Contemplation, one line a day. #MentalHealth
Happy Pongal
All set for Pongal this morning, complete with Tiruman and Veshti (traditional attire).
Happy Pongal everyone.
Ready to make some noise with a plate and spoon along with cries of "Pongal O Pongal" when the clay pot of (newly harvested) cooked rice boils over.
Happy Pongal everyone.
A Pongal lunch spread. While farmers celebrate the rice harvest, we celebrate their hardwork by feasting!! Happy Pongal everyone.
Cal Football
Looking back to to this day
From 3 years back - Basketball Game at Haas Stadium, UC Berkeley
Not gone to any games at new school, but hope to in 2023.
Joy is the serenity that comes from acceptance and letting go
Contemplation, one line a day. #MentalHealth
BioMedical Research is IMPORTANT for Autism.
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.
GARS - Gillian Autism Rating Scale
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.
Limitations
- potential for subjective interpretation
- reliance on observer ratings
- lack of comprehensive assessment of other domains, such as cognitive abilities or co-occurring conditions.
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.
History: The GARS was developed by James E. Gilliam in 1995. It was designed as a tool to aid in the identification and assessment of individuals with ASD.
Citation:
Gilliam, J. E. (1995). Gilliam Autism Rating Scale. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
Joy is the happiness that radiates from within and touches others
Contemplation, one line a day. #MentalHealth
Light Snowfall
Snowflakes dance in the air,
Falling softly, without a care.
But to college neuroscience I must go
Blood brain barriers and biophysiology today
I did not like walking in that cold
The cold bites, the wind moans.
Goosebumps, hard to withstand.
Though it's harsh, it's also grand.
Falling softly, without a care.
But to college neuroscience I must go
Blood brain barriers and biophysiology today
I did not like walking in that cold
The cold bites, the wind moans.
Goosebumps, hard to withstand.
Though it's harsh, it's also grand.
Snow today
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.
Thunderstorm Haikus
Not used to getting so many severe weather alerts on phone.
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.
Luckily it stopped at just heavy rains with thunder and lightning. We missed the 13mph twister that devastated 50 miles of Selma, Alabama located just south of where we are.
In the meantime, dry California, which is not used to rain, is getting battered with the relentless rain deluge, wind gusts, flooding, mudslides and sinkholes with seven consecutive storms starting just before the start of 2023. Flooding is inevitable when you get 1 month worth of rain falling in one day with a cumulative effect with storm after storm. The annual wildfires and the continued drought had left behind bare hills and parched soil, which aggravate the mudslides and floods.
Climate change in action.
Autistics must not Stim
Autistics and stims. Please rethink.
Autistics MUST NOT stim.
Please rethink….
Stimming serves a purpose, its true
A coping mechanism, a way to soothe.
Calming nerves, reorganizing thoughtsA brush with Somatosensory body remapping
Engaging in stims... is quite typical for neurotypicals!!
Society accepts these stims with ease
Oh, the irony!!
... nonstop clicking of TV remote
... mindless paper doodling
... obsessive loop of tik-tok and youtube shorts
... head buried in phone when walking - accidents waiting to happen.
So should autistics be allowed to stim mindlessly too?
Au contraire, it's not always a breeze.
Stimming is exhausting, Energy consuming
A switch on repeat, an obsessive desire.
Runaway motor movements. No pause or stop
Maddening. All consuming. Overwhelming
Autistics and stims. Please rethink.
Some stimming can be beneficial, it's true.
But cross a threshold, and it becomes OCD,
The cutoff is something you need to determine.
Find balance in stimming, it's key,
To regulate emotions and bring inner peace.
Elusive Sleep
13% of autistics have sleep issues compared to just 3.7% in the general population (Burman et al., 2023). Sleep disturbances may be around initiating sleep, parasomnias, maintaining sleep, frequent nighttime awakening, unable to go back to sleep, daytime fatigue. Sleep disturbances worsen other challenges associates with autism and adds to anxiety and impulsivity.
We urgently need research that leads to translatable solutions.
Elusive Sleep.
Eyes wide open, mind in a haze
Sleep does not come, no matter how I try
Tossing and turning, pacing the floor
Thoughts racing, as the night goes on
A battle lost, sleep remains gone
The night seems endless, my mind won't compose
The hours pass, and the night wears thin
But sleep remains elusive, just won't restart
Frustration and exhaustion sink deep,
I try to relax, but my body is tense
Dreams elude me, as the night wears on
A prisoner of my thoughts, until the dawn
I'm trapped in a cycle I can't win
A new day awaits, but for now, I cannot cope.
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