (co-occuring) conditions, then the idea of 'pure'

autism is actually referring to a rarity.

Most people are aware of the co-occurance of treatable gut and immune

issues co-occuring in fairly large part of the autistic population (see

Shattock, Waring, Gupta). It ain't rocket science to understand the effect

of chronic digestive system and immune system disorders on impairing the

efficient supply of nutrients to the brain. But whilst we become blinkered

to focusing simply on the gut/immune issues in autism we may be blinkered

to the role that severe chronic stress has to play in exaccerbating and

bringing such conditions to the surface and that for some people a large

part of that severe chronic stress may come down to a treatable case of

'fleas'. Quite simply, if you give the dog enough fleas and no flea powder,

eventually the stress is going to lead to a break down in the dog's health

or bringing any pre-existing inherited weaknesses to the surface.

Fleas are things which interfere, distract, disrupt. If we think of

conditions such as epilepsy, mood disorders (such as Childhood Onset

Bipolar COBD or depression which are now known to occur even in infancy),

Tourette's (which can occur as young as age 2) or OCD as fleas, we might

look at the mystery of many cases of 'autism' a little differently.

Various studies show that the co-occurance of Dyslexia, Scotopic

Sensitivity, Epilepsy, Mood disorders, Tourette's and OCD is high in people

with ASDs. If severe, these additional conditions are thought to likely

compound (make worse) the developmental and information processing problems

of autism. Furthermore, the majority of these additional conditions may be

manageable or treatable either through dietary intervention, nutritional

supplementation and/or small doses of medication (provided appropriate to

the co-morbid condition) together with an environmental approach which is

RELEVANT to not just the label 'autism' but the co-morbid conditions

compounding and sometimes underlying the information processing problems of

autism. So what about addressing the fleas?

For example, whilst ABA is surely useful in some forms, in some situations,

with some people, it certainly isn't going to be so in all of its forms, in

all situations or with all people. There may be little point addressing the

persistant disabling behavioural and/or vocal tics of Tourette's or OCD

through ABA (and it's likely to be extremely frustrating, perhaps even

damaging to convince such a person their problems are a matter of learning

appropriate responses) and to use ABA whilst ignorant to the mechanics of

Bipolar could result in exaccerbating very explosive and unpredictable

behaviour, or even complicate unipolar depression which may then blamed on

the 'autism' rather than the inappropriateness of the environmental

approach. Rewarding children with sweets who have no immunity to fight

Candida or rewarding people with food allergies or food intolerances with

the very substances which send them off their head is madness. The water is

awfully muddy and a market pushing THE approach to autism doesn't help.

If the majority of cases of autism are actually compositions of a

combination of co-morbid conditions combining to severely disrupt

development, communication and information processing (not to mention the

effect 'fleas' may have on chronic digestive/immune disorders), then the

idea that someone who is severely autistic will grow up to be just as

severely autistic, may in many cases depend on whether the compounding

co-morbid conditions are recognised and addressed. Once the label 'autism'

has been applied, many of the conditions underlying this may simply be

overlooked.

Many doctors, however, whilst acknowledging the high incidence of epilepsy

occuring in autism (between 25-50% depending on whose studies you read)

will overlook severely impairing behavioural tics attributable to treatable

conditions such as Tourette's or OCD or disabling mood disorders underlying

progressive phobic responses to overstimulation (such as Exposure Anxiety),

withdrawal and self injurious or explosive behaviours, too often

attributing these things instead to 'the autism'. Even when medication is

given for such things, it is unfortunate that what may often be happening

is that the person gets overly drugged in order to supress the behaviours

rather than address the underlying biochemistry issues appropriately and

comprehensively which may involve a much smaller dose of a more appropriate

medication or combination of dietary intervention, supplementation and

minor medication. When looking at the incidence of co-morbid conditions

such as severe mood disorders, Tourette's or OCD, the idea of finding A

cure for 'autism' may also be a myth. There may be many answers in

identifying and reducing all the compounding factors underlying the

presentation of what gets called 'autism' and what we need are

multidisciplinary experts who are not blinkered to look just for the '

triad of impairments ' associated with autism but actually ask about the

indicators of these other co-morbid conditions, perhaps underlying or

exaccerbating conditions, as an indicator of how to address the underlying

causes of each particular person's autism so fewer people are so severely

effected and real wholistic and appropriate help comes at an earlier age.

