Some Resources for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Where to Start:
Book- Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity
https://devonprice.medium.com/books
Affirming, kind account of what Autism is, including what it has been and how our understanding of Autism has changed. Written by a trans author with ASD. Heavy liberal/anarchist perspective.
Website/Assessment- Embrace Autism
Blog that includes information about Autism symptoms and provides access to the kinds of assessments that psychologists/psychiatrists use to make an Autism diagnosis. Provides pros/cons of various tests as well as how fair they are.
TikTok/Podcast-
https://linktr.ee/Shewearssocks
Exploration of the experience of autism from a female perspective
TikTok/Free Resource Share- Dr. Joey Lawrence
Psychologist with Autism talks about the experience, the science, the current state of the research, and strategies for symptom management and self-advocacy
Resources/Media- Dr. Danna
Queer, neurodivergent, jewish therapist, speaker and writer with lots of insightful things to say about the experience of being a person and how we talk about our experience truthfully and authentically.
Resources/Media- @GenericArtDad
ADHD/ASD comedy bits and video essays about the ADHD/ASD experience (long and short form).
Blog/Media- Affirming Neurodiversity
https://www.affirmingneurodiversity.com/resources--support.html
Lots of videos, articles, books, and resources for exploring ASD and its impacts
Books for Children:
Just Right for You by Melanie Heyworth
Why Johnny Doesn't Flap: NT is okay! by Clay Morton and Gail Morton
My Wandering Dream Mind by Merriam Sarcia Saunders and Tammie Lyon
Lulu is a Rhinoceros by Jason Flom, Allison Flom and Sophie Corrigan
The Brain Forest by Sandhya Menon
The Rainbow Brain by Sandhya Menon (for the AuDHD brain)
Deeper Dive:
Book- Laziness Does Not Exist
https://devonprice.medium.com/books
Look at how the “protestant work ethic” is an inhuman and inaccurate belief that leads to systematic oppression (ableism) and limits human flourishing. Provides new alternatives that are kinder, more aligned with science, and take various forms of Neurodiversity and “otherness” into consideration. Provides strategies for authentic, value-based living.
TikTok/Podcast- https://www.tiktok.com/@nobodyspecialforreal/video/7207913138270883118
https://beacons.ai/nobodyspecial
Autistic content creator who talks about their experience with Autism and various intersectionalities
Articles/Resources- Dr. Nick Walker
https://neuroqueer.com/what-is-autism/
Autistic professor, somatic psychologist, and researcher focused on intersectionality, neurodiversity, queer theory, and neuroplasticity. Coined the term “neuroqueer”.
Things to Avoid:
“Autism Speaks” and agencies that seek to “fix” or “cure” autism. This is an outdated view that is harmful and creates internalized shame. This is a different stance than looking for strategies to help manage or decrease the impact of symptoms. One can accept having a brain that works differently but is still worthy of love and belonging (and accommodation) while also looking for strategies to make life easier or to help achieve a goal. We can try to “fix” behaviors (but we don’t have to), we don’t “fix” people.
Use instead: Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
Group of people with autism who help people with autism self-advocate for the accommodations and support they want/need
“Mommy blogs”- be careful about content that centers the (often negative) impact of autism on parents or the family. While this is a true and important component of what may be happening, we need to be thoughtful about assigning blame or vilifying the person with autism or symptoms of autism.
Similarly, autism does not necessarily come with intellectual disability or immaturity. Most people with autism have a normal or above average IQ and function in everyday life without being considered different. Be careful about content that presents autism or the person with autism as not a full person with a range of different thoughts, feelings, beliefs, behaviors, and contexts. No person with autism is a perfect angel or an absolute terror. People with autism are people first and should be treated as such.
Use instead: Look for content from autistic creators whenever possible. See the above list for many different content creators with ASD. See https://neuroqueer.com/ethics-of-the-neurodiversity-paradigm/