Wisconsin Autism Empowerment

We are a species who likes to categorize things.  Everything.  Even people.  Psychologists say it’s a basic desire to feel more control over our world.  But it’s not helpful when the labels are applied to us humans.  As an NT mom of tow ASD adults I am struck by the double standard with label use. 

A big one is the ‘functioning’ label slapped on my kids.  I understand the intent was to provide for unique needs.  But how well we handle life changes from moment to moment.  Each piece of the functioning measures is separate from the others. 

An example is auditory processing. Not the same as visual processing or expressive communication. We can get overwhelmed by sounds all at once or build up over time. One moment we can be able to hear and decode. But the next could be overload point, unable to make sense of what we’re hearing. 

As an NT no one has labeled my functioning.  Yet I have heightened hearing in one ear so can get overwhelmed in sound packed settings. I also have times it builds up and I have just had enough. I need a sensory time out. 

Oddly I also don’t like quiet as a baseline background. Having some noise helps me focus. So the TV is on often even while I’m working on my laptop. What a confusing dichotomy us humans are.

ASD folks get labeled when in reality all of us are somewhere at any given moment on some ‘functioning’ scale. All of us. So less labels more understanding. 

Sounds like a good measure.