Untypical: How the world isn’t built for autistic people and what we should all do about it

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A former Spalding man hopes to increase the public’s levels of ‘compassion and kindness’ towards people with autism with the launch of his new book. Britain Bedbug outbreak spreads to London library – as expert warns the pests can also survive in books 08:36 A former teacher, Pete has shared his very personal experiences in this book, sharing what it means to be “different” and how exhausting is it to fit into a world not designed for someone who is neurodivergent. Not diagnosed until he was 34, Pete has experienced a lifetime of “masking”– a tool used by many autistic people. Adapted from Untypical, Pete explains “masking”: Eerst en vooral zit Wharmby, de auteur, zelf op het autismespectrum. Aangezien de meeste onderzoeken worden gedaan door neurotypische “experts” − maar daar is er verandering in aan het komen − beschouw ik dit als een positief aspect. Wharmby schrijft op een manier waarop ik me volledig kon inleven in het verhaal. Of dit nu te danken is aan zijn schrijfvaardigheid of aan mijn eigen ervaring als iemand op het spectrum, dat laat ik in het midden. Ook wisselt hij regelmatig af tussen persoonlijke en algemene anekdotes, naar mijn gevoel zit de balans goed.

Pete graduated with a BA in English in 2004 and an MA in Modern and Contemporary Writing from Loughborough in 2005. Untypical: How The World Isn’t Built For Autistic People And What We Should All Do About It, the latest work by Pete Wharmby, goes on sale tomorrow (Thursday), published by HarperCollins. A wonderful, compassionate, important book, exploring the many faces of neurodivergence, and offering ways for everyone to make life kinder for those who are wired differently.’ – Joanne Harris I wanted to understand how people with autism are different, what it is that sets them apart for a diagnosis and how to manage that in different aspects of their lives, but I find I am still guessing.EMPLOYMENT AUTISM: Charity devoted to supporting autistic people into work – employmentautism.org.uk.

PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance): a term used to describe a profile of autism that is characterized by an intense, pervasive drive for autonomy and a heightened sensitivity to demands that threaten that autonomy.April is #autismawarenessmonth and as you can see from my copy of Un-Typical by Pete Wharmby, this book has been well read and I've even re-read parts for a second time as I've found it so eye-opening. Will Shu, CEO of Deliveroo, said: “This is about setting riders up for success, supporting their growth and giving them access to the advice and tools they need to upskill for their futures.”

My son always comes home from school or social outings absolutely shattered and needing time to decompress after hours of sensory stimulation and Pete's writing has helped me to better understand how all of life's unwritten rules to socially adapt are hugely mentally and physically draining.This brilliant, funny, important book shows how we can all make the world a bit better for everyone but especially our neurodiverse friends, loved ones and possibly ourselves.’ Sarah Hart But this book is more than an explanation. After a late diagnosis and a lifetime of ‘masking’, Pete is the perfect interlocutor to explain how our two worlds can meet, and what we can do for the many autistic people in our schools, workplaces and lives. The result: a practical handbook for all of us to make the world a simpler, better place for autistic people to navigate, and a call to arms for anyone who believes in an inclusive society and wants to be part of the solution. By far the book that comes close to describing my own experience of life as an adult who has been diagnosed with autism and adhd in his lae thirties. What I didn't expect is to be able to relate to the book as much as I have done! At one point I actually burst into tears as he described something that I do all of the time. Like every possible moment I can do it, I'm doing it. I've never heard anyone else talk about it before and then suddenly I'm reading it in this book as if I could have written it. It shooketh me.