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Are These 5 Physical Signs Linked to Autism?

Auticate with Chris & Debby

1,100,804 views

Stims like rocking and spinning are well-known physical signs of autism. But it's not surprising that there's a lot of other unusual physical traits that show up in autistic and AuDHD individuals more often than in the general population. Today we're talking about a handful of these – see which ones you recognize.
Any that didn't make it to our list? Drop them in the comments! 👇

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IN THIS VIDEO, YOU’LL LEARN:
• Neurodivergence is linked to many physical conditions.
• Autistics have different pain thresholds, dampening sensations or amplifying them.
• Autistic people use their facial muscles differently to express emotion.
• Autism doesn't just effect the brain, it effects the entire nervous system.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Autism is Neurological
00:19 5 Common Physical Signs of Autism
00:37 1. What's up with my joints?
02:58 2. Unique pain thresholds
06:27 3. When your face is "off"
08:15 4. Why can't I hold up my head... again?
09:50 The Autistic Energy Reset
10:31 5. One that gets overlooked... a lot
12:08 Autism is more than social challenges

❗️NOTE: No video (or YouTuber through a video) can diagnose you with autism. Videos on our channel are meant purely for educational understanding and support of neurodivergent minds.

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👇 Comment below — what part of this video hit hardest?

#auticate #stimming #autismsupport #autismcommunity #autismawareness

20 Comments

@muddeltier 2 months ago

Fatigue from just existing in my own body. Yep. That's me.

@joyrida 2 months ago

6:41 My favorite is when I start laughing too early because I figured out where the person was going with what they were saying.

@naithom 2 months ago

I'm 64 and didn't discover I was autistic until my son was diagnosed. I've toe-walked since I was a toddler, have always had an off-the-chart pain threshold, I can look you in the eye or listen to what you are saying, but not both at the same time, and my social battery is incredibly small. All my life, I felt as though I didn't get the owner's manual, so I was relieved to finally understand what was going on. Hugs to all.

@jeanmobray6964 2 months ago

My Dad was a big guy, 6 feet, very large frame, imposing looking guy. He walked on his toes 100% of the time when he was barefoot or in socks. When he wore shoes, he did to an extent but it wasn't noticeable. I wonder if that had to do with wearing shoes out in the world so he would have been maybe more prone to masking. He was pretty darn good at masking all around. He knew his brain worked differently, but he couldn't really say how. Not long before he passed I said something like "we're autistic" and he agreed. I wish I'd had more opportunity to talk with him about it.

@lezliedeane6599 1 month ago

Complete toe walker as a child. It built my calf muscles really well!

@sueg2658 2 months ago

I was a toe walker too. And the first time I stayed over night at my boyfriends house, I found out he was too! Fist time I ever met another toe walker!

@lisa2000geese 2 months ago

A huge thing for me is not just delayed awareness of being tired before crashing, but not noticing when I am hungry before I begin experiencing problems from going too long without food and then feel very, painfully hungry seemingly out of nowhere. Had to eat mechanically (eat by a clock) and not think of it is "time to eat, I'm hungry" and more like "time to eat, need to give my brain and body more fuel for better mood, health, and functionality."

@kathryn.fletcher 2 months ago

For me it’s eye contact, not that I can’t or don’t look people in the eyes. When I’m talking to someone I can’t look someone in the eyes and think about what I’m saying at the same time. It’s too overloading and I get distracted. So I look over their shoulder and they are always checking behind them to see what I’m looking at. When they talk, I look in their eyes.
I haven’t been diagnosed with AU but I have ADHD. I have tons of sensory issues with foods and sounds so I’m thinking Autism is there. No time or $ to get a diagnosis.

@granthropologist3622 2 weeks ago

When I was 6, I had a teacher who was sick of my silly toe walking and finally decided to be the adult that put her foot down and corrected my behaviour. She invited all of the other girls in my class to say to me, "Hello, Princess Tippy Toes! How, are things in Fairyland?" Every time that they saw me on my tiptoes. I didn't know what death was at that point. I started looking for ways to stop existing. I thought if I found a tree with no grass under it and lay down, I would never wake up again. I think I maybe got the idea from an image in an off-brand Snow White storybook.

