Well, I apologize for coming on strong and full-force months ago, only to sit on it and do nothing new. Times are indeed strange, both personally and globally. This post “tackles” several areas of interest, so I do apologize if my writing reflects the title.
I’d like to explain why it’s been months since I’ve posted anything. In short…I packed up and moved my family from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Eugene, Oregon. Through the interviewing, packing, selling a house, finding a new home, having to put a few old pets down (RIP Sid and Suki), it’s been a bit strange and stressful!
Now that I’m officially settled here in Eugene, I have a bit more time to get back into this blog and hopefully connect with other professionals and families…albeit remotely. Which leads me to the next odd thing in life…Covid-19.
Wow…who could imagine that Social Distancing would become the norm? Here all this time, we (as in the SLP and special education communities) have been teaching children all about Social Closeness or Connectedness by increasing the bond with others—not just in our words, but with our bodies— through physical proximity, eye-contact, or even high-fives and handshakes. Gone are those days, at least for now.
Soon, telehealth will be the norm. Connectedness can still be accomplished even if it is screen-to-screen contact. So, even though we may be “far away” during this critical time in our health history, it will get easier or more comfortable, if we develop our sense of flexibility.
Flexibility is a critical, higher-level-thinking skill and crucial part of maintaining social relationships. Most of us can cope with small changes in our routines and schedules; yet, if the brain perceives these “glitches” as a major change, then our ability to cope becomes a demandingly stressful event.
A hallmark trait of autism is Rigidity— obviously the opposite of Flexibility. I’m guessing that in our current climate, “neurotypicals” are struggling with the incredible amount of Flexibility that is needed right now to get through this pandemic. Imagine how those with autism are feeling? If you have autism or know somebody else who is struggling with the rapid changes in our expectations, please feel free to contact me in supporting you during this time. Thankfully, wonderful resources exist and I have already seen several social narratives and other freebies that families can access quickly.
During these traumatic times, I hope that while we’re attempting to stay connected, we also realize that perhaps our fast-paced life has finally imploded. Perhaps Covid-19 is a huge kick in the gut to society, forcing us to realize the many faults in our systems—healthcare, economics, and education. It is time to change those systems.
It is my biggest fear, however, that those systems will tear our sense of comfort in half, exposing the disparity that exists in our country. I fear for the disadvantaged, those I’ve always advocated for within the education sector. I have seen first hand the result of poor policy negatively impacting minorities, and I can only hope that during this pandemic, the human element can overcome the systems that too often keep too many down.
Covid-19 does not discriminate, but, frankly, our nation has and the result of that behavior will likely have devastating consequences to minority groups. Please, reach out to your neighbors and even the strangers who may be different than you during this time. Minority groups are going to need all of us to step up and provide care in a variety of ways. Remember, we are ALL humans first.
Stay well!