However much many high functioning people on the autism-spectrum may

celebrate their 'autism' and see it as a ' culture ', finding answers to

the fleas which exaccerbate or underly autism is not about loving some myth

ideal of normality nor hating autism but about caring about the freedom of

people to develop beyond the very real limitations of what can be a severe

disability.

Warmly.... Donna *)

And now...

Some excepts from stuff on the web...

In fact:

As many as 65% of children with ADHD also struggle with at least one other

learning disorder, and sometimes bipolar disorder and/or Tourette’s

Syndrome (TS) [4-5]. 5-10% of all children have dyspraxia and of these 50%

also have ADHD [4, 8,9]. Some 30 to 50 percent of children with dyslexia

have ADHD and vice versa. (The Dyslexia Research Institute in the UK puts

this figure at 60%) [4].

People with dyslexia are three times more likely to suffer from depression

than are people without a learning disability [4].

35% of students with learning disabilities reportedly do not finish high

school (the number is actually much higher since many drop out without

their learning disabilities ever being officially diagnosed) and of those

who do finish, 62% do not have a full-time job one year later [5-6].

It is estimated that 60% of people with Tourette’s Syndromme (TS) have ADHD

and 50% have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and that there is a high

association of these two disorders in their family histories [7-8].

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=cache:NLst_BhuGp0J:home.iprimus.com.au/rboon/E\

arlyInterventionInquiry.htm+bipolar+CAPD+infancy & hl=en & ie=UTF-8

And ...

According to a recent study at the Duke University Medical Center, some

cases of autism may be associated with a family history of depressive

illness. Autism, a disorder marked by social withdrawal and an inability to

interact with the environment, seems to appear more frequently in families

with a strong history of bipolar illness, the study found. In connection

with his study of 40 autistic children, Duke researcher Dr. DeLong

reported in the journal Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology that in

14 of the cases reviewed there was a strong family history of depression or

manic depressive illness.

The study hypothesized that when manic depression strikes in early infancy,

it may blunt the child's cognitive, social, and emotional development

irreversibly, so that the child's brain never develops the framework in

which to build communications skills. In extreme cases, this may lead to

clinical autism. (Reprinted from the National DMDA Newsletter, vol. 7, no. 1)

And elsewhere ...

CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidity between Tourette's disorder and bipolar disorder

does not appear to be due to chance co-occurrence of the two disorders.

Although a genetic mechanism may play a causal role, in the absence of

family studies an explanatory model involving the concept of canalization

of basal-ganglia-mediated dysfunctions is offered. In such a construct,

Tourette's disorder would be a likely accompaniment to other conditions,

including bipolar disorder, whose pathogenic determinants might channel

through neural pathways involving the basal ganglia. The presence of

significant developmental disabilities may further enhance factors

culminating in comorbid Tourette's disorder and bipolar disorder.

Kerbeshian, J., Burd, L. Tourette’s Disorder and Bipolar Disorder: An

Etiologic Relationship. American Journal of Psychiatry 1995, 151, 1646-1651.

http://www.online-clinic.com/Content/Disorders/bipolar_disorder.asp#1.%20Tourett\

e%20Syndrome,%20Autistic

And ...

