WEBVTT 00:00:00.431 --> 00:00:03.914 Hi everyone, I'm Amythest, and welcome to "Ask an Autistic". 00:00:03.914 --> 00:00:06.322 (Upbeat music) ♪ I want to write a song ♪ NOTE Paragraph 00:00:06.322 --> 00:00:11.254 ♪ to shine a light, be the change we want something's right...♪ 00:00:11.254 --> 00:00:15.922 ♪ We've been waiting in the dark for so long ♪ 00:00:17.072 --> 00:00:21.402 Today I'm going to be talking about Sensory Processing Disorder. 00:00:21.408 --> 00:00:25.483 Sensory Processing Disorder is a neurological condition in which the brain 00:00:25.483 --> 00:00:30.003 does not interpret sensory input from the environment correctly. 00:00:30.006 --> 00:00:35.036 A person with Sensory Processing Disorder may be over or under sensitive to input 00:00:35.036 --> 00:00:41.432 from their environment, such as lights, colors, noises, music, people talking, 00:00:41.432 --> 00:00:44.039 smells, textures, and tastes. 00:00:44.551 --> 00:00:48.853 Every autistic person will have some kind of Sensory Integration Issues. 00:00:48.853 --> 00:00:52.863 This is just part of our neurotype and part of what makes us autistic. 00:00:52.863 --> 00:00:57.513 But, Sensory Processing Disorder, as a neurological diagnosis can exist 00:00:57.513 --> 00:01:00.246 on its own, in non-autistic children. 00:01:04.149 --> 00:01:09.183 Sensory Processing Disorder really can affect and encompass all of the senses. 00:01:09.183 --> 00:01:13.319 Now, human beings actually have more than five senses, we have something like 00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:16.263 eighteen to twenty-two, depending on who you ask. 00:01:16.441 --> 00:01:19.785 But, I think that there are the seven basic senses that are important 00:01:19.785 --> 00:01:22.492 to know about to understand Sensory Processing Disorder. 00:01:22.492 --> 00:01:26.190 So you have the basic five, which I think everybody has heard of. 00:01:26.313 --> 00:01:33.681 That's taste, touch, smell, sight, sound. Yeah, I think I got that right. 00:01:33.681 --> 00:01:36.226 And then there are two senses that most people haven't heard of. 00:01:36.226 --> 00:01:40.659 And that is the Proprioceptive Sense and the Vestibular Sense. 00:01:41.227 --> 00:01:46.046 Proprioceptive Sense is the sense of where your body is in space. 00:01:46.046 --> 00:01:49.999 It allows for you to know where your limbs are, how much force you're 00:01:49.999 --> 00:01:51.321 exerting on things. 00:01:51.321 --> 00:01:54.484 And also, where you are spatially in your environment, and how to interact 00:01:54.484 --> 00:01:56.173 with objects in your environment. 00:01:56.173 --> 00:02:00.121 The Vestibular Sense is the sense that is all about motion and movement. 00:02:00.121 --> 00:02:03.886 It is a sense that tells you if you are in motion or standing still. 00:02:03.886 --> 00:02:08.490 If you are up or down, swinging, spinning, upside down, 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:11.981 all of that is informed by the Vestibular Sense. 00:02:11.981 --> 00:02:16.932 So, as I'm sure you can imagine, when a person is under or over sensitive 00:02:16.932 --> 00:02:20.831 to any of the sensory input that they may receive from their environment, 00:02:20.831 --> 00:02:24.821 their experience is going to be a lot different than a neuro-typical person's. 00:02:24.821 --> 00:02:28.098 And their life is going to be very different because of the things 00:02:28.098 --> 00:02:29.141 that they have to deal with. 00:02:29.149 --> 00:02:34.320 For example, a child who is undersensitive to proprioceptive input may have trouble 00:02:34.320 --> 00:02:38.445 knowing where his body is in space, he may have trouble knowing how much 00:02:38.445 --> 00:02:39.932 pressure to exert on things. 00:02:39.932 --> 00:02:42.475 So he may either be too gentle, and be, you know, 00:02:42.475 --> 00:02:44.254 consistently dropping small objects. 