How Does A Child With Autism See The World?
It is never easy to see reality through the eyes of others. But it is even more difficult to imagine how a child with autism sees the world, what their perceptions, thoughts and emotions are.
Putting ourselves in others’ shoes is not easy, but we can try and succeed too. Understanding how a child with autism sees the world helps us to be closer to him and not to isolate him.
The stimuli and autism
Children with autism face a myriad of obstacles. Not only in the little things of every day, but also in the society that often fails to understand how autistics feel and experience the reality that surrounds them.
The most mundane situation, such as going shopping at the mall or entering a crowded store, can be a very stressful and conflicting experience for a child with autism.
Autistic people are extremely sensitive to any external stimulus. If they receive too much sensory stimulation, they can feel disoriented, burdened and stressed. It is important to understand that an autistic child’s outbreak of anger always has a valid reason. It is not just an attempt to get attention, but a reaction to something that has shaken him in a way that is intolerable to him.
A video to bring us closer to the world of autism
The “ Too much information ” campaign launched by the National Autistic Society has a very clear slogan: “I’m not a rude child, I’m autistic”.
The British organization has set itself the goal of helping us empathically understand people with autism, bringing us visually closer to their perception of the world.
When a child with autism receives too much stimulation, he can collapse. For this reason, the National Autistic Society is asking our society to begin to understand how a child with autism views the world in order to avoid being turned away from public places due to their reaction. Many people with this disorder and their families feel that society does not understand them and isolates them.
The brain of an autistic child is “connected” in a different way and it can all seem very chaotic. He perceives the world as if his senses were activated simultaneously to capture all information. A large amount of data invades it in a chaotic way and can become the cause of intense emotional malaise.
It is therefore time for everyone to become more aware of the reality of the world of autism. This allows us to stop isolating them and to understand what it means for them to enter a space crowded with people, noises, lights, smells, colors …
All stimuli are perceived in an intense way. The video that we propose at the end of this article will allow you to enter this semi-unknown world in just 1 minute and 24 seconds.
How does a child with autism see the world?
It is also useful for us to learn those simple strategies that allow us to react correctly when a child with autism begins to behave “in an inappropriate way” under the pressure of so many stimuli.
It is vital to understand that autistic people are part of our society and it is everyone’s job to help them feel good and fit. Some useful strategies are:
- Give them time to process the information.
- Don’t clump together during a crisis ; do not judge the person or his family.
- Grant a protected and silent space in which to find tranquility.
- Ask family members if they need help.
- Thinking “what would I like when I’m about to explode?”.
- Empathize with the autistic child instead of criticizing the situation.
You will hear at the end of the video “I am not a rude child, I am autistic and I receive too much information”. It is a film not to be missed and, once seen, after the emotional impact, reflection is a must. Find out what an autistic child feels in everyday situations and why he has the right to react, whatever the reason.