Autism Presents comorbidly with a number of other psychiatric disorders,

further compounding diagnosis, such as Tourettes syndrome,

obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bipolar disorder. There is the following

Information regarding a review of literature of comorbidity of specific

symptoms in persons with autism: 64% had poor attention or concentration;

36% to 48% were hyperactive; 43% to 88% showed morbid or unusual

preoccupation; 37% exhibited obsessive phenomena; 16% to 6% showed

compulsions or rituals; 50% to 89% demonstrated stereotyped utterances; 68%

to 74% exhibited stereotyped mannerisms; 17% to 74% had anxiety or fears;

9% to 44% showed depressive mood, irritability agitation and inappropriate

affect; 11% had sleep problems; 24% to 43% had a history of self-injury;

and 8% presented with tics.

http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/article.php?artID=52

And ...

The neurobiologic/psychiatric conditions occurring with autism that may

respond to pharmacologic treatment and thereby relieve confounding symptoms

that impair the autistic individual's ability to function can be subdivided

into 6 large categories:

Seizure-Related Behavioral Symptoms

Hyperactive-inattentive impulsive-distractible symptom cluster

Tics, Tourette syndrome, and movement disorders

Compulsive-sameness oriented-explosive symptom cluster

Mood disorder symptom cluster

Seizure-related behavioral symptoms

Other or nonspecific behavioral symptoms

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/6979/comorbid.html

And for those who don't know what Tourette's is...

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by tics --

involuntary, rapid, sudden movements or vocalizations that occur repeatedly

in the same way. Although the word " involuntary " is used to describe the

nature of the tics, this is not entirely accurate. It would not be true to

say that people with TS have absolutely no control over their tics, as

though it was some type of spasm; rather, a more appropriate term would be

" compelling. " People with TS feel an irresistable urge to perform their

tics, much like the need to scratch a mosquito bite. Some people with TS

are able to hold back their tics for up to hours at a time, but this only

leads to a stronger outburst of tics once they are finally allowed to be

expressed.

Another important thing to remember about coprolalia is that although this

symptom has been sensationalized by the media, it is actually rare,

occuring in less than 30% of people who have a severe case. Simple tics are

movements or vocalizations which are completely meaningless, whereas

complex tics are movements or vocalizations which make use of more than one

muscle group or apear to be meaningful.

http://members.tripod.com/~tourette13/

.... Donna *) www.donnawilliams.net

As someone with acute Exposure Anxiety as a major part of my autism, I was

used to chemistry-driven involuntary avoidance, diversion, retaliation

responses taking over my behaviour and communication whenever my adrenaline

drenched over aroused emotional state triggered the fight/flight responses

when others initiated and triggered my oversensitised 'invasion' alarm.

This Exposure Anxiety (EA) was so severe and entrenched it developed to a

secondary level so I not only was triggered into involuntary avoidance,

diversion, retaliation responses when responding in fight/flight mode to

the initiations of others but progressively also when I too desperately

wanted to initiate something for myself- be that getting a drink, something

to eat, going to the loo, getting a coat or taking one off, staying in a

room or leaving it etc and I could usually do what I DIDN'T want to do at

the time but generally not the thing I DID want to do. I found strategies

around the EA rules of 'can't do it as myself', 'by myself' or 'for myself'

(of course being prompted counts as 'doing as someone else' but doesn't

lead to independence in EA) and how to use the yes=no/no=yes mechanism to

actually get relatively functional even if these strategies made me seem

just as difficult to comprehend as the problem itself. (this is all written

about in Exposure Anxiety; The Invisible Cage )

Recently, and I visited two 'high functioning' friends diagnosed with

ASD (diagnosed with Aspergers ). One of them also has Avoidant Personality

Disorder. At a glance, on the surface APD looks a bit like EA, but where EA

has nothing to do with confidence (one can be full of confidence and have

severe EA), APD severely effects confidence. Where EA causes a range of

involuntary behaviours, APD is a bit different. Where those with EA often

desperately try to challenge the often impossible and self defeating

confines of the invisible cage of EA (sometimes with self injurious

results) , those with APD by it's nature may, through no fault of their

own, be lacking motivation to challenge their condition. Though their

behaviour often draws attention and is generally mistaken for attention

seeking, EA is generally made worse through overt directly confrontational

praise and encouragement and those with it are often most productive when

there is no 'threat' of praise or attention (though they can constantly

force others to prompt them). Those with APD, on the other hand, may need

that encouragement constantly, even dependently.

