Chelsea introduces her son Justus, who made her a mama, and taught her so very much about neurodivergence (different brain wiring).
From the precious story about Mr. Muffin the cat, which illustrates why Justus is often called an "animal whisperer", to the neurotypes Justus rocks in addition to autism (including bipolar disorder, an intellectual disability, and obsessive compulsive disorder), this insight into who Justus is helps inform listeners about the topics that will follow after the next three episodes.
There's some discussion, too, about comorbidities, or co-existing conditions Justus has, including a mitochondrial myopathy and celiac disease.
From special interests to dysregulated meltdowns, Chelsea explains the fabric of Justus' being, which has helped tens of thousands of students and educators know better and do better in their interactions with autistic people.
A glossary of terms, in order of appearance ...
- PUPPP rash: an itchy rash that sometimes appears during pregnancy. The letters PUPPP stand for pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy. (Cleveland Clinic)
- uterine inertia: failure of the uterus to contract with normal strength, duration, and intervals during childbirth (National Library of Medicine)
- sensory perception: processing information perceived through senses of taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing, and others (More on being over- or under-sensitive to sensory input from the National Autistic Society.)
- gestalt language processing: According to ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association), gestalt language processing (GLP) is a style of language development where children memorize phrases before learning individual words. Children with GLP start by learning "gestalts", which are chunks of language. (More from Progressive Pediatric Therapy.)
- special interests: focused fascinations or passions that occupy much time and attention
- dysregulation: a central nervous system reaction to emotional and sensory overload
- meltdown: not a tantrum, but the physiological response to a state of overwhelm
- medical social worker: a professional who plays a vital role in the healthcare system by providing support to patients and their families who are facing medical and emotional challenges (National Association of Social Workers)
- medical home: an approach to providing comprehensive primary care that facilitates partnerships between patients, clinicians, medical staff, and families (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Podcast includes an introduction for episodes 6 and following at the beginning. Transition music, "Taking a Vocation", by Noey Budde.
Closing narration for episodes 6 and following.
