This time in Jan 2022
With my Haas Scholars Cohort on the UC Berkeley Campus.
We were back to in-person meetings though fully masked indoors.
Implications for autism. Application and interventions is my big thought always.
I think by now it is pretty established that there are glitches in multisensory processing in autistics.
Past studies indicate TBW (Temporal Binding Window) larger in autistics - individual cortical columns were strong, but not talking to columns in other domains.
I want to highlight that this paper says that this balance between distributed vs local information can be a tool to explore differences in multisensory processing. The paper also goes on to say that this can be used to develop effective interventions aimed at improving performance on tasks requiring coordination between different sensory modalities.
So how exactly can we start to do this. What kind of experiment design can we set up so that we get to big goal of interventions. Do we first check for what regions of the brain are involved in autistics, while we do a task.
In a world of noise and chaos,
My mind is a storm, a tempest tossed.
The overwhelming sensation,
Meltdown, a state of frustration.
My senses heightened,
Sounds and lights, so brightened.
A cacophony of noise,
A confusion that destroys.
A feeling of impending doom.
As I try to find an escape room.
But there is no escape,
From this overwhelming state.
I am trapped in my mind,
A prisoner of my own fate.
Is there a glimmer of hope,
A lifeline to help me cope.
To regain control, and continue on
But in the middle of the meltdown, all that is long gone.
Pretty much every SLP I've been to over the years, has mentioned these terms. So what exactly are they.
Apraxia, dyspraxia, and oral-motor apraxia are all related to deficits in motor planning and execution, but they differ in their specific manifestations and underlying neural mechanisms.
Lexicon [Measures]- ADI
The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is a semi-structured, and standardized interview designed for caregivers of autistics to gather information about the individual's behavior and development in key areas related to autism. The ADI-R is typically used for diagnostic purposes and for aiding in the assessment and treatment planning for autistics. [See posts on other Screening/Diagnostic Measures]
Possibility has always been a big driving force of the more positive aspects of my life (Hari-As-Possibility), so it had inspired a series of poems written over the years. Here is one.
Possibility Mindset
A possibility-mindset is key
Unlocking doors, sight unseen
A fuel that drives us to believe
Anything is possible
We conceive not just perceive
…. travel those possibilities into doors of opportunity
Possibility Mindset…
….the spark that ignites our passion
… the fire that burns within
It's the courage to
… take a stand
… strength to begin
…..chase our dreams
And find success in the things we seek
With a possibility mindset, there's nothing
That we can't achieve it seems
[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]
Application to Autism.
The advantage of a good filtering system is less getting overwhelmed by your sensory environment in the real world, but the disadvantage was that you could lose out on critical information. This almost automatic value-based filtering ability is, I think, an issue many autistics like me struggle with. But even with extensive experience, value-based filters could vary around task domain, context-specific or even things like predictability. Which is still, i think, why we still face challenges in trying to understand what exactly is going on in the non-neurotypical populations.
Summary of the paper we discussed in my Multisensory Integration seminar this week.
Autism is a proven profit-making industry. Everything in autism space costs money; not just average money but real $$$$$$. It's profit with almost no accountability. If an autistic does not progress, it because they were not going to show progress anyway, you are too old, it's too late, so don't deserve solutions for your challenges or opportunities for your strengths.
Autism is also a career-making industry, with books published, speeches of fancy words at conferences. We are surrounded by money-making "autism-expert-celebrities" though no one still has a clue.
Lexicon [Measures] - CARS
The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) a behavior observation scale intended to help diagnose autism and plan interventions/therapy. CARS is administered by a clinician through direct observation and interactions and involves structured and semi-structured activities to elicit specific behaviors. The tool is designed for children aged 2 years and older.
We pay so much money for all the therapy in the autism space. Here is something that is completely and absolutely FREE. The best part is, no one can gatekeep and deny its access for you or decide you are "not a good-fit."