00:02:44.254 --> 00:02:49.446 Or, he may be too rough in play, and be constantly seeking out really rough 00:02:49.446 --> 00:02:52.436 activities to give him a lot of deep pressure input on his joints, 00:02:52.436 --> 00:02:56.053 like wrestling, jumping around, jumping on a trampoline. 00:02:56.143 --> 00:03:01.518 A person with sensory integration issues who is very sensitive to noise may have 00:03:01.518 --> 00:03:05.471 a lot of trouble with auditory processing issues when they're in a space where there 00:03:05.471 --> 00:03:08.915 is background noise, like music, or a lot of people talking, like in a restaurant. 00:03:08.915 --> 00:03:13.664 So while they can hear the person who is sitting across from them and speaking, 00:03:13.664 --> 00:03:17.126 they may not be able to interpret what the person is saying. 00:03:17.126 --> 00:03:21.481 They know that they're speaking, their brain just can't filter out all of the 00:03:21.481 --> 00:03:22.674 auditory information. 00:03:23.285 --> 00:03:28.043 So like I said, sensory processing issues can encompass and incorporate all of the 00:03:28.043 --> 00:03:30.723 senses. And everybody who has sensory integration 00:03:30.723 --> 00:03:35.308 issues - autistic or non-autistic - will have their own set of triggers, 00:03:35.308 --> 00:03:38.092 negative sensory input that causes them discomfort or pain. 00:03:38.092 --> 00:03:41.942 And many people who have sensory integration issues, will have 00:03:41.942 --> 00:03:46.824 some sensory input that they actively seek out and they crave, often because they are 00:03:46.824 --> 00:03:48.007 undersensitive to it. 00:03:48.276 --> 00:03:52.090 So, an autistic person who seeks out Vestibular input because they are 00:03:52.090 --> 00:03:55.676 under-sensitive to vestibular input may really enjoy activities like 00:03:55.676 --> 00:03:59.712 swinging on a swing, or spinning on a tire swing, or on a computer chair. 00:04:04.492 --> 00:04:08.862 Something that comes up a lot, and I get questions about this a lot, comes down to 00:04:08.862 --> 00:04:11.573 Sensory Defensiveness and food. 00:04:11.573 --> 00:04:16.465 Many autistic people have a very limited diet. And this is both due to 00:04:16.465 --> 00:04:22.005 love of routine and resistance to change, but also to sensory defensiveness. 00:04:22.005 --> 00:04:26.499 Sadly, children who are struggling with sensory integration issues may have their 00:04:26.499 --> 00:04:31.609 sensory defensiveness toward a certain texture or taste of food, interpreted 00:04:31.609 --> 00:04:35.968 by their parents as just picky eating or even outward defiance, 00:04:35.968 --> 00:04:39.980 when this isn't the case. When you have sensory integration issues, 00:04:39.980 --> 00:04:42.673 you know that you're different, and you wish that you weren't. 00:04:42.673 --> 00:04:45.872 Sensory integration issues and Sensory Processing Disorder can cause 00:04:45.872 --> 00:04:50.841 a lot of grief in our daily life, because this world isn't really built for us. 00:04:50.841 --> 00:04:56.635 It is so loud, and so fast, and so bright, and all the clothes are too tight, 00:04:56.635 --> 00:04:59.783 and everything's too itchy and it can be exhausting just trying to get some sleep 00:04:59.783 --> 00:05:01.699 at night with all these sounds all around. 00:05:01.777 --> 00:05:04.891 Sensory integration issues can be really hard to deal with, and it's 00:05:04.891 --> 00:05:06.187 important to remember that 00:05:06.187 --> 00:05:08.903 if you're having a showdown with your kid over dinner, 00:05:08.903 --> 00:05:12.857 they're not trying to be defiant to you, they're not just being a picky eater 00:05:12.857 --> 00:05:14.818 if they have sensory processing issues. 00:05:14.818 --> 00:05:18.304 That is a real neurological condition and a valid disability. 