I think the hell that I went through between the ages of 6 and 8 (tiny school. I had her for two years: the year I was 6, and then again the year I was 8) with the toe walking is probably why I need a wheelchair as an adult. I have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and my proprioceptive difficulties are so extreme that I can walk on sand or stones, but I can only take 10 steps on concrete. I've been housebound in a single room for 3 years.

I also think it's why I can add and subtract, but I never understood multiplication or division because they were done the year that the Princess Tippy Toes shame-name was invented. I have a 5-year-old's understanding of math because I could never do what the 6-year-olds were doing, because I was in the most extreme physical distress that it is possible to be in at school. I can’t even tell time or say the words of numbers.

The punishment for spontaneous crying was to stand with your nose to the blackboard, with everybody behind you laughing at you until you stopped, until you learned to stop being so silly. The success of that punishment was predicated on the idea that the child would eventually stop crying. Sometimes I started crying at 8:50 on Monday morning and didn't stop crying until 2:30 on Friday afternoon. Those were the worst years of my life. That's because of Miss Wills, now Mrs. McCluckey. I will hate you until the day I die, you evil, evil, evil, evil woman.

@alisongildersleeve7441 2 months ago

I had so many p.e. teachers tell me "you shouldn't stand like that," when my knees bowed backwards. Which I had a hard time understanding cuz it felt so comfortable.

@rogerr.7228 2 months ago (edited)

As an Autistic myself, I never could comprehend how neurotypicals are able to remember to do a bunch of important tasks all at once, yet, stay consistent with whatever needs to be done on a daily basis. Consistency is my ultimate biggest weakness through everyday life. Even with notes written down right in front of my eyes, it still sometimes doesn't dawn on me to take care of whatever tasks need to be done. So frustrating 😠😤

@judithlashbrook4684 2 months ago

For those looking into hypermobility (hEDS and HSD) it might be of interest to know that there are a couple of other conditions that are often associated; POTS, postural orthostatique tachycardia syndrome (a form of disautonomia) and MCAS, mast cell activation syndrome (random allergy like reactions).
Love, light and spoons to all who need them...

@desertdarlene 2 months ago

Oh yeah, I got the "you look upset" "You don't smile" a lot when I'm not upset or even sometimes when I'm happy. Women, especially, are expected to smile more, so I have been harassed a lot and told to "smile." I've even had people say that I seem to be unhappy all the time when I felt the exact opposite. When I worked with the public, I had to "fake smile" a lot.

@itsmissjg 1 month ago

I’ve always walked on the edges of my feet and thought it was because I’m flat-footed. I also hate walking barefoot because I don’t like dirt or debris touching my feet, and my shoulders are always tense and sore.

I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome years ago and recently with migraines. Looking back, I think I’ve had migraines for years but assumed they were regular headaches and just pushed through them.

I’m planning to be evaluated for ADHD and autism. I suspect ADHD is more prominent for me, but I definitely recognize some autistic traits too.

@twyla2575 2 months ago

My greatest sensitivity is from noises and sounds. Always told to "just tune it out". It's like telling someone to just not breathe. Easily annoyed with recurring sounds and also startle easily. But interestingly enough, I can literally fall asleep during an MRI. Probably because the loud sound becomes predictable and somewhat soothing.

@damiencampbell8320 2 months ago

I am not autistic, but interested in understanding autistic people. This was really interesting.

@randomheadful7190 2 months ago

From infancy, taking my very first steps, I was a toe walker. I always sat weird, talked weird, socialized weird, dove into things that interested me to a weird degree. I’m 56 now and I’m finally diagnosed AuDHD. I also have Ehlers Danlos, POTS, MCAS, several autoimmune diseases, and a completely trashed spine (which I am sure is linked to EDS). Just want one day where I’m not struggling.

@alexalke1417 2 months ago

As a late diasgnosed high masking autistic, i can relate to everything in this video.

@ann-marieo.5359 2 months ago

Just found your channel and it’s been SO HELPFUL in explaining my AuDHD since that is not what I was diagnosed as but just ADHD. Your videos are so helpful. I’m on like my 10th. It’s so nice to get an explanation for so many of things in my head and life. I’ve subscribed. Thank you!! I appreciate you and your partner’s dedication to helping others!