It's AWE. Awe is beneficial to the mind and the body. And you don't have to travel far on an expensive vacation to experience awe. It's all around you - that blade of grass, that tall building you walk beneath, images from the James Webb telescope, our BFF God (forever, gonna outlast us all), or even that tiny ant on the ground.
Let's make use of and benefit from this
FREE, ACCESSIBLE & BENEFICIAL RESOURCE of AWE
by engaging in small moments of AWE everyday.
Trapped in Turmoil: SIB and Meltdown
In turmoil deep, the mind doth rage,
A tempest wild, within the cage.
A meltdown fierce, the self doth harm,
A trauma deep, the soul doth alarm.
With autism's veil, the mind doth cope,
But oft it strains, and seeks to elope.
In self-injury, it finds release,
But in the wake, a heart doth cease.
Oh autism, thy ways are hard,
For those who bear thy hidden card.
Urgent call for solutions anon,
And hold us close, with open mind.
#autismsolutions
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A poem on self-injurious behavior which is a reality for many autistics and is terribly traumatizing and battering for both the autistics and others around. We need solutions urgently.
I saw this when it came out. It was so beautiful. May we reach a future where every child can be supported to joy. Hari Srinivasan , for one, is working on it.The link should be open-access."“Your kid IS everything!!!!!!” Carey tweeted. “Knox, you made my day. Your JOY gives me and everyone watching JOY. THANK YOU for reminding me why I wake up in the morning and do what I do. I love you.”“She loves me?” [Knox] asked his mom. “Mariah Carey loves me?”"Image: Black autistic boy singing with his whole body in front of his classmates.
BioMedical Research is IMPORTANT for Autism.
I wish people stop conflating all Autism Biomedical Research as a cure; cure being something the disability rights movement has been against. Honestly no amount of biomedical research is going to reverse disability but it can go a long way in alleviating some of its more troubling symptoms and health issues.
Reality is that a majority of a the moderate-high support autistic individuals do have significant health issues, and other behavioral issues that significantly impact their quality of life.
WE NEED solutions, including BIOMEDICAL ones and TECH ones in addition to changes in SOCIETAL MINDSET that is the main focus of the neurodiversity movement to address these issues.
Shutting down all and any biomedical research is a disservice to the autism community.
SIB's are real. 20% of autistics have SIB. Why are we not looking at SIBs at a physiological level. SIBs leave you battered and traumatized from personal experience. It is something I don't want to live with and I would gladly welcome any research on it. It's not about a CURE, its helping me life a less stressful life - my "pursuit of happiness."
How can these autistics get to the level of demanding acceptance, inclusion in education and employment that the neurodiversity movement is asking for, if the very same group is denying the very things that gives them to the platform of equity.
Why can't I have both - the biology to help with my challenges and the accommodations/inclusion of neurodiversity.
Lexicon [Measures] - GARS
The GARS (Gillian Autism Rating Scale) is a behavior rating scale that evaluates the presence and severity of autistic symptomatology. GARS assesses various domains related to autism, including social interaction, communication, and stereotyped behaviors. It is administered by a clinician and used for individuals between the ages of 3 and 22 years.
Scoring & Interpretation
The GARS questionnaire consists of 56 items that assess various behaviors and characteristics related to autism. These items are grouped into three main categories: Stereotyped Behaviors, Communication, and Social Interaction. Each item on the GARS is scored on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (Not Applicable) to 3 (Severe). The total score is derived by summing the individual item scores, providing an overall indication of the severity of autistic symptoms. Higher scores indicate more severe symptomatology.
Citation:
Gilliam, J. E. (1995). Gilliam Autism Rating Scale. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
Another round of snow today. Just a light snowfall like a constant drizzle of rain all day. Had to go to college anyway. Had to walk from the parking lot to class and then move from one building to next for the next class. It was gloomy at 4pm and quite cold at 36 F.
Severe Thunderstorm warning.... 60 mph wind gusts. Half Dollar size Hail... 1.25 inch. Damage to Vehicle is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding and trees. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
