Understanding the spectrum – a comic strip explanation

By Rebecca Burgess

 

Note: This is a great handout for Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month (April).

language can be confusing for me. It takes me longer than the average person to process conversations. And although I a m good at making conversation, it can take me longer than normal to respond. But, neurotypical find language confusing too. And it can lead to some people misperceiving who I am. That is why I wouold like to explain what meant by spectrum. When we talk about the autism spectrum. Sometimes when people think of this word, they think of the autism spectrum as being like a very linear looking spectrum which gives the impression that people range from being a little autistic to very autistic. Hm. How can you be a little autistic. Its that vague language that I always find confusing
The problem with thinking of the spectrum in this way, is that a perception of an autistic person also becomes linear. You're only a little autistic, Archie. Hm. I still don't understand, can you be less vague? You're able to have a normal conversation with me and act pretty normal! You're not severely autistic...And so you see, if someone thinks you're on a low end of this spectrum, this often happens: Archie you can handle all of this just fine, you're not that autistic.
How can you be tired? eveeryone does this every day, you're just being lazy. Wow you're being so over dramatic get over it! Woah, you're more autistic than I thought. I'm gonna re-label you on this spectrum... since you're very autistic I don't think you should have a job, just to be safe y'know? And if you're seen as being on the high end of this spectrum - It can lead to some people labeling you as being incapable of doing anything at all
The truth is though, someone who is neurodiverse in some areas of their brain, will also be no different to your average person in other areas of their brain. You see the autistic spectrum looks something like this (circle with lots of attributes)
The spectrum consists of many different traits, or ways in which the brain processes information. Some traits create difficulties in every day life. (hence being diagnosed). But also many traits anre useful in every day life. Each person with autism will have a set of traits all in different areas of the spectrum. The areas where they don't have a trait will function no differently to a neurotypical brain, but may be affected by circumstances. In example, I am good at making conversation (language). Bit I get sensory overload in loud and crowded spaces which makes conversation very hard for me.
And so another autisticc person might be very happy in loud crowds but find conversation hard in general. You could say I'm just a real party animal! You can see with this spectrum than, that not every autistic kperson has savant skills. Or that someone who can't communicate verbally might still understand what you're saying, but just need a different way to communicate, such as sign language. It shows how not every autistic person acts the same way, and we are all capable of varying strengths and weaknesses.

Sometimes, if someone is diagnosed as being on the spectrum, and informs another person of this, it's so that they can get some understanding and respect for the things they are unable to do. But, it is also so that they can cooperate with the world around them - so that they can be the best in the things they can do. I hope that in the future, people will better understand the term spectrum, and continue to respect the differences and similarities we all share in how we experience the world.

***

RebeccaBurgess

Rebecca Burgess is a freelance comic artist and illustrator living in the UK. She has an interest in history and folk songs that runs through a lot of her work. Her obsession with comics runs into her spare time, where she draws two web comics! Rebecca also likes to play video games, explore the countryside and dress like a time traveler!

Other blogs you may like:

87 replies on “Understanding the spectrum – a comic strip explanation”
    1. says: Ron

      I’am in the spectrum several things hit me and others don’t.I was able to talk plain and know can read and write but my downfall is I could;t spell good but could see a word most times tell if it was spelled correct.When I was given several tests always would end up mild autistic.

  1. says: Ruth Faraday

    I have been describing the autism spectrum in exactly this way for some years now. I explain the spectrum as ‘a colour wheel shot with shotgun pellets’ and that each autist has their own unique ‘constellation’ of traits, disabilty and gifts. It was so uncanny to see your comic show what I’d been trying to convey so precisely! Great minds think alike, I guess. 🙂

  2. Thanks, Rebecca,

    Like Ruth above, I have been trying to communicate the multifacetedness of ASD for many years. Your comic strip is so visually powerful and so accessible for so many people. I am a great proponent of the spectrum nature of pretty much everything and particularly other developmental conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia and weak working memory. I have been producing my own free resources to support teachers and parents for over five years now on my Happy Learners website and I found your comic truly inspiring. Stephen

  3. says: Rose Ann

    We are newly diagnosed and still learning. This is by far the best explanation I’ve seen.
    Thank you.