What was interesting was that whilst APD isn't generally recognized until

late childhood, it is possible that it goes overlooked or hidden in early

childhood and it is fairly possible to imagine that misunderstood APD could

compound the developmental and information processing issues inherent in

autism. If this is so, its important to be informed about what it is so the

right environmental approach can be used with those it most fits with.

Something like ABA, for example, would likely need to be modified or

exchanged for something more fitting where APD or EA compounded or

underlaid the person's autism. It's important that even though I have never

had APD, to recognize that there is no one thing called autism and that

understanding APD may hold some solutions for others. In case its of use to

others who may also have both APD and and autism-spectrum condition, here's

some info on it (albeit rife with words like 'disorder', 'abnormal' etc).

Bye for now... Donna www.donnawilliams.net

Here's an article from the web on APD:

Home > What is SA? > Definitions

Here are the diagnostic criteria for Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD),

taken from the DSM-IV and the ICD-10 World Health Organization classification.

US definition: European definition:

The symptoms of APD may appear to overlap with those of Generalized Social

Anxiety (SA), and many people with SA will be able to relate to the

description below.

What is SA?

Introduction

More information

Treatments

Definitions

» Social anxiety

» Avoidant Personality

Opinions vary as to where SA ends and APD begins, although with APD the

emphasis is perhaps more on deeply ingrained thought patterns and beliefs,

than actual anxiety.

Diagnostic Criteria

A pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and

hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, present in a variety of contexts,

as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

- avoids occupational activities that involve significant interpersonal

contact, because of fears of criticism, disapproval, or rejection

- is unwilling to get involved with people unless certain of being liked

- shows restraint within intimate relationships because of the fear of

being shamed or ridiculed

- is preoccupied with being criticized or rejected in social situations

- is inhibited in new interpersonal situations because of feelings of

inadequacy

- views self as socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior to others

- is unusually reluctant to take personal risks or to engage in any new

activities because they may prove embarrassing

Associated Features

- Depressed Mood

- Anxious/Fearful/Dependent Personality

Differential Diagnosis

Social Phobia, Generalized Type; Panic Disorder With Agoraphobia; Dependent

Personality Disorder; Schizoid Personality Disorder; Schizotypal

Personality Disorder; Paranoid Personality Disorder; Personality Change Due

to a General Medical Condition; symptoms that may develop in association

with chronic substance use.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Version, 1994 © American

Psychiatrists Association

Personality disorder characterized by at least three of the following:

(a) persistent and pervasive feelings of tension and apprehension

( belief that one is socially inept, personally unappealing, or inferior

to others

situations

(d) unwillingness to become involved with people unless certain of being liked

(e) restrictions in lifestyle because of need to have physical security

(f) avoidance of social or occupational activities that involve significant

interpersonal contact because of fear of criticism, disapproval, or rejection.

Associated features may include hypersensitivity to rejection and criticism.

Personality Disorders

A personality disorder is a severe disturbance in the characterological

constitution and behavioural tendencies of the individual, usually

involving several areas of the personality, and nearly always associated

with considerable personal and social disruption.

Personality disorder tends to appear in late childhood or adolescence and

continues to be manifest into adulthood. General diagnostic guidelines

applying to all personality disorders are presented below; supplementary

descriptions are provided with each of the subtypes.

Diagnostic Guidelines

Conditions not directly attributable to gross brain damage or disease, or

to another psychiatric disorder, meeting the following criteria:

(a) markedly disharmonious attitudes and behaviour, involving usually

several areas of functioning, e.g. affectivity, arousal, impulse control,

ways of perceiving and thinking, and style of relating to others;

( the abnormal behaviour pattern is enduring, of long standing, and not

limited to episodes of mental illness;

a broad range of personal and social situations;

(d) the above manifestations always appear during childhood or adolescence

and continue into adulthood;

(e) the disorder leads to considerable personal distress but this may only

become apparent late in its course;

(f) the disorder is usually, but not invariably, associated with

significant problems in occupational and social performance.

