April is Autism Exhaustion Month

 

Hybrid is an easy accommodation

To give context to the above post, Sascha was one of the students in my Autism DeCal Class at UC Berkeley. I was happy to be able to accommodate her request of attending the class remotely that semester and extending that hybrid option to all the students in the class as well. Hybrid is such a simple and basic accommodation really, especially in a post pandemic world where zoom became a very viable option of attendance. 

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And to hark back to another teacher who paved this way for me was Instructor Martha Oral (English 1B) in my community college when I was about to drop my fall semester as I would be unable to attend due to health reasons. Martha on her own initiative talked to the Tech support and organized Cisco Webex on her laptop which one student monitored during her class so that i could attend that class remotely. This was before the pandemic made Zoom an everyday word. 

 

Alexithymia and Autism

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulty in recognizing and expressing one's emotional experiences.

The term was first used in the 1970s by psychotherapist Peter Sifneos to describe a group of people who had difficulty expressing their emotions. They may also be more prone to stress-related issues and have difficulties coping with stress in general.

Studies find the prevalence of alexithymia in autistics to range from 50% to 66% compared to a 10% prevalence in the neurotypical population (1,2).

1. Alexithymia in autistics has been associated with several negative outcomes.Social communication difficulties: Difficulty expressing emotions and interpreting the emotions of others, can interfere with social communication; which may be particularly pronounced in autistics, who already experience social communication difficulties (3).
2. Reduced quality of life due to the negative impact on social relationships (4)
3. Increased anxiety and depression: One study found that alexithymia was a significant predictor of depression in autistic adults (5).
4. Greater risk for negative outcomes: In a longitudinal study of autistic children those with higher levels of alexithymia were found to have a higher risk for negative outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems over time (6).

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A Plain Language Version

What is Alexithymia? Alexithymia is when someone has a hard time recognizing and talking about their own emotions. They might also find it tough to cope with stress and are more likely to have stress-related issues.

History of Alexithymia The term "alexithymia" was first used in the 1970s by a psychotherapist named Peter Sifneos. He noticed that some people had difficulty expressing their emotions and gave this condition a name.

Alexithymia and Autism Studies show that alexithymia is much more common in autism. About 50% to 66% of autistics have alexithymia, compared to only about 10% of people without autism.

Effects of Alexithymia in Autism

1. Social Communication Difficulties: Autistics with alexithymia have an even harder time expressing emotions and understanding others' emotions, making social interactions more challenging.
2. Reduced Quality of Life: Having trouble with social relationships can lower overall happiness and satisfaction in life.
3. Increased Anxiety and Depression: Research shows that alexithymia can lead to higher levels of anxiety and depression in autistic adults.
4. Greater Risk for Negative Outcomes: In a long-term study of autistic children, those with higher levels of alexithymia were more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems as they grew up.

Understanding and addressing alexithymia in autism is important for improving social interactions, mental health, and overall quality of life.

Propagnosia and Autism

There is some research suggesting a possible link between prosopagnosia  and autism. However studies are correlational in nature and do not establish a causal link between prosopagnosia and autism

What is Propagnosia

Propagnosia (face blindness), is a neurological condition that affects a person's ability to recognize and remember faces. There is difficulty recognizing familiar faces, such as those of family members, friends, or colleagues. They may also have difficulty recognizing faces in photographs or on television.