  4. says: J.E.S.

    The first thing you say about language conversations really pinned something down for me! As a neurotypical person who’s had relationship with people on the spectrum, I’ve always been very puzzled by this “delay”, and your explanation helped me realize something important.

    I can’t help thinking that something is very very wrong, when someone often “pauses” the verbal and non-verbal interaction, and her/his expression is more or less blank, as this would be usually a bad sign when interacting with neurotypical people, signifying, that you’ve hurt their feelings, they are reluctant to talk to you, they don’t really like you at all or something along those lines. It stresses me out to no extent when the interaction doesn’t flow properly, and I’ve had to build a set of survival skills for this type of situations.

    My normal way of interacting might also be hard to get, if you have problems interpreting tones, non-verbal cues, small gestures, fine tuned humour, innuendo and double entendre. I’m also very quick. Alas, the puzzlement definitely goes both ways. I must say that learning to be very straight forward with some people has been very educational. 😀

  5. says: Jo Thulborn

    I have often heard people use “being on the spectrum” with no understanding what it actual means.
    Rebecca this is a fantastic way for everyone to understand what Autistic Spectrum is. Very clever.

  6. says: René Zeledon

    Thank you a lot for this comic! I’ve made a French version if someone want to have it or to put in the website.

  7. says: Claudia Mazzucco

    Unfortunately, dear Rebecca, your character Archie is very confusing for me.

    It does not help that Archie offers no proof to claim that “someone who is neurodiverse in some areas of their brain will also be no different to the average person in other areas of their brain.”

    He knows this because?

    Who is the neurodiverse?

    I believe most sincerely that the world is not eager to embrace diversity. But when someone who is diagnosed “on the spectrum” does not earn some understanding and respect from another person that is because almost every human is unable to do a certain set of things. The particular struggle of a person “on the spectrum” is not different (or harder) from the experience of everybody else.

    It is not ASD but the whole world which consists of many traits (which I’d define as “sensibilities”) or ways in which the brain processes information.

    The world consists of many different races, religions and cultures. These are also ways in which the brain processes information. Each person within a given race, religion and culture, has a different set of traits or ways in which the brain processes information. These traits (or ways) could create difficulties in everyday life when encountering people with a different ways of thinking.

    Language can be confusing for everyone. An example, British children in general are good at understanding the rules of cricket while citizens of the United States are so hopelessly lost during a four-hour cricket match that some have come to believe that cricket is just a big joke the British are performing to confuse the rest of the world.

    Another thing too I was thinking about while going through this comic strip: If one autistic person is sensory overload in loud and crowded spaces and another autistic person is very happy in loud how could both belong to the same spectrum?

    They might be suffering – it seems to me – from different conditions. It could even be possible both don’t have autism at all. Besides conversation will be hard for every one if you are caught in loud and crowded spaces. And felling very happy in loud crowds is criteria for ASD? If a spectrum is too wide (that embrace all people), it loses its boundaries; it is not a spectrum at all.

    Archie says, “Each person with autism will have a set of traits all in different areas of the spectrum. The areas where they don’t have a trait will function no differently to a neurotypical brain but maybe affected by circumstances.”

    Why has everyone failed to show me specifically the different areas of the spectrum which cannot be explained by some other reason except “autism”?

    Archie says, “Not every autistic person acts the same way and we are capable of varying strengths and weakness.”

    That is the case of everybody else.

    if there is any solace, it is this: Archie is not alone.

    1. says: Omacron

      As Someone who has ASD I can say your comment is an example what I dislike about most people. I am different to you and you don’t understand why. As a result you dismiss ASD as “Everbody is different”. For me ASD has meant I am extremely isolated socially but hey I’m just different right? Nothing “wrong” with me as far as your concerned. It is people such as you that are the reason I’m isolated from society as you expect too much from that which you do not understand. I found the Comic strip a useful tool for helping others to understand ASD. Yet you seem to have too many preconceptions that you hold to rigidly leading you to misunderstand. I hope you can change.