For different cultures it may be necessary to develop specific sets of

criteria with regard to social norms, rules and obligations. For diagnosing

most of the subtypes listed below, clear evidence is usually required of

the presence of at least three of the traits or behaviours given in the

clinical description.

The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders World Health

________________________________

Ooops....Wrong Planet! Syndrome

Autism Spectrum Resources

www.PlanetAutism.com

jypsy@...

September 24, 2003

Interesting essay by Donna . Although what she says sounds

plausible, I was taken aback by her references to medication for Tourettes.

I used to hang out on a Tourettes listserv where many of the folks did not

want their unique selves medicated away any more than we (Tree autistics)

do. They had identified mental characteristics (differences from what is

considered " normal " ) that they believed were valuable and interesting, and

they opposed the use of medications that would " control " Tourettes at the

cost of muting or eliminating those differences.

In general, I would have liked ' essay to put more stress on how

" environmental " factors can/should be modified to reduce " flea "

infestations. And I wish she had noted that parents and teachers can be

the part of the " environment " that needs to be modified.

Jane ( " possibly comorbid " w/Tourettes)

September 24, 2003

Jane Meyerding wrote:

> Jane ( " possibly comorbid " w/Tourettes)

One woman who is or was (not sure) a member of the Phoenix ASA chapter

observed me at one of the Phoenix autistic adult meetings and asked if I

had Tourette's as well as being on the spectrum. I told her no, and I

still do not think I do, but it is interesting that she flagged

something (not sure what) as being Tourette's-like.

September 25, 2003

Klein danced around singing:

>One woman who is or was (not sure) a member of the Phoenix ASA chapter

>observed me at one of the Phoenix autistic adult meetings and asked if I

>had Tourette's as well as being on the spectrum. I told her no, and I

>still do not think I do, but it is interesting that she flagged

>something (not sure what) as being Tourette's-like.

I picked up a book (fictionalalized autobiography w/a Tourette's main

character, by a man with Tourette's) called " Echolalia " and was startled to

find that the description of T characteristics are *very* close to those of

autism. In fact, just in skimming, I ran into repeated comments where the

author and several of the people-turned-into-characters seemed to be

asserting that echolalia, perseverations, synaesthesia, autolalia, urges to

stim under stress, etc. are all the result of Tourette's. I'd assume the

guy just doesn't know what he's talking about, but the book was backed by a

nationwide-level Tourette's group, with comments from readers with it

claiming that the descriptions within are " exactly " what living with it is

like.

September 26, 2003

Hi,

I thought implied that it was really easy to cure Tourettes

with meds, seemed strange. I don't like the super emphasis she puts

on dietary causes of Autistic symptoms. I don't think I have any

sensitivity to casein or gluten, and I believe my brain was wired for

autism at birth, I mean if you are missing Purkinje cells or your

amygdala is abnormal, or your corpus collosum is different, I really

dont' see how dietary changes are going to change that fundamentally.

Donna feels better with her dietary changes, apparently, and

I think she assumes that everyone else has those food allergies.

I think she should have said, and autistic could enjoy his or her

life much better without the " fleas of stress " making everything

worse. Extreme stress can damage a normal amygdala which is the

source of PTSD, last time I checked. The world outside the autistic

can be modified in many ways to reduce the stress, if people would

cooperate. Tourette symptoms are worse with stress as I understand

it, and alot of the stress comes from the pressure from the outside

to make the Touretter stop so that others can be comfortable. Hmmm.

Camille

> Interesting essay by Donna . Although what she says sounds

> plausible, I was taken aback by her references to medication for

Tourettes.

> I used to hang out on a Tourettes listserv where many of the folks

did not

> want their unique selves medicated away any more than we (Tree

autistics)

> do. They had identified mental characteristics (differences from

what is

> considered " normal " ) that they believed were valuable and

interesting, and

> they opposed the use of medications that would " control " Tourettes

at the

> cost of muting or eliminating those differences.

