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

Thunderstorm going on in Nashville. Tomorrow - Snow forecast (which may mean housebound as the city is not used to frequent snow). 

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.

Serenity is the refuge from the chaos of the world.

- Hari Srinivasan

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 thoughts

A 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.

Grad School - Sem 2

Regressive Autism

PlainSpeak for Lay Reader

Regressive autism, also called late-onset or acquired autism, is when a child starts losing skills they had developed, particularly in talking and interacting with others. This usually happens between 15 and 30 months old. Initially, these children might seem to be developing typically, but then they start having trouble communicating, become less social, avoid eye contact, and may show repetitive behaviors like hand-flapping or lining up toys. This change can be very upsetting for both the child and their family.

Possible Explanations for Regressive Autism

1. Genetic Factors: Some kids may be more likely to develop regressive autism if there is a history of autism or similar conditions in their family. This suggests that genetics might play a role.

2. Environmental Triggers: Certain environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins or infections, might trigger autism in children who are already at risk because of their genetics. However, the exact links are not yet clear.

3. Immune System Issues: Some children with regressive autism have abnormal immune responses. This means their bodies might react differently to infections or other immune challenges, which could be linked to the regression of skills.

4. Brain Changes: Changes in brain development and how brain cells connect with each other are being studied to understand why some children lose skills. These changes can affect how the brain processes information.

5. Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Mitochondria are parts of cells that produce energy. Problems with mitochondria might affect brain development and function, which could contribute to autism symptoms.

6. Neuronal Pruning: During normal brain development, the brain removes excess neurons and connections to work more efficiently, a process called pruning. In autism, this pruning process might not work properly. Too much pruning can lead to losing important connections, while too little can result in too many connections, both of which can disrupt normal brain function and contribute to the loss of skills seen in regressive autism.

These explanations are still being researched, and scientists are working to better understand the causes and find effective ways to support children with regressive autism and their families

2 versions of this post

For Scientific/Academic Audience

PlainSpeak - For Lay Reader