pdd

PDD stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorder and it is NOT mental retardation(which is defined by a person's IQ, and most people with autism have a HIGH IQ that is masked by their symptoms!).

It is a form of autism like Asperger's disorder.

Susie was diagnosed with PDD when she was three.

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stimming

Stim, stims or stimming is short for "self stimulation". Almost everyone does it(tapping feet, cracking knuckles, twiddling thumbs), but in autistic people these behaviors are more pronounced and may seem downright strange. Autistic people often engage in stimming when they are stressed, to self regulate and sometimes to express emotion.

Common autistic stims are: rocking back and forth, headbanging(not the music kind), finger flicking/rippling, spinning, humming, repeating words or sounds and complex body contortions.

Good music makes me stim a lot.

Stimming shouldn't be discouraged, it's a means for me to understand my environment.

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