Nov 06 2008
Autism: Dealing with the “other” symptoms of illness.
Being sick for me is more than just the usual sniffles with a cold and body aches with the flu. For me it involves my mental abilities as well. I experience problems focusing and often find myself deep in thought about my physical issues.
As you may imagine this further complicates my already compromised ability to complete competently tasks at home and at work. I am more likely to leave the dishes unwashed in the dishwasher and to miss steps with the laundry, more so than I already do with notes!
This means that during the cold and flu season I get less done and spend more time trying to accomplish simple tasks.
Perhaps if you have a child with autism you also notice these trends. Maybe you find yourself frustrated with them as my parents were with me. There were days I could not find a pair of socks that were simply sitting on the dresser where they were placed every day along with the rest of my clothes, but I just could not pull it together enough to see them.
It is during times like this that I have to remind myself to be more patient with my inabilities and to take extra time to complete tasks. I find that writing each task down on a post it note and consulting a coworker or family member for help are most helpful. Taking on one task at a time and carrying it with me until it is complete really helps to speed the process.
The every handy tissue and never-ending supply of Cold and Flu medications take care of the rest of my symptoms.