    2. says: Kelly

      Claudia, if you want to learn more about Autism, you could start with the diagnostic criteria outlined in the DSMV.

        1. says: Phire

          Yes, I believe she was using the Roman numeral for five which is a V as it is commonly written using the Roman numeral.

    3. says: Vivienne

      My understanding is that the brain of an ASD person is wired completely differently to that of a Neurotypical person (non ASD), mindblindness, empathy, and coping strategies, understanding oneself differ between the two neuro diverse persons.

      As no two people on the ‘spectrum’ or not are the same. Traits of ASD are generally similar but some will be more pronounced within each individual. Just like neurotypical people who have their strengths and weaknesses.

      I don’t believe this cartoon strip is meant to competely and fully explain ASD at it’s fullest. But it is a very good starting point which has the potential for education, discussion and further exploration to a wider society

    4. says: Colin Townsend

      With respect Claudia, you are revealing the very reason why education about ASD is required, because you demonstrate a huge ignorance of the basic facts.

      I was diagnosed last year at the age of 44. Some would say I am very ‘high functioning’, but that’s only sometimes. There are times – more times than I care to think – when I completely collapse in to what would be considered ‘low functioning’: noisy environments, if I am touched without warning, if I’m in a difficult situation, or if emotions are running high. I turn in to a muted, emotional mess who needs to leave that environment ASAP or I will descend in to a meltdown that will affect me for hours if not the rest of the day and following days.

      Yet – I drive, I’m a dad, I preach at church, I lead a sign language choir, I interpret for Deaf people.

      So, which am I? High or low? BOTH! That’s why the linear model doesn’t work, and this circular model is perfect.

    5. says: AutismDad

      I you are analogizing in your comments based on same book you read, or some logical deduction you think you see so clearly, based on other evidence you gave pasted together, you should stop now. If you have not spent long periods of time around different autistic people, you should just not comment. The ignorance displayed in some of these “well thought out and logical suppositions” is staggering. Someone literally trying to say because x is not the same as y so should not be on the same “spectrum” is the very definition of oblivious when describing autism.

    6. says: Harry 'Moto'

      Did you get bullied A LOT in grade school? Or did you bully people? Many Autistic people got their butts kicked regularly. I did. And I got taken to the principals office regularly for meltdowns when my classmates were too loud. By your rational, that should be pretty normal, right? It’s not.
      Most recently I’ve seen brain activity scans of neurotypical vs atypical (autistic) brains, and it’s quite an eye-opener. It’s not that Autistics don’t have brains, or that they are ‘just like you’ only not quite as good, they have amazing brains like all humans, but their brains are wired entirely differently. I can’t read the emotion on your face, but I can do math in my head at rather advanced levels… differential equations is just beyond my reach without pen and paper.
      What you are saying is quite reasonable, but it’s wrong.

    7. says: Christo

      Claudia,
      My daughter has recently been diagnosed, and cartoons like this are incredibly powerful for me in changing my way of understanding her behaviour, and being able to help her (and myself) cope with it.

      You are correct in that everyone is a little different, and the labels of neuro-typical and neuro-divergent is both helpful and not helpful, as they do not capture that there is a grey area where it gets increasingly difficult to function in a society that is geared for the middle of the spectrum – picture a typical Bell curve or normal distribution from statistics – typical means those people who are not at either end of the curve, and could also be described as average.

      It might be useful to bring intelligence (as something that has a normal distribution to it) as a different example. The world is designed to work for people who are of average intelligence. This means that REALLY smart people at the top end of the IQ spectrum might find it as frustrating to function in this world as would people who are at the bottom end of the IQ spectrum.

      Similarly someone who is extremely dexterous and has great physical capabilities might find a world that is designed for people who are on average more clumsy than they are a bit annoying if they thought about it. Really tall people, and really short people will have similar challenges in going through doors, reaching onto counters, finding cars they can drive etc. I am sure you can think of many examples where being “not average” will present challenges as well as opportunities.