00:05:18.304 --> 00:05:23.792 And a child with sensory processing issues doesn't need to be shamed in any situation 00:05:23.792 --> 00:05:28.261 and they don't need to be coerced to do things that cause them pain. 00:05:28.261 --> 00:05:33.143 Because, really, sensory processing disorder, when you have a negative sensory 00:05:33.143 --> 00:05:37.558 input as a trigger, it isn't just uncomfortable or a little annoying. 00:05:37.558 --> 00:05:42.194 It's often very painful, and it is important to remember that, you know, 00:05:42.194 --> 00:05:45.849 there are some children who are just picky. But when it comes to children with 00:05:45.849 --> 00:05:49.525 with sensory integration issues, they have a disability. And so accommodation and 00:05:49.525 --> 00:05:52.115 understanding can go a long way. 00:05:56.491 --> 00:06:00.167 When you have a neurological or developmental disability, you start off 00:06:00.167 --> 00:06:03.330 with less brain energy, call it, in the morning than 00:06:03.330 --> 00:06:04.952 neuro-typical people do. 00:06:04.952 --> 00:06:08.086 And then, throughout the day, as a person with sensory processing issues 00:06:08.086 --> 00:06:11.853 is triggered again and again, that takes up more and more of their 00:06:11.853 --> 00:06:15.615 brain energy that they would be otherwise putting towards learning, 00:06:15.615 --> 00:06:18.942 or socializing, communicating and self-regulating. 00:06:18.942 --> 00:06:23.700 Sensory overload is one of the, I think, biggest, and most frequent 00:06:23.700 --> 00:06:25.455 causes of autistic meltdown. 00:06:25.866 --> 00:06:29.121 That's why it is so important to allow any person or child 00:06:29.121 --> 00:06:31.752 with sensory integration issues - autistic, or not - 00:06:31.752 --> 00:06:35.063 to stim in whatever ways that they need to. 00:06:35.063 --> 00:06:38.114 Because stimming isn't just a meaningless activity, or 00:06:38.114 --> 00:06:40.783 you know, or a repetitive motion just because. 00:06:41.095 --> 00:06:44.241 While stimming is often an expression of self in autistic people, 00:06:44.241 --> 00:06:48.033 in people of all neuro-types with sensory integration issues 00:06:48.033 --> 00:06:52.152 stimming is the best and most important way to self-regulate. 00:06:52.322 --> 00:06:55.639 By stimming in whatever way that feels natural, or comfortable 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.409 to that person, the person with sensory integration issues 00:06:58.409 --> 00:07:01.960 is able to block out negative input with good input. 00:07:01.960 --> 00:07:04.928 For example, a person with sensory integration issues 00:07:04.928 --> 00:07:09.780 may vocally stim to block out a negative auditory stimulus 00:07:09.780 --> 00:07:12.510 in their environment. Stimming can also allow 00:07:12.510 --> 00:07:16.034 and enable a person with sensory processing issues to 00:07:16.034 --> 00:07:20.712 engage in social situations and to be out in public longer, 00:07:20.712 --> 00:07:24.913 and more often because they have a way to deal with all of the anxiety, 00:07:24.913 --> 00:07:29.128 and the pain, and the stress that comes from negative sensory input. 00:07:29.250 --> 00:07:32.891 So, when it comes to helping your child, or loved one, or yourself 00:07:32.891 --> 00:07:36.997 deal with sensory integration issues, stimming is a very important part of that. 00:07:37.404 --> 00:07:40.699 Allowing stimming, even encouraging stimming, 00:07:40.699 --> 00:07:44.913 and exploring, if you are a person with sensory integration issues, what stims 00:07:44.913 --> 00:07:49.138 can you do in w-, in certain situations to help yourself, and to lessen 00:07:49.138 --> 00:07:53.649 the pain, and the mental burden of- of- dealing with negative sensory input. 