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Why do autistics pace, jump, and flap?
I have autism, and my life has been shaped around discovering what makes the symptoms
of autism worse, what makes the symptoms of autism better, and why.
In this video, I explain why autistics do one of sixteen different types of behaviours.
Then I'll let you know how to get more information, if you want it. This is one of a series of
16 different videos which I hope will make it easier for you to explain autism behaviours
to extended family, colleagues, educators, friends, or anyone who might be working with
or supporting someone with an autistic spectrum condition.
I'm Jackie McMillan of Thrive With Autism. I help parents, educators, health practitioners,
and adult autistics to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of autistic spectrum disorders,
so that autism no longer defines their lives, or limits their opportunities.
So, why do autistics pace, and jump, and flap? Well, what is pacing? Pacing... you've probably
seen lecturers, or parents who are upset, or, or people who are really wrought, over-wrought,
pacing. And ah, if you think about it, why are they pacing? They're pacing because they've
got this big charge in their nervous system, ah, because they care deeply about what they're
talking about. And they need a way to let that charge out.
Now, jumping, um, jumping is, it's got some bounce in it, but it's another way of letting
that charge out. I want you to think about, ah, like a rock concert. When you, when...
if you've ever been to a music concert, and ah, there's usually a group of people up right
in front of the stage, and they're standing up. And they're just waiting for the band
to show up. And when the band shows up, they're jumping up and down, and they're flapping,
and they're screaming. And they, they look autistic. But they're not. What they're doing
is, they're releasing that charge in their nervous system because they're just so darned
excited about this band showing up. Well autistics do this too, and it's not necessarily
to do with being excited about a band. We would very seldom get that close to a, a loud-speaker,
'cause it would just be so overwhelming. Now mind you, ah, John Elder Robison and a number
of others of us have discovered that you can deal with really loud noises if you, um, if
you focus on a single thing to the exclusion of everything else. And that's something else.
That's called monotropism, and it's a, it's a coping mechanism. Um, but for the most part,
you're not going to find us that close to a really loud loud-speaker.
Um. So, when you see someone pacing, or jumping, or flapping, what you know is that they've
got so much 'zing' going through their nervous system, they need extra ways to let that 'zing'
out. If you want more information about Thrive
With Autism, there are some free webinars coming up.
- Autism Essentials gives you the keys to help the autistics you love at home, school,
and work. The Five Root Causes of Autism helps you find
the unique blend at the root of your particular autistic challenges.
Thank you for caring about someone with autism.