>

> In general, I would have liked ' essay to put more stress

on how

> " environmental " factors can/should be modified to reduce " flea "

> infestations. And I wish she had noted that parents and teachers

can be

> the part of the " environment " that needs to be modified.

>

> Jane ( " possibly comorbid " w/Tourettes)

September 27, 2003

Are the motions in Tourettes another kind of stimming?

Camille wrote:

>Hi,

>

> I thought implied that it was really easy to cure Tourettes

> with meds, seemed strange. I don't like the super emphasis she puts

> on dietary causes of Autistic symptoms. I don't think I have any

> sensitivity to casein or gluten, and I believe my brain was wired for

> autism at birth, I mean if you are missing Purkinje cells or your

> amygdala is abnormal, or your corpus collosum is different, I really

> dont' see how dietary changes are going to change that fundamentally.

We're talking stuff as basic as a smaller cerebellum (with the extra space

taken up by the cerebrum). Diet can't cause that. It also shows obvious

hereditary patterns.

> Donna feels better with her dietary changes, apparently, and

> I think she assumes that everyone else has those food allergies.

I don't have those allegies either, and I think I'd get really stressed

out if

somebody tried to take all foods containing those substances away from me.

> I think she should have said, and autistic could enjoy his or her

> life much better without the " fleas of stress " making everything

> worse. Extreme stress can damage a normal amygdala which is the

> source of PTSD, last time I checked. The world outside the autistic

> can be modified in many ways to reduce the stress, if people would

> cooperate. Tourette symptoms are worse with stress as I understand

> it, and alot of the stress comes from the pressure from the outside

> to make the Touretter stop so that others can be comfortable. Hmmm.

I know how stressful it is to try to supress stimming altogether.

Much better try to find a way of stimming that they can't see,

or that appears to be a " normal " activity. Or stim a whole lot beforhand.

If I dance all night, I hardly stim at all the next day :^).

This might also be applicable to Tourettes.

Ride the Music

AndyTiedye

>

> Camille

>

>> I used to hang out on a Tourettes listserv where many of the folks

>> did not

>

>> want their unique selves medicated away any more than we (Tree autistics)

>

>> do. They had identified mental characteristics (differences from what is

>

>> considered " normal " ) that they believed were valuable and

>> interesting, and

>

>> they opposed the use of medications that would " control " Tourettes at the

>

>> cost of muting or eliminating those differences.

>

September 27, 2003

I know when I read about and chatted to Donna WIlliams (and her husband

chris was on too) about her restricted diet I was floored at the

differences they described experiencing. another thing is she found a

medication(risperdone) that even reduced the sensitivities to foods. I

found it fascinating, but couldn't use the same med as it made me manic

(as do all SSRI's, coffee, b vitamin shots) - uncontrollable talking and

doing....

I have another friend, and they can always tell if someone at hte

daycare forgot their son's gluten/dairy free diet, because he is off the

wall the whole evening. I alos believe there is a good body of research

out there pointing out that GFCFDF diets do help people.... in the case

of my firends son, they found he could speak and make eyecontact and

lots of other stuff, and that was with hte diet change.

but I agree with whoever said thta they would have a hard time to cut

glutena nd casien out of their diet.... as a compulsive eater, who is

addicted to cheese on bread, I cannot imagine... altho sometimes when I

cut down I do feel better. I think it would be very difficult for me,

which is a shame, because it might help the fibro too.

I do believe that many people think because Donna is vocal about her

opinions and published so widely, that she thinks everyone's experience

is the same, or that everyone will benefit from the same treatment, but

as someone who has 'talked " to her personally about what she does to

live comfortably, I found she was very respectful, and always reminding

me and others on the chat that this is ONLY what worked for her...

everyone has to find their own thing, their own combination of helpful

stuff....