      I therefore understand the ASD spectrum in this way: I personally don’t like noisy environments, but the point at which it triggers my brain into a state of meltdown where I cannot function is MUCH further away from the trigger point of someone who has that specific challenge in the way that their brain is wired.

      So part of what this means is that people who are “on the spectrum” as a formal diagnosis, need a lot more help to function in a world and a society that has been designed or created for those people who are “typical”, or in other words not near the end of the distribution of expectations to what people’s brains can achieve and cope with.

    8. says: Soazig

      I am on the Autistic Spectrum myself and I often wonder about some of the things you said: Where is the line between the spectrum and not the spectrum? I am not sure there is always a clear line as we are talking about how the brain neuro-connectors work. This comic strip is not comprehensive and may not be specific enough to help you understand how being on the spectrum is different from having a cultural difference but neurologists, researchers, academics, clinicians and disability advocates would among others, You can also find a lot of accessible information online. How cultural upbringing (including socio-economical, educational, ethnic and religious) can influence an individual is in a different category altogether from having a developmental disability which being on the spectrum is, also it is valid too. Other disabilities include intellectual and learning disabilities, mental health disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, acquired disabilities. I don’t know how one can argue that having a disability or an impairment brings out the same type of differences as a cultural environment though but you can be impacted by both. Interestingly, there is an argument that it is how ill-adapted your environment is which is creating the disability which is why it is important to raise awareness to challenge stigma and prejudices. As it turns out, a lot of people on the spectrum prefer using the term of “difference” too. I am not sure if you are trying to argue that there is no such thing as being on the spectrum or if you are suggesting that even if one is on the spectrum , how is that any worse than having any other cultural or personality differences? Well it shouldn’t be, but it is unfortunately when people are misunderstanding it or when the response to it is ill-adapted or discriminatory. The fact that there are other other types of impairments, disabilities, social and cultural discrimination does not make it less valid.

  8. says: Ed

    Wow! This is fantastic. I have a young son with ASD and our family has been learning as much as we can (as quickly as we can) about all things autistic. This is by far the best explanation/representation of the spectrum that I have yet encountered and I have already shared it far and wide. Thank you, Rebecca 🙂

  9. says: Steve

    My very clever 12 year old grandson has been diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. He has problems reading how a person is feeling about what he may have said or done.(especially his Mum and sister) How can you tell when he is having trouble understanding or just being plain naughty, as all children can be, to get his own way? How is discipline applied fairly and for the right reasons. He plays games on his tablet/p.c. continually and can be horrible if his (now single mother) stops him or disciplines him. He bullies his younger sister if she uses the devices as he is always in the middle of a game, or so he says. His Dad is a great deal stricter which he seems to accept.When we as grandparents take him and his sister on holiday, without Mum or any electronics at all, he seems to mix socially very well with all the other kids and makes friends. How much of a con man is he?

    1. says: Lesley

      Steve, your grandson is not being a “con man” at all. He is operating by the rules he understands. Clear, literal, fair rules with clear consequences, and consistent repetition, may eventually sink in. I encourage you to read Asperger Syndrome in the Family : Redefining Normal, by Lianne Holliday Willey, The Way I See It, by Temple Grandin, Connecting with Your Asperger Partner : negotiating the maze of intimacy, by Louise Weston, for many examples of Aspergers (clever autistic) vs. Neurotypical (not on spectrum) responses, and to keep reading about Aspergers. Do not attribute devious motives to the boy. Believe that he just has not had the rules explained finely-grained enough, clearly enough, to understand. He may be clever in some ways, but because of autism, he learns from only one specific case at a time, and autism keeps him from generalizing. Try forums at wrongplanet.net. You could have been describing me or my son.

      1. says: Naughty Autie

        Lesley said: “Aspergers (clever autistic)”
        Excuse me? I’m an Autie, and my result on the WAIS was 123, which only goes to prove that no form of autism (except CDD) has an effect on intellect.

