Rel Sensory Pain
Thursday, August 09, 2012 @3:18:39 AM
Senory Pain
Jus a quick reminder about the sensory issues in autism. I had my hair cut yesterday. The sensory pain was horrid. The worst bit was and is always the apron to stop hair getting on your clothes. The label is always at the top front just at the front of the throat. Labels hurt; they are a differnt texture and light. Light touch for an atistic person can be severly painful, it is for me. I endured half an hour of total pain, I was nearly sick from the pain. I am a 46 year old adult and can hold on long enough to have a hair cut. Frightened children canot do this.
It's strange how things that most people don't undersand become totally enforcible norms. A simple thig like making haircuts contain less sensory pain would help lots. But norms are enforced thus making it near impossible for a hypersensitive autisitc person to cope with ordinary things. When I was a child I was told "don't be stupid" don't be fussy" "of courde we don't do that" "your stupid......strange......funny.......odd.........selfish and worse".
So........we learn as children to hide our sensory pain. This works for a while until we melt down. Tip; to aboid meltdowns please accomodate our sensory needs from childhood onwards. This is real even if you don't see it or relate to it. I have come off motorbkes at speed and believe me a label is more painful than that. I have t sta myself for these sensory events, the pain, fear and anxiey are debilitating. People around me just don't get it.
Please do get this for your autistic child, partner, friend, pupil or relative. Life will go so much better. Oh and on the sensory front a plea; please don't expecet your autistic child to cope with supermarkes or shopping malls........ever. A meltdown will happen every time if they are in pain due to all the sensory overload in those places. I do lots of work with parents and allways advise not to take their children to these places. Ther is no geting round or over the pain and overload other than by avoidance. Think about it........we all av0id pain. Just because you don't get the other person's pain please don't assume they are being silly and don't force the pain on them. We would all melt down if this were our reality all the time like it is for autistic people.
