BY: LIZ HARDIE
She is more than ASD
She is a beautiful soul, loving, respectful, caring, and shy
Overwhelmed by the chaos in our world
Never angry, only gets upset or sad when misunderstood
Misunderstood more than understood and often wonders why
She is more than ASD
Needs earplugs for loud noises, like fireworks, movie theatres, or high volume on TV
Prefers a schedule and has a routine; changes cause her to be tearful with high anxiety
Will pace when uncomfortable or bored, walking around in a circle
Likes to wear socks inside out, cut tags out of clothes, so they don’t touch her skin improperly
She is more than ASD
May become obsessed with items or subjects, learning every detail about them
Hates water in her face, near her eyes, which makes showering a chore
Only eats specific foods that can’t touch, and textures guide her to her favorite things
Lives with high anxiety over many things, which causes her to feel extremely overwhelmed
She is more than ASD
Struggles to fall asleep; anxiety or being hyper-focused will keep her wide awake
Wants to please others, worries that she will upset them if she makes the wrong choices
May speak very quietly, she knows this, yet this is what she is comfortable with
Has a strong attachment to specific items, so do not judge, do not touch, do not take
She is more than ASD
Often very literal, speaking what is on her mind, always telling the truth
She may seem anti-social or shy, but she just has so much trapped inside
Extremely intelligent, can read a book of her choice, faster than most teenagers her age
Needs extra time to get ready, not for vanity, needs her space, and is based on her mood
She is so much more than ASD
Does not like large groups of people, as they can cause her to panic and make her nervous
Can have meaningful conversations with adults, but also can exist among teenagers her age
Often enjoys being in her quiet home, with her family and her belongings; this is her safe space
Being misunderstood for these reasons and maybe more, but for what purpose
She is more than ASD
She deserves to be understood and not questioned for the person she is
Smart, intelligent, funny, witty, endearing, and amazing
She may hear, see, taste, and feel things slightly differently, but she is perfect
All she wants is to be understood, never sold short, to coexist and live
She is more than ASD