    2. says: diana

      Steve
      This is a reply 4 years down the road but it will be a questioned asked by others over time.
      Your grandson is not a con man, he’s a child negotiating life the best he can. When you take him on holiday, away from the pressures of everyday life, and give him opportunities to enjoy the beach etc he may relax. I did the same with mine and our best memories are those times. My heart aches for how I managed to get to know my kids more on holiday, just by actually being with them and doing stuff together.
      But that’s a holiday, its not his mum that’s the problem, Steve, its just she’s the one who is obliged to force your grandson to comply with the routines of school, maybe while she works. She’s not asking if he want to go kayaking sometime today, she’s 7.30am forcing him to get into his uniform, eat breakfast even if it makes him gag (there’s no 2nd chance til lunchtime) turn up, behave and perform, then provide a happy family dinner he may not be comfortable with (cos he’s totally overloaded by now) then has to make him do homework so she doesn’t get called into school about it.
      Then she probably has to deal with misery about how all that went. His Dad is “stricter”, hope that went along with an actual strategy shared with mum, as well as doing shopping, laundry, cleaning and bedtime stories.
      That’s so judgmental but to be honest, its the story of all our lives, including mine!
      Lets maybe just stop judging ourselves as parents and start to question the society that tries to mould our wonderful children and grandchildren into being something less than they could be. We are already damaged by this ourselves, I know I am, I’m still trying to stop forcing my newly diagnosed 24 year old into an adapted mould.
      Hard to break habits and hoping people the chat could give some advice.
      Diana x

  10. says: ANNA MUNOZ

    Hi Rebecca… I love your stuff… thank you! I would like to ask you if the association I belong to could you use one of your illustrations to insert it in an informative leaflet?
    Many thanks. I look forward to hearing from you

    1. says: admin

      Hi Anna, we have printable links for Rebecca’s cartoon as she has said it is okay to print and share. – Debra

  11. says: Rose Smith

    I would like to make copies of this comic strip, but the link to the PDF isn’t working. Can you please direct me to another link?

    Thanks for this great explanation.

    Rose

      1. says: dairine kennedy

        hi

        i was wondering if we could print and hand out in our village and schools to drive awareness? would that be ok? we are starting a neurdivsere friendly village and this comic strip is a lovely way to explain for kids to drive awareness

  12. says: Carol

    This is great, but you should have had it edited before publishing. The errors are distracting.

  13. says: James

    STUNNING. I’m an 40+ yr old adult recently diagnosed & a health professional and I thought your strip was intelligent / informative but it also made me laugh a load.
    I’ve noticed some people being a little pedantic but I saw no errors & wouldn’t have cared if there were any (proof reading can be exhausting!). I hope you are happy with it as a lot of people here clearly are too. I’ve attended ASC training & I reckon this would go down a treat (& is needed). All the best.

    1. says: Susanne Bohane

      Hi James. Could I ask how you went about getting diagnosed at an older age. I think my 22 year old son could do with some help. Thank you

  14. says: Geraldine Smith

    This is such an excellent depiction of what the autism spectrum really looks like. I have been saying for so long that there is no such thing as severe and mild autism! Could I use this as part of a strategy I am using? Obviously will credit the author.

  15. says: Led Bradshaw

    My name is Led Bradshaw. I’m a Brooklyn born comic book artist/writer, graphic artist and draftsman. Art is my life and it presents me with a ton of challenges yet none are more challenging or exciting than being a single father to an amazing 7 year old boy named Jacob.

    Jacob really loves superheroes! Just give him 5 minutes and Jake will tell you everything there is to know about them. His closet is full of costumes, enchanted hammers, magical capes and utility belts.

    Autism became a part of our lives when my son Jacob was 4 years old. The loud noises of children playing would send him running out of the classroom for silence. His attention span was short and he’d constantly wander around the class as if the other children didn’t exist.

    He couldn’t contribute to class discussions because his responses were disconnected and completely unrelated to the subject, all he wanted to do was talk about superheroes. Looking for a way to communicate with Jake, I turned to the dozens of refrigerator drawings depicting him as this magnificent superhero.

    After several weeks, I translated his drawings into comic book style characters that he could relate to. I incorporated his daily lessons with my artwork to make flashcards. Using sight words, I was able to help Jacob learn to identify words before moving on to larger sentences.

