Firstly, they say autistics don’t feel emotions, or have a limited range. As a mother of three autistic children, I can say that’s a lie. While emotion might not be expressed in typical ways, it’s there alright. While my teen son might say he does not know what it means to “love,” He definitely loves his siblings.
What I’ve seen in my children and read via adult autistics, is that sometimes emotions are overwhelming. Not nonexistent! My younger two autistics are like that. The ability to REGULATE emotion is weak. They feel all the feels.
And so it was that we went to a place called Giraffe House this weekend. (They have other animals.) My youngest zoomed off as she usually does, not really looking at the animals. Her dad took over chasing her and I stayed with the others. We came across them later on. My three year old was rolling around in the grass, crying. She was update that the play area wasn’t in use. Extremely upset. She wouldn’t let me lick her up, kept running to me then away…
Her face was wet with tears and mucus. It was impossible to soothe her so we left her to get it out her system, but a blonde haired lady just couldn’t. She even followed us, asking what she was crying for.
My husband told her she’s autistic and she asked if she was unable to’handle’ the big space. She was so concerned. And she got it. Autistics have different challenges. It’s not always the parents’ poor parenting that causes discomfort in autistics. She asked if our girl would be ok.❤️
My poor angels feels a LOT. And this was while she’s on Risperdal to HELP regulate her feelings. Poor poppet. I wished I could make her feel better, but it needed to be ear HER time. Then she calmed down.
Till she wanted to climb into the animal enclosures.
I wish I could make those who don’t get it feel the strain and heartache. Each hope and desire to make them feel better batters me. I shared how my girl constantly sticks to me. I wish I could give the experience to the person who called her my little helper, adding a big heart emoticon. Believe me, having a child scribbling on the exam you’re resting to mark isn’t helpful. Having her always pulling at me when I’m trying to rest, pulling me because she wants me to go somewhere else all the time is tiring and frustrating. She always wanted to eat a lot. Sensory chews don’t stop that. And now with the risperdal it’s like she’s on prednisone. It’s NOT cute. It’s sad. It’s not helpful, it’s heartbreaking. Her tears when we HAVE to curtail the eating-horrible. Autistics have feelings. Big ones sometimes!
They said I should write a book 