Exploring my Autistic Early Childhood

In this video I attempt to describe some aspects of my known behaviour in infancy and toddler years which are understandable through the lens of autism.

[nicoladocherty]

You are fabulous! I wanted to let you know, I am using your videos to help explain my experiences to my partner and family. You are so articulate and engaging! I can’t get enough of your content! ✌️😊❤️

[annv]

I absolutely love, love your orange, I need a form of this in my life to help explain why the spectrum presents itself so differently in different individuals. As its been said, if you meet one person with Autism you've met one person. The end. People need boxes and criteria lists it appears, they are so in a quandary when confronted with something like Autism that has indefinable areas and shades. I myself went through a series of testings in the 70s that I cant quite remember as to why they occurred or what the final analysis was. I think they were aware of something being 'amiss' with me but they failed to diagnose me as possibly being autistic, we 70s females still being apparently under the radar as you're mentioning. I Struggled Terribly alone to come to terms with my sensitivities and issues, of course I was bullied and made to feel 'different' by my peers. Thankfully I was able to withdraw into library culture and church culture, both places that just soothed and relieved me so much although back then I didnt know why that was so. My teachers recognised my eidetic memory, and unusual math solving abilities in a female, so at least I felt as if I belonged in school. I took speech therapy as a child, I have poor vision and some photo sensitivity, although my auditory and touch perceptions have always been extremely highly sensitive.
I am very much in agreement with everything you've said. Identification is an amazing concept in terms of Autism, WOW. With me it was the light bulb moment that mattered so much more than any assistance that might have been now available. Im so excited about your channel!

[blackbird]

Very interesting, Shawna. I hadn't heard about the dislike / fear of getting wet & / or naked before, but my beloved late Mum had that strongly. She preferred 'all-over washes' to baths, even though they were difficult & took ages, & she never showered in her life, nor went swimming. (She did have baths, but these took a lot of psyching-up & fuss beforehand, as if they were ordeals.) She hated washing up too, & was very panic-stricken if my sibling & I got soaked in the rain etc. Now she has passed away & I miss her so much, I am realising more & more that she was probably autistic, which would explain sooo many unusual behaviours. I talk too much, & have always had a huge vocabulary & verbal memory, but am not sure if it's because of extreme loneliness & having had 2 extremely intelligent & articulate linguist parents, or my being Aspie. But, like you, I digress lots (is that a sign of adhd?) & think aloud, to unpack, understand & organise my thoughts & feelings more fully. Many thanks again! :) xx

[joniallen]

I found this fascinating! I’m experiencing a lot of stay in bed feelings.

[scitor]

Gee Shawna, I was cruising right along then you go and throw a big word at me.... Loquacious !! But thanks to Google, I am now fully appreciative of the I am sure you are eventually going to get to the events where your diagnosis became finite. Mostly because I see a gradual progression to your Videos. I have a few friends who have Autistic children.... I say children in the sense that they are Children of my friends, but some are now young adults and or adults. I do have a question and or a statement for that matter to ask. This might get long winded, as I can be Mega Loquacious, because I can type 60wpm LOL. When Danny and I moved to the valley when we were in grades 4 or 5, It was a new life, for us, moving into a neighborhood where we had to meet new friends, and learn the proverbial ins and outs of the new Kids we met, to fit in. I soon learned, and I imagine so did my brother term, to me that had no meaning or context, but or new friends seemed to use often at the playgrounds or at recess. If someone did something that appeared stupid or dumb, they used the saying... Oh you are such a Bevan. When I first heard the term, I did not think much of it, mostly because I did not understand it. Of course as Sponges when were were young, I would not want to feel out of place, so I would start using the word when I saw something crazy or dumb. It became a staple in my vocabulary, and most everyone I knew back then. A few years pass, and We as a family are posted to Nova Scotia and a few years after, returned to Comox.... Now in Grade 10, the term came back to me, but I still was not clear where the term Bevan had come I found out.... and I was gobsmacked. For those who read this post, there was a Lodge in Courtenay that housed folks with mental disease. In the late 70's early 80s those who would of been placed into that lodge would likely of been called Retarded. Were there folks in there with Asperger's or even Autistic folks... probably. When I heard someone call another a Bevan, at the age of 14 or 15, I cringed. I had anxiety and felt upset that someone would actually and still use the word. I don't think the Lodge was even still around anymore, but the term bothered me.... a lot. To this day even trying to express what I recall and typing it out, makes me uncomfortable. So, lets fast forward to 2020, and Shawna Mc and her unique and educational video's on the subject of A & A. I guess where I am going with this, does the medical system recognize Autism and Asperger's as a Mental illness? As you pointed out, you do not "catch" either, as an individual, you are born with it. Ok, so I have Keep up the videos, and strive with all of your heart to get up each day and just take in all that you have there in the one day I might just move back that

[actually_autistic]

Not liking being held by strangers I guess was hypersensitivity to touch from strangers?