Funny and quirky, infuse with guilt and sadness as a matter of fact, "we" need to pause and take a step to recognize (or give space) to someone who is autistic. I didn’t always enjoy the tone of the book and whilst I appreciate the point that living in a world that isn’t inclusive of neurodiverse people is highly stressful, it does seem like a rant in places rather than a constructive “what we should all do about it” Pete has taken the time to really understand his diagnosis and what makes him different from a typical person. There was quite a few times and examples that Pete used about his autism where i have never made the link and i just thought everyone did those things. I discussed this with my husband. and it was a great way for us to discuss all my little quirks.

Polecam wszystkim osobom bez diagnozy spektrum autyzmu, ale jeśli jesteście osobami atypowymi, też znajdziecie w tej książce wiele wsparcia. The modern world is built for neurotypicals. Needless noise, bright flashing lights, small talk, implication and ‘unwritten rules’; it can be a nightmarish dystopia as far as the autistic population is concerned. In Untypical World, Pete Wharmby lays bare the experience of being ‘different’, explaining with wit and warmth just how exhausting it is to fit into a world not designed for you.Much like Pete Wharmby, I too am coming to terms with what autism means for me in a variety of different scenarios. 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. 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. 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”:

RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria): a collective term for a set of reactions to any kind of negative attention, seemingly no matter how minor or inconsequential. The reaction can be pretty extreme, causing disproportionate response. It often begins in childhood, when it becomes apparent that their social skills are different to that of their peers and they’re frequently at a loss to understand what’s going on. Frequently, autistic people are mistreated and bullied because of all or some of these things. This leads a lot of the autistic community to learn how to adopt a kind of persona – based on all the things they have noticed in other people – to fit more easily into society. Considering it’s usually self-taught, it’s often extraordinarily successful and is one of the main reasons why so many autistic people slip through the diagnostic net and only realise they’re neurodivergent much later in life.” This is an informative and interesting book about being autistic in a hostile world. It is aimed at allistic (non-autistic) and neurotypical people, with helpful advice on how to be more autism-friendly. Wharmby covers areas of life such as school, the workplace, and relationships, recounting his own experiences and providing a guide on how autistic people can struggle to cope and what can be done to accommodate them.Pete wants to bust a range of myths and stereotypes, particularly in schools. As an example, he says: 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 Solely cis-male perspective and light-heartened, yet revealing the sad truth on the society's view and treatment to people who are autistic. Navigating and surviving in a world where there is less tolerance as a generalisation to autistic people is already tough and equally challenging enough, what more about thriving? 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. 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.