I think that donna, like me and many others ASD or NT are very

straightforward, and people take that as advice giving, rather than

story telling, sharing experiences, and giving hope. (well I'm

obviously a huge fan.... but I also relate to being judged negatviely by

people when my intentions are always good in telling how I dealt with

something in my life... I feel that donna's work is a huge contribution

to autism , mostly because it covers so many issues and so many years of

her life... her first two books are so poignantly talking about her

finding her way in the world with no understanding of the autism. I

take what fits for me, and leave the rest of the amazing stuff

behind...) I have read alot of Donna;s stuff, she also does believe

autism to be developemntal/wired in at birth, but that diet and other

things can help. if you had read her books about her hypoglycemic

symptoms and how much danger she was in at times thru not understanding

them.... and how much of a difference it makes to her to be GF.... then

maybe you would understand more why she is a big advocate for this

common treatment for autistic problems

(LET ME BE CLEAR 0 I don't think everyone with autsim wants " treatment "

but some of us do focus alot on improving and want t ob e in

reltaioships that would be impossible fwith out meds... for example I am

now a mother, with low tolerance to noise and pain, and a noisy

hyperactive kid... will I take meds to improve my availability to him

and his needs... you bet... will I take something to calm me down if I

am angry all the time at my loved ones... yep.... will I take meds if it

means I can get on with earning,a nd developing my professinals

capacity, well yeah! )

while I agree cammille, that reducing stimulation for poeple with these

sentivities is a key, (that's pretty much the crux of every convo with

my sons school) but neither is it always possible... there are two

things ( in combination) that helped me to figure out that the Fibro

pain etc is causing a flare of my autisitc stims and stuff (sensory thru

the roof, wordfinding disorder becomes subject finding disorder in

midsentence, clumsy as hell, talking manic, meltdown at unexpected

problems.

One was an OT assessed (my son and ) me for Sensory Intergration issues,

and as I am hypo sensitive to movement (2 SD off the norm)and the

hyperactivity Ive always had is in order for my CNS to feel normal. ( I

loved your email andytiedye, about dancing all night....those were the

days) I think the reason my verbal stimming/mental illness is so bad

right now is I can't dance, or even walk further than to my car, due to

the fibro pain, even if I wanted to... since I have been restricted

from movement I am defeintely losing my control over my behaviors, and

since I can't take most meds now, I am stuck with only being able to

either avoid people, or spend alot of time apologizing and alot of

energy to hold back/cover up my stims/anxiety.

the second was reading all three of Donna's autobigraphical books. (I

also recommend " Eating an Artichoke " and anything at all by Lianne

Holliday Willey.) altho I couldn't relate to alot of her issues, I

still saw a little of myself in oh so many of those pages.... is was a

real sanity saver for me, to be able to review my life and have it all

explained thru this news lens of HFAutism. most explanations I 'd had

until then blamed my parents or me ...

IT's unfortunate, that even tho I know it's autism, I have to live with

the diagnosis and peoples treatments of me like I am mentally ill.(dr's

treat me like I don't want to get better and loved ones try to deny

there is a problem). I think it is because I functioned fairly well,

for so long, and that now people think I should still be able to appear

" normal " and acheive/produce normally. I get alot of psychological

advice how to improve, but now I realize that is all what I lived by for

years, and my blind faith in poppsych probly did help me to improve some

relationships and my decision making processes over the years,...

but the bottom line is that if I couldn't really shake some behavior, or

ended up in the same situation again and again, that pop-psych will

always say it is a choice I am making and there is no recognition (in

pop-psych)of the developmental aspects of my behaviors... of being

really horrible to those closest to me... of not being able to call

friends, nevermind all the phonecalls I must make to

strangers/professionals right now as we are setttling in a new

community... of not even being able to shower because it is a sensory

night mare....

I am glad to claim the label " autism " , and be here in a community of

other differently brained people who I respect.

ciao for now and sorry I got so long winded.... I am getting alot out of

this list!

danie

Camille wrote:

> Hi,