Grant County NeuroDiversity Network - NDN

What is eloping? running away

Eloping is a common problem for autistic people. Usually moreso for parents and caregivers. It's about safety.

There was an article about an autistic man who fatally walked into traffic when left unattended.

When I am having a meltdown, I have the desperate feeling of flight response. I considered walking into the busy street outside, but stopped out of fear of being stopped and sent to inpatient. He didn't stop.

Someone responded to me in the comments that my experience isn't the same as someone with profound autism. That's funny because I have severe autism. I'm on that level. I'm just able to verbalize what he must have felt.

The autistic urge to elope. There is something inside that just wants to run away. I'm desperate to escape. And anything in my way is a threat bigger than even death. Death is an escape. Nothing could hurt me ever again. I feel panicked and scared and all I want to do is run until I disappear and no one can perceive me. Until I calm down and know that's not a rational thing to do.

"Community is everything" so we need good friends to surround us with a safety net. I have my family. Who is there to stop you when the threat is coming from inside?

How do you accommodate for Easter?

Instead of a big egg hunt at a park, we hide eggs around the house to accommodate for the noise/chaos/socializing.

I wasn't originally going to read this, but I saw the infinity symbol and looked at the contents. I loved the font inside. This really hits as a parent, but mostly my own internal struggles with ableist ideas of autism. Heidi gives us an unfiltered reminder that we aren't broken and everything is actually hard. Learn more about Heidi at her website: www.heidimavir.com

We listen and don't judge.

Remember Blue's Clues Steve? He has a great podcast. I listen via Spotify, but YouTube also has Alive With Steve Burns.

Dr. Desiree Jones on Neurodivergence: Who Decides What Is “Normal”? SUBSCRIBE TO JOIN THE ALIVE WITH STEVE BURNS FAMILYSteve's friend Desi stops by to discuss neurodivergence: -What's the difference between “normal” and “not ...

I'd like to plan a NeuroDiversity Noon (4pm) at the local library.

A general table for support group discussion. A table for coloring pages. A sensory bin or two. I'll need to talk to staff to start really planning it, but I wanted to share the idea ahead.

Exert from Pulling Together by Tom Mosgaller and Mike Breininger

Very fittingly, I just read Pulling Together which is all about what we're doing. I don't really want the responsibility that comes with being the leader. We are all capable. We all have that power in us. Join the team? 💪

People with late diagnostics were raised to be silent where we needed support.

After much searching, I only found online supports and information, but very little in person. Those face to face supports are for children. Where do the adults fit? Does society expect us to just grow out of neurodivergency? We cannot set that same foundation as the children given support. Even then, those children grow up to be silenced.

We are here and we will be very loud.
For the children who are future adults.
Because support doesn't just end at 18.

Credit to Jessi Smyles for this one