    By combining art with Jake’s love of superheroes, I was able to pull him into learning. In June of 2017 I was laid off from my job as a senior technical writer and decided to invest my full attention and resources into Jake’s future.

    In an effort to fulfill my son’s dream of being a hero, Jetpulse Comics was created 2 months later.

    Jetpulse Comics is a father-and-son project that was created to uplift, encourage and raise awareness about children and other individuals all over the world who are on the autism spectrum. It also gives Jacob the opportunity to write his own comic book stories and shows others what life is like with autism.

    There’s also educational content on our website and we have added some fun sensory activities and educational material for children in grades K to 2nd grade. Jetpulse Comics has given my son a tremendous amount of self-confidence and his grades have improved considerably. What makes Jetpulse Comics so unique is that our comic book adventures and characters are all created by a 7 year old boy with autism.

    We work together as a team to build his incredible superhero universe.

    In April, Jake and I printed the first in a series of children’s easy readers focusing on basic sight words. We’ve branched out and started working with other organizations to provide in-depth product reviews and family events like “Sensory Friendly Films”.

    What started as an effort to help one child turned into a community for all parents and children to enjoy.

    For Jake and I, Jetpulse Comics is more than capes and bad guys. It’s about empowering our children and teaching them to unleash their inner heroes.

  16. says: Désirée

    I think this is really helpful and would like to get a german version. my family doesn’t speak english, neighter do some of the teachers…

    I could help with the translation, though, if wished 🙂

  17. says: Ellen

    I just saw this. Wow. I’ll be sharing with everyone I can via my personal Facebook page, my blog (eroseco.com), my son’s teacher, therapists, family, daycare, etc. THANK YOU from a grieving/coping/frustrated/hopeful mommy.

  18. says: Julie Wheeler

    Iv had a real hard time with it and althow I can talk I don’t always understand pple and becouse I get overloaded if pple talk without any gaps it’s just sawnds like a sawnd to me not words becouse I look ok pple think my aurtisim don’t effect my life that badly and I’m having problems every day big problem s but I try to put a face on when I see pple I have learnt to say I’m ok when I’m not and when I can no longer brave it I cannot even get out of bed I get ansiyaty that badly it makes it hard for me to eat not to Menston cannot get sleep that we’ll becouse I’m that botherd about the things that’s going rawnd and rawnd in my head even when I am a sleep but it that sawnds ok to a tipecals swop shows and it’s even harder when pple abuse you , and don’t understand you , j,a.W

    1. says: Catherine

      That sounds really hard. I have a lot of trouble with background noise or on the phone. It’s hard if things keep on not being ok because people have sympathy if you are not ok for a little while, but most people have trouble dealing with someone who doesn’t feel ok for a long time. Do you have someone who can help you during the worst parts?

  19. says: Julia Seidel

    Sorry if I double this, but since I cannot see my post from before, I just ask again: is it allowed to translate this into german? This is great and I would really like to use this especially for the upcoming Autism Awareness Day. Thanks!

  20. says: MommaT

    This is an amazing tool. I wonder, is there an image description in the alternate text for those who use screen readers? I’d love to share this on Facebook and want to make sure it’s fully accessible.

  21. says: sujatha.r

    I am so elated to read this. It has given a wide knowledge to understand about ASD.I certainly agree autism children have SAVENT skills. Nonverbal children are like siddha’s to me. Their sign language and expressive language (written form) is unbelievable that they could understand certain things so beautifully.

  22. says: Deana

    First of all I want to say awesome blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask if you do not mind.
    I was interested to know how yoou center yourself andd clear your thoughts before writing.
    I have haad a difficult time clearing mmy mind in getting my
    thoughts out. I truly do taie pleasure in writing but it just seems
    like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted simply just trying to figure out how too begin. Any suggestions or tips?

    Thak you!

  23. says: Trista

    Thank you. My sister was diagnosed with PDD NOS as a teenager. She’s on the spectrum but not autistic. This is such a great description.

