The Amazing Autism Brain

I am rubbish at remembering things at the moment, think I've got worse as I've got older as I have to write a list for everything. I do however retain enough 80's music knowledge to get me through a good pub quiz, that never seems to leave me so I'm happy that if all fails I will be able to recite a Duran Duran lyric or tell you what the Christmas number one in the hit parade was in 1982. Useful eh? I know it's no longer around but if it was the million pound answer on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire I'd be laughing.

I am amazed at the amount of information that my son stores in his memory, it's like a massive film, animation, Disney library. He knows who does the voices for all the Disney Pixar characters in the UK and US versions. Of course he knows all the Thomas and Friends voices from all the tv series and the movies. Never did I think the credits at the end of every tv programme and movie would be so important but I think he absorbs Google as well on these subjects. 

When it came to watching the tv quiz show Pointless the other day which to our surprise had the final showdown of 'voices from the Cars movies' well he could have won nearly £10.000 about 50 times over. The contestants gave three wrong answers to which my son look disgusted, I mean how could they not know? Junior Mastermind would be interesting but he would have trouble with answering one question without elaborating and taking up the whole of the half hour programme explaining one answer. I would watch that.

We were out walking the other day on our local park and he suddenly said how he remembered when we used to go and see the little wild animals on the park, they have since gone from this location and have been for a while. I think the last time I took him to see these animals was when he was very small so he does have a good recollection of memories. This isn't always a good thing as he can become quite upset about something that stressed him or made him feel unhappy from years ago. We have to revisit why this happened and settle him again but thats ok as long as it is something I can remember too and I've made one of my very rare mental notes. I can't keep up some of the time. 

It's a great thing the human mind, more complex than any computer and like any computer it does need a reboot and defragmentation. Blimey that's a big word, I do that a lot. People with Autism do need a reboot, and that doesn't mean repeatedly kick people up the backside but when the brain becomes too overloaded with information it can lead to what we know as 'meltdown'.

The brain needs a rest, it needs to calm down. In my case I need to go somewhere quiet and have a cup of tea or pop my headphones on and chill out with some music. My son goes and watches his favourite programme and repeats a line or a scene over and over again. This may be frustrating to listen to but I know he's getting himself back to his zone, it's calming for him, familiar sound, or a familiar voice. Didn't we all like the sound of a familiar voice, maybe a family member when we were very young? Didn't that voice give you some sort of reassurance to know you felt safe. I know it did for me.

It will continue to amaze me and I will always be in awe of how the Autism Brain works. We are all amazing. Share your stories of any experiences you have by leaving a comment below or on my Facebook page.

​Thanks for reading today, I will be back tomorrow for 'Pass the Remote Sunday'.

Take care for now........