Autistic Teen Finds Inner Voice

I found this on Face book today. I am so happy for this young girl and her family. We have our Noah and he is extremely autistic. He has most all the same symptoms as this young girl. We have often said that we believe much of Noah's melt downs are the result of him not being able to communicate with us. He seemed a little better once he was able to show us what he wants. But now that isn't working either. His reactions to what goes on around him are unacceptable in society. His fits that a normal child would have end up hurting him and others around him. He lashes out with head banging and hitting, if he can't hit you, he hits himself. In fact most of his tirades are against himself. In the course of one of these fits, he lashes out at anyone close. So if it is in the car, his brothers and baby sister are the victims. If you are trying to calm him so that he doesn't hurt himself or others, then you are the victim. Today, my arms are covered with scratches and bruises where he held my harms and pinched me with his fingernails. Of course, his ribs have to hurt. He beats himself in the ribs. They must be so tender to the touch. I don't think he feels the pain the same way we do.

This young girl, Carly, has put into words what we always want to know. Why do you do this? Sensory overload is basically the reason. Everything effects them sensory wise. And they are trying to stop that. The senses as we know them, mainly bring us pleasure. Like music, laughter, the wind blowing through the trees. Sunshine on our faces, the smell of a brand new morning. For Autistic children, the breeze that feels that good to us might feel like knives cutting their skin. And all they do to try and make that stop.

I think I understand to an extent. I have fibromyalgia. Sometimes my hair hurts. And the wind blowing across my skin makes me want to scream. My clothes have to fit me a certain way. Sometimes I change clothes several times a day. And I will find something that is comfortable finally. It might be the same thing I tried yesterday and it didn't work. Loud noises make me insane. Loud noise physically hurts me. And the only difference between  Noah and myself, is that my mind works differently. I know how to channel the appropriate reaction. I can communicate to those around me. I hurt, leave me alone. I can tell them the music is too loud. I can speak for myself. I may not understand why, but I understand what.

Carly tell us that she feels she is on fire. She says that her head fills like exploding and letting everything out.
I am so so happy for her and her family. Hopefully we will be able to learn from her the What. Scientist and Doctors could learn what is going on, and then they can come up with the why. Our hope is one day, that they can develop a way to treat the mind and take away the pain.