The medical model has made all sorts of inaccurate assumptions about Autistic people. It decided that we couldn’t communicate the same way as non-autistic people do so therefore we must not be able to communicate. Autistic people communicate Autistically.
Because of this there have been decades of “therapies” based on this damaging assumption. But when Autistic children get together you can see how wonderfully they interact with each other. The same happens when Autistic adults meet each other.
Edinburgh University researched Autistic Communication in 2018 and found that Autistic peer to peer interaction is highly effective. This research was carried out by Dr. Catherine Crompton and Sue Fletcher Watson. I was honoured when Dr. Crompton kindly wrote the foreword for my social skills books. These books teach the duality of communication because it is a two-way thing after all!
Here’s what Neurophyschologist Catherine Crompton had to say:
“The “Konnect” series are the first activity books to help neurodiverse young people embrace and harness their individual ways of communicating. The activities allow children to find their own ways to express themselves, and learn more about themselves and others. They support children to develop the skills to communicate what they think and how they feel in diverse ways. They encourage children to build confidence and relationships in a way that works with them, using their diverse strengths. It’s so important to have materials created by neurodivergent members of the community, and Evaleen has combined her experiences as an autistic person with her expertise in speech and drama to create truly unique and valuable resources. “
Find out more about these wonderful resources.
