Individuals on the autistic spectrum encounter a unique set of challenges that can impact various aspects of their lives. Social interactions often prove to be complex, as difficulties in understanding nonverbal cues, maintaining eye contact, and grasping subtle social norms can lead to feelings of isolation. Sensory sensitivities may intensify daily experiences, with overwhelming sensory stimuli triggering anxiety or discomfort. Communication can also be hindered, with some individuals struggling to express their thoughts or understand figurative language. These challenges, though diverse in nature, highlight the importance of fostering understanding, creating inclusive environments, and providing tailored support to empower those on the autistic spectrum to thrive and contribute their unique perspectives to society.
Tyson West
grandson’s dyslexic struggle—ancient blood curse under western eyes we bond as I teach memorize whole words
my classroom banter needled gym teacher ego he struck my classmates heard his rattle sounding beyond my spectrum
Kathabela Wilson
sixth grade fast class read around monster teacher I pass the answer to the slow thinking boy
my grandson asks where do dreams come from from your brain I say and everyone's different
walking on the edges of things in strange places I never stopped my kids I just joined them
Diane Funston
look me in the eye I see you in there rocking safe from the noise the rest of us hear
please cut it off, it itches he pleads over new shirts the tag bothers his bare back and needs to go
counting fire hydrants along every block 27! so proud finding them our daily walk ritual
Tuyet Van Do
with a flat effect a young woman paces up and down the hall looking at other residents
a middle-aged man looking occupied stares at his dinner plate and walks out of the dining room singing beautifully
Barbara Anna Gaiardoni
to sensitize as many people as possible on the need to accept differences
experience and creativity to cultivate genuine chances for improving quality of lives
Nitu Yumnam
a brown pea among green ones to a non-verbal boy she gestures “You’re unique, not less!”
the artworks in the SEN room on the Earth’s painting in bold WE TOO BELONG!
Christina Chin
MIRROR ЯOЯЯIM
reading assessment the teacher flips the card and watches the little girl's expression
was ƨaw relearning the difference— she reads a page from Peter and Jane
beginning to understand her sister's struggle-- she writes b and d
Randy Brooks
lighthouse beam over the choppy waves I’ve never been able to see coming danger
multitasking our indoor grandson now with two screens to mind
Bonnie J Scherer
unlocking the spectrum of the brain… a rainbow of possibilities
differences in the brain, not people - a measure of humanity
neurodiversity … learning a new word I learn a new attitude
Jackie Chou
flashing my disabled pass to board the bus I make tangible an invisible illness
my dyslexic friend said she forgot her glasses when called to read she was the smart one of the two of us
Peter Larsen
she’s different doesn’t say hello or ask questions she knows all about frogs I like frogs too
he doesn’t grimace and yell obscenities any more but the pills have dulled his old exuberance
she wears headphones to block the distractions that drive her wild... our champion filly sprints between blinkers
Debbie Strange
there will be no carnival with noise and neon lights . . . a hypersensitive boy riding life’s roller coaster
wave after wave of heat and humidity . . . the child who can’t bring herself to taste ice cream
the weather in this mountain valley so unpredictable your moods shape-shifting into light and shadow
Richard L. Matta
house shopping with a real estate agent ten houses later—we’re confused the deadpan agent's recall like a video recorder
stir crazy on a long road trip the kids’ new friend without smiling shares a memorized joke book
autumn hike so lost on these trails a friend who doesn’t like idle chat draws out every park trail
Jennifer Gurney
Todd sees the patterns in everything he works on steps back to ponder then jumps back in to fix it gifted analyzer
when my son was young he could read his own story and listen to mine at the very same time -- very unique brain
my older brother discovered a molecule while still in college a Nobel Prize nominee he is wired differently
Ram Chandran.
if only I could understand what you mean to say and if only I could read your silence
with her little fingers she writes the name of her favourite flower ... "Roes"
Jon Hare
explosion of multiple dimensions and realizations the spectrum may not be linear
differences not deficits define strengths and skills in other settings
sticks and stones break bones-- but names cut deep again and again
Suraj Nanu
tangling words that pursue my son he is a genius everyone says with the suffix of a but
an elephant on the wall he gives it long green tusks for camouflage
Marilyn Humbert
in a crowd of black berets this boy wearing a red cap backwards
a puppet with broken strings on the shelf a sad-eyed child midst the sandpit crowd
Keitha Keyes
not the place to renew a friendship we meet at the psychiatrist’s and look the other way
“on the spectrum”-- your child’s diagnosis or a fashion statement? it’s oh so trendy until it’s true
Nani Mariani
part of precious life the future of neural diversity must be guided develop talent
sharp memory sometimes talking to himself on the beach supervision should be more serious do not understand the meaning of danger
Lorelyn Arevalo
oversharing thoughts or feelings unfiltered ... a pen burping ink blots
late to sleep late to arise late to work late blooming flower
Mona Bedi
lunch break his colleagues go out to have a smoke happily behind the desk he plays with a fidget toy
he screams throws tantrums sobbing only his mother knows the trauma of ADHD
the thoughts that form in his mind he cannot vocalise the songs he writes speak volumes
Genevieve S. Aguinaldo
the teacher asks why I bring a net in class how else will I catch these letters fluttering in every page
I welcome my mother's guests like a light bulb flickering during a storm
Anthony Lusardi
the older and taller she gets the more she notices the buzzing of the airplanes above
year-old toddler following and mimicking the dance steps of her older sister
Lorraine Padden
the bird cam tells us that chicks are ready to fledge the sound of a fidget toy deep in his pocket
scanning the room for the least crowded corner he settles next to a sweater with 10,000 stitches
red waves surge into purple- the depth of his favorite soprano’s exit aria
Steve Wilkinson
In a tapestry of diverse minds every stitch is counted and coded and yet each one has a unique hue
human diversity a spectrum of rainbow colours wants and needs conveyed through symbols signs and pictures
A journey of hurdles an Olympic event of anxiety and frustration hyper focused on making it through one day at a time