00:07:53.649 --> 00:07:57.291 And then of course, because the world isn't made for us, there are going 00:07:57.291 --> 00:08:00.139 to be times when we have to accommodate for ourselves. 00:08:00.139 --> 00:08:04.334 For myself, I always carry with me, in my bag, or my purse, 00:08:04.334 --> 00:08:09.564 a pair of earplugs, some wet-wipes, ya know, to deal with any stickiness 00:08:09.564 --> 00:08:11.006 I might accidentally come across. 00:08:11.006 --> 00:08:15.815 Some gum, which provides really good deep sensory input in your jaw. 00:08:15.815 --> 00:08:20.363 And I, I don't have any sunglasses right now, but I know that to combat 00:08:20.363 --> 00:08:24.459 bright sunlight, or the flickering of fluorescent lights, which is just awful 00:08:24.459 --> 00:08:29.090 a combination of sunglasses, and a hat with a brim, or just one or the other 00:08:29.090 --> 00:08:33.292 can lessen the pain from bright or flickering, or bad-colored light 00:08:33.292 --> 00:08:37.230 sources a lot. So I'm currently looking for a pair of sunglasses 00:08:37.230 --> 00:08:41.279 that feel comfy enough for me to wear, and that I like the look of. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.851 But when I find a pair that I do like, I will definitely include them in my 00:08:44.851 --> 00:08:50.858 little kit of sensory things to help me deal with negative sensory input. 00:08:53.928 --> 00:08:57.602 The important thing to remember, is that Sensory Processing Disorder 00:08:57.603 --> 00:09:00.170 and sensory integration issues in autistic people 00:09:00.170 --> 00:09:02.449 are a real and valid neurological condition. 00:09:02.449 --> 00:09:06.357 And that, without accommodation or understanding, they can really 00:09:06.357 --> 00:09:08.796 inhibit your life, and be super hard to deal with. 00:09:08.796 --> 00:09:12.779 And in remembering that Sensory Processing Disorder is a real disability, 00:09:12.779 --> 00:09:16.173 you can also remember that, with accommodation, you can 00:09:16.173 --> 00:09:19.804 lead a happy and healthy and successful life. And that having 00:09:19.804 --> 00:09:23.834 sensory integration issues, or being autistic, doesn't mean that you can't 00:09:23.834 --> 00:09:28.600 live a rich and fulfilling and joyful life. It just might 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:32.055 require some accommodation, a little bit of foresight, or planning 00:09:32.055 --> 00:09:35.029 and some understanding from the people around you. 00:09:35.891 --> 00:09:38.430 So, this has been my video on Sensory Processing Disorder. 00:09:38.430 --> 00:09:40.615 Just a brief overview. (claps) 00:09:40.625 --> 00:09:44.484 If you have questions about this topic or would like to discuss anything 00:09:44.484 --> 00:09:48.360 I said in this video, feel free to post in the comments section because 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:52.440 I would love to foster some discussion out of this topic, and hear from all of you. 00:09:52.500 --> 00:09:54.631 Do you have Sensory Processing Disorder? 00:09:54.631 --> 00:09:56.679 Do you love somebody who does? 00:09:56.679 --> 00:09:59.879 And if you have a question that you would like answered via video 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:03.838 feel free to post your autism-related question in the comments section below 00:10:03.838 --> 00:10:06.796 or message it to me if you would like it to be anonymous. 00:10:06.966 --> 00:10:10.536 And if you like this video, feel free to give it a thumbs-up, 00:10:10.536 --> 00:10:13.323 and subscribe to my channel if you would like more 00:10:13.323 --> 00:10:18.091 videos about autism, and to see new "Ask an Autistic" episodes when they come out 00:10:18.091 --> 00:10:19.032 on Thursdays! 00:10:19.032 --> 00:10:23.641 Thanks for watching my video! (reprise of song from beginning)