Our BTEC Level 3 Performing Arts students took part in a series of teacher led workshops, practically exploring some of the sensory symptoms that can occur as a result of having Autism.
This enabled the students to fully appreciate some of the restrictions and day to day difficulties that someone may experience on the Autistic spectrum.
Hypervision
Hypervision is when the sense of sight is more acute. This is characterised someone being able to see things that other people don’t notice, by being disturbed by bright lights or sunlight, and by being frightened by sudden flashes of light.
Watch these videos to show you what it is like to walk down the street and go shopping in a supermarket when suffering with hypersensitivity on the Autistic spectrum.
SUPERMARKET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcS2VUoe12M
WALKING DOWN THE STREET: Please note the distractions the person puts in place to provide comfort from the over load of sensory reactions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plPNhooUUuc
It clearly shows you how light and sound are heightened as well as the importance of using distractions to minimise anxiety levels rising.
EXPLORING HYPER VISION : Drama activities
WORKSHOP 2
STUDENT EXPLORATION INTO HYPER-VISION
The students took part in the following exercise:
All actors travel around space in accordance with sound collage reacting to each sudden sound in collage, the sounds are pitched at a normal everyday level.
Activity: Sound collage of everyday street sounds- Use this link
http://youtu.be/LZbEIxhiJRM
Stimming behaviour in Autism
“The stimming behaviour increased very much, now he is clearly flapping his hand almost all the time (earlier it was just tapping some object on face, now he just shakes his hand for no reason, screaming at least 10-12 times in a day, he is running in circles on the bed , jumping on sofa ...I am at my wits end ... stimming is my biggest concern...”
This quote was from a Mother of a young child showing signs of stimming.
Besides hand flapping, stimming can also take other forms:
Visual stimming: staring at lights, repetitive blinking, moving fingers in front of the eyes, rolling eyeballs
Auditory stimming: tapping ears, snapping fingers, making vocal sounds
Tactile stimming: rubbing the skin with one’s hands or with another object, scratching
Vestibular stimming: rocking front to back, rocking side-to-side
Taste stimming: placing body parts or objects in one’s mouth, licking objects
Smell stimming: smelling objects, sniffing people
Most of the time, these are coping strategies are due to overloads in sensory perception, such as noisy shopping centres, or due to psychological demands such as learning new tasks. Or, stimming behavior could also be due to biological reasons, such as yeast die-off effects.
In fact, normal adults also stim but not exactly in the same manner. For example, we might pace up and down while talking on the phone or twirl our hair when bored. Many students twirl their pens when solving complex mathematics problems. These activities do help release tension.
SELF-REFLECTION:
How often do you used distraction techniques to avoid stress situations? Do you use stimming in everyday situations?
This enabled the students to fully appreciate some of the restrictions and day to day difficulties that someone may experience on the Autistic spectrum.
Hypervision
Hypervision is when the sense of sight is more acute. This is characterised someone being able to see things that other people don’t notice, by being disturbed by bright lights or sunlight, and by being frightened by sudden flashes of light.
 |
| Imagine the impact of a thunderstorm if you were sensitive to light? |
Watch these videos to show you what it is like to walk down the street and go shopping in a supermarket when suffering with hypersensitivity on the Autistic spectrum.
SUPERMARKET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcS2VUoe12M
WALKING DOWN THE STREET: Please note the distractions the person puts in place to provide comfort from the over load of sensory reactions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plPNhooUUuc
It clearly shows you how light and sound are heightened as well as the importance of using distractions to minimise anxiety levels rising.
EXPLORING HYPER VISION : Drama activities
WORKSHOP 2
STUDENT EXPLORATION INTO HYPER-VISION
The students took part in the following exercise:
All actors travel around space in accordance with sound collage reacting to each sudden sound in collage, the sounds are pitched at a normal everyday level.
Activity: Sound collage of everyday street sounds- Use this link
http://youtu.be/LZbEIxhiJRM
Stimming behaviour in Autism
“The stimming behaviour increased very much, now he is clearly flapping his hand almost all the time (earlier it was just tapping some object on face, now he just shakes his hand for no reason, screaming at least 10-12 times in a day, he is running in circles on the bed , jumping on sofa ...I am at my wits end ... stimming is my biggest concern...”
This quote was from a Mother of a young child showing signs of stimming.
 |
| Examples of different types of stimming behaviour commonly shown in someone on the Autistic spectrum |
Besides hand flapping, stimming can also take other forms:
Visual stimming: staring at lights, repetitive blinking, moving fingers in front of the eyes, rolling eyeballs
Auditory stimming: tapping ears, snapping fingers, making vocal sounds
Tactile stimming: rubbing the skin with one’s hands or with another object, scratching
Vestibular stimming: rocking front to back, rocking side-to-side
Taste stimming: placing body parts or objects in one’s mouth, licking objects
Smell stimming: smelling objects, sniffing people
Most of the time, these are coping strategies are due to overloads in sensory perception, such as noisy shopping centres, or due to psychological demands such as learning new tasks. Or, stimming behavior could also be due to biological reasons, such as yeast die-off effects.
In fact, normal adults also stim but not exactly in the same manner. For example, we might pace up and down while talking on the phone or twirl our hair when bored. Many students twirl their pens when solving complex mathematics problems. These activities do help release tension.
SELF-REFLECTION:
How often do you used distraction techniques to avoid stress situations? Do you use stimming in everyday situations?
ACTIVITY CONTINUED....WALKING DOWN THE STREET EXERCISE
As the street sounds begin to heighten (volume increases) each actor must find comfort blankets and distraction techniques in the room which allow them to feel safe and keeps them distracted from their anxiety levels rising (e.g. Touching the walls, specific colours, walking in a certain formation, use of space, patterns) as well as creating their own stimming patterns of behaviour (see image for suggestions).
Each actor must then decide on a negative object, light, colour, formation, use of space that increases anxiety level - a Hypervision that disturbs them.
In the comment box below the students have commented on their experiences of this exercise and what they learnt about someone experiencing Hyper-Hearing on the Autistic spectrum.
As the street sounds begin to heighten (volume increases) each actor must find comfort blankets and distraction techniques in the room which allow them to feel safe and keeps them distracted from their anxiety levels rising (e.g. Touching the walls, specific colours, walking in a certain formation, use of space, patterns) as well as creating their own stimming patterns of behaviour (see image for suggestions).
Each actor must then decide on a negative object, light, colour, formation, use of space that increases anxiety level - a Hypervision that disturbs them.
In the comment box below the students have commented on their experiences of this exercise and what they learnt about someone experiencing Hyper-Hearing on the Autistic spectrum.
The noises were really annoying and distracting and it was hard to focus on what I was doing. A lot of people were making noises and crashing into me and I couldn't concentrate on anything. It was a really good insight into what it's like to live with hyper-sensitivity.
ReplyDeleteWe had lots of noises in the background and distracted us from what our goal was. You also had other people not understanding the fact that you are feeling uncomfortable and bump into you and not understanding personal space. While you were "walking down the street" you had to find something you could do to distract you from all of the loud noises and bright colours in your face. I distracted myself by playing with a hairband that was on my wrist and twiddled it around my fingers and this distracted me from all of the people and made me feel less anxious.
ReplyDeleteThis workshop allowed me to understand the challenges autistic sufferers go through in situations we wouldn't find difficult and how the cope with this,