I was in VRChat and we were talking about autism and I don’t remember how exactly it happened but I ended up calling my dad in VR and asking him if the reason I got taken for “physical therapy” at school for several years after I learned to write (originally it was because I’m left handed but didn’t have enough muscles and motor control to write well) and my dad confirmed that it was to help me develop and I never realized.
They had an inside swing, a big ol weighted blanket, a bean bag, putty of different thicknesses to strengthen hand muscles, fidget toys, and the “teacher” had a cool little glass sphere on her desk that had live coral in it. She said there used to be a shrimp but it died. tbh even as an adult I’d love to go back there and just mess around with all the different toys. I still have one she gave me at the end of the school year.
The person I was talking to in VRChat thought it was so funny I never noticed that he friended me and we became good friends for a while. I even visited him to go to formula drift together (drifting cars but a ranked competition)
Since teaching about this, I’ve come to appreciate these kinds of rooms. Actually, I wish I had a low sensory room growing up (the type for sensory disorders); I was and still kinda am easily overstimulated so it’s the kind of thing I can get behind.
That said, IEPs and the stigma they bring can easily be a bad thing too depending on school, hence why it’s the “coloring room.” I was already ostracized by 2nd grade for being weird with the sand box, though, so kinda moot in my case (I spent all my time sorting out rocks from sand and dust).
this would have been super useful btw if you were an ancient farmer trying to clear up a patch of land for tilting btw!
Indeed - the trick was using the wind to blow dust and sand into a separate pit from the rocks that did not blow. Weirdos like me probably are why we have ancient methods of cultivation, lol.
How much would an extra room have helped you, compared with things such as sunglasses and (partial) ear plugs?
Hard to say for sure. It’s not so much a light/sound sensitivity for me so much as the movement and activity and whatnot. Given I went to school before they really understood these things, I was never diagnosed with anything.
ah yeah that makes sense. that reminds me of epilepsy: there are two major ways of triggering it:
you got the second kind; just instead of epilepsy, it’s autistic meltdown or sth.
dude I’m so jealous of the kids that had the teachers with low light rooms, I had an English teacher do that for a semester in HS and it was awesome
I am glad that I don’t have a condition where I have to have lights like that though
There’s a park that opened up near where I grew up that’s 100% for disabled people. It’s free and the only entrance requirement is their IEP upon registration (there might be different requirements for adults. I know it’s open to adults with disabilities as well as kids, but I’ve only gone there with child-clients so I don’t know.)
It’s so dope - it’s got an array of swings of all different types; a wheelchair-accessible zipline; a sensory garden (where you’re encouraged to touch the plants and explore); a soft-ground, wheelchair-accessible baseball diamond; and a “quiet zone” for when you need a break from all the stimulation. Although I wish such places existed when I was younger, I’m so glad the kids of today have somewhere so cool to play.