The Arcadian Atlas

With all the information out there about autism, have you ever wondered what is actually required to get a clinical autism diagnosis? In this post, we will only be discussing the required criteria for autism, according to the DSM-5.

What do sensory sensitivities look like in autistic adults? Can they be both hypersensitive and hyposensitive? What does it look like to be overstimulated as a high-masking adult? In this post, we’ll answer all these questions, as well as discuss tips for autistic people and their loved ones on how to navigate sensory sensitivities.

Are special interests and hyperfixations really that different? In this post, we will explore the potential similarities and differences between special interests and hyperfixations, discuss personal examples from my life (and my husband's), and give both neurodivergent people and their loved ones tips on how to better understand one another when it comes to fixations.

Have you noticed that almost every person in this generation seems to hyperfixate or have special interests? In this post, we are going to explore whether or not hyperfixations are on the rise, discuss if hyperfixating on interests really makes someone neurodivergent, and define three main categories people can fall into.

Autism presents itself differently in men and women. In this post, we explore the most common similarities and differences of autistic men and women, and why it's harder for women to be diagnosed.

To answer this question, we first need the foundational knowledge of how Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is clinically diagnosed through the DSM-5. In this post, I will break down each of the criteria into digestible chunks so we can get a better understanding of what autism is.