For family
Are you trying to understand a family member who finds some everyday things much harder than other people do? This page explains some things that are often misread, and points you to more information about autism.
Understanding first
Behaviour can be easy to misread
When a family member is constantly exhausted or easily overwhelmed, it is easy to misinterpret their behaviour. SensoryShore uses plain, literal words. It describes differences without treating them as an illness or something to fix. This can make it easier for families to talk about them.
The cost of coping
What looks like withdrawal, or pulling away from people, is often a sign of intense strain. The strain can come from coping with too much noise, light, or touch, or from masking. Masking means hiding or changing how a person naturally acts, so that they fit in with other people. It takes a lot of energy to fit into a world set up for people who are not autistic. Understanding that cost is the first step to supporting your family member well.
Shared terminology
NeuroProfile is a free questionnaire on SensoryShore for adults aged 18 and over. Your family member takes it themselves, and it is their choice whether to share their results with you. The results can give you both shared words for their patterns. For example, their sensory profile shows how they respond to sound, sight, touch, smell and taste together, balance and movement, and body awareness. Talking about these patterns can move conversations away from blame and towards practical changes you agree on together.
Important
SensoryShore is not a diagnostic tool and does not diagnose autism or any other condition.