Join Dr. Regan for the final episode of the series "Talking About Autism." This episode focuses on how talk to others when you see autistic characteristics in them.  New Course for Clinicians - Interventions in Autism: Helping Clients Stay Centered, Connect with Others, and Engage in Life New Course for Clinicians: ASD Differential Diagnoses and Associated Characteristics Dr. Regan's Resources Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed Audiobook Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors Autism in the Adult website Resources for Clinicians   Read the transcript: 00:00:02,540 --> 00:00:06,380 Hello everyone. 3 00:00:06,390 --> 00:00:13,200 This is Dr Theresa Regan and you are joining me for this episode of autism in the adult podcast. 4 00:00:13,210 --> 00:00:15,620 I am a neuropsychologist, 5 00:00:15,630 --> 00:00:23,730 the parent of a teen on the spectrum and I'm the director of a diagnostic autism clinic for adolescents, 6 00:00:23,730 --> 00:00:26,960 adults and aging adults in central Illinois. 7 00:00:27,540 --> 00:00:33,220 And we are in the third uh segment here of the series that we're calling, 8 00:00:33,220 --> 00:00:34,890 talking about autism, 9 00:00:34,900 --> 00:00:43,350 which has been a listener requested series and a really great topic to review together and discuss. 10 00:00:43,930 --> 00:00:54,260 The first episode was about personal journeys towards getting a diagnosis or receiving a diagnosis and how to communicate with others about that. 11 00:00:54,740 --> 00:01:01,570 The second episode was about navigating emotional atmospheres when talking about autism. 12 00:01:01,570 --> 00:01:02,950 For some reason, 13 00:01:02,970 --> 00:01:21,150 the topic can be very emotionally charged and it can be unexpected at times and intense and thinking about how to navigate all those emotions can help if you're wanting to talk more about the topic with other people. 14 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:30,930 Uh and this episode is about talking about autism to others when its characteristics in them that you identify, 15 00:01:30,930 --> 00:01:41,060 that you wonder if they might be on the spectrum and you're wanting to bring up the topic and just kind of um suggest that to them or see if they've thought about it. 16 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:55,060 What I'm going to do first is a segment where I'm going to lay the foundation for how I explain autism to other people. 17 00:01:55,540 --> 00:02:02,610 I think this Foundation may at times be something that you need a way of verbalizing. 18 00:02:02,610 --> 00:02:04,960 If you're going to bring up the topic to others. 19 00:02:05,250 --> 00:02:06,650 This may help some of you. 20 00:02:06,650 --> 00:02:09,100 It may be old hat for some of you. 21 00:02:09,540 --> 00:02:16,530 Um But it'll be after we review that foundational kind of information that I talk about. 22 00:02:16,530 --> 00:02:24,360 Some ways to approach people and ways to talk about the topic or introduced the topic. 23 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:30,060 So when we talk about autism, 24 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:53,660 you may be talking to someone who has less knowledge than you do about what it is and at some point in the conversation you may be wanting to clarify what it is so that they can consider the information um in a really accurate way. 25 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:03,850 What autism is is a neuro behavioral developmental condition that's neurologic. 26 00:03:04,340 --> 00:03:09,800 Uh So what it means is that the brain, 27 00:03:09,810 --> 00:03:17,060 because it's in charge of our thinking skills are academic skills are motor coordination, 28 00:03:17,070 --> 00:03:18,980 our emotions, 29 00:03:18,980 --> 00:03:21,110 our personality structure, 30 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,950 our behavioral patterns. 31 00:03:23,340 --> 00:03:40,450 Um Sometimes the brain has kind of an atypical wiring from birth that whereas one individual may be born with some atypical bone