  24. says: Maria Monteiro

    Rebecca, wonderful job. I am still studying about this spectrum and loving what I have found. Are you interested in a Portuguese version of your wonderful work? I can help on it.

  25. says: Graham Davies

    Thank you so much for this explanation. I always saw autism as linear, and it had been explained to me by people who claimed to know a lot about it as such. This makes so much more sense and helps my understanding of the condition so much more.

  26. says: Kirstin Uchida

    Thank you so much Rebecca! As a women on the spectrum, with two kiddos on the spectrum, I have to work hard to explain our challenges. I have tried to “illustrate” with words that autism is not linear. I am not often successful. When people realize that my kiddos and I are verbal and therefore “high-functioning”, or “just a little autistic” like everyone is “just a little autistic” I want to scream and (metaphorically) shove a fork in their eye (I am prone to strong feelings, teehee). I truly appreciate this description and I am grateful for your unique gift to help others understand autism a little better.

  27. says: Anne Dodgshun

    This was very helpful. It highlights how nuanced the experiences or traits are of neurotherapy diverse people. The processing speed, in conversations with others, is a very important aspect that you’ve highlighted. This underpins why I struggle and become overwhelmed in some situations.
    A great overview.

  28. says: Lynn Morrison Craig

    Thank you very much Rebecca, your illustrations just came to life for me, they helped me to think more of my behaviour around certain people close to me and children I work with. x

  29. says: Kate

    Hi Rebecca, I love your comic and I’d really like to translate it into Polish; would that be possible? Please email me if you’re interested. Best, Kate

  30. says: Theresa

    Thank you so much for this. I was diagnosed as being on the Spectrum at age 29 after years of wondering why I felt so different from everyone else. Because I was diagnosed so late , I became very good at masking to disguise my autistic behaviors that I was frequently made fun of for and questioned about. What people don’t understand about masking is that it doesn’t make you less autistic, it’s extremely exhausting and at any given moment I am constantly paying attention to every hand movement, every leg movement, every eye movement every bit of my posture, how many times I blink, if my mouth open or shut, am I staring at people, is every muscle in my face making the correct expression for the situation?… I’m not less autistic I’m just not myself. People think that because I happen to have traits that don’t present themselves outwardly as much, that I am less autistic then other autistic people they know, but I’m just different. It is important for people to know this and to understand it so that people are diagnosed at younger ages, and recognized for who they are.

  31. says: Lorgio Córdova

    Gracias Rebecca x compartir tu trabajo!
    Es maravilloso!
    Soy de Huancayo – Perú.

    Thanks for sharing your work Rebecca!
    Its wonderful!
    Im from Huancayo – Perú.

  32. Hello, I am a brazilian journalist writing about autism for 8 years now and I really like to translate your book to portuguese!

    I already work with translations of autism books english to portuguese, one of them is ‘Debbie Fights Coronavirus’.

    Can I contact you?

  33. says: Tracy Thompson

    My son (15) is leading an assembly this week on autism, would he be able to use your cartoon please?

  34. says: Michael

    Thank you for taking the time to create this Rebecca. I’m just discovering this area, so it is great to have resources like this to help understand myself and others better.

  35. says: Sophie

    Dear Rebecca,
    I really love your work! It would be great if I could translate it and share this piece with the Hungarian audience. What do you think?
    Thank you for your answer in advance.

  36. says: John

    I have Asperger’s and people would mislabel people like me of having a really high IQ or something because we are at the “high end” of the “spectrum” but this really clarifies it. really you could replace all the colors of the bar with a greyscale and it wouldn’t change but this color wheel works way better and I appreciate this.

  37. says: Maria Alvarez

    I am looking for this piece in arabic, as I am working with an arabic family and they don’t speak english or danish (we are from Denmark, and I have found this piece in danish 🙂 ).
    Do you know if there is an arabic translation?

  38. says: Martha N. Njama

    I just learned that autism is not what I have always thought. I have never imagined that a person with autism does not have the capacity to do anything. I am sure by the time I finish this course I will have a very positive opinion about autism.

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