Regression in adult autism

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 2 Comments

Hey readers,

Now that I am an adult with autism I have learnt so much more about me and autism. One of the things that I have noticed is that at times of my life I have regressed.

decline chart

Now, when I am talking about regression and autism this is not when a child is 19 months but actually the accuracy of regression during any time of a person’s life. I myself feel that I have regressed several periods of my life. The same can be said about when I progress.

I believe that with autism as a disorder on a spectrum it is fluid and constantly shifting with the times. Hence why it is hard to fill out forms when asked for what my life is like with autism on a day to day basis. Let’s face if you know someone with autism it changes depending on what is happening in that person’s life.

An example of my regression going through changes whilst at the university from year one to year two caused me great distress. I had less support, less communication with lecturers and that caused great stress. I struggled with interpreting instructions especially when they were assignments when I had to be creative and think outside the box. One assignment involved in coming up with an adult that hasn’t been thought of before. Now, this is hard because this was a mandatory module whereby I had to do the subject even though I wasn’t that interested in.

Contemplating,Man,hands,bald

If you don’t know already I am a black and white thinker. When I do something that motivates me I get full on obsessive or in contrast demotivated and not bothered at all. The changes and dealing with university life causes me at the end of the year to result in me wanting to kill myself basically. I fell into clinical depression, my partner had to supervise me because I could not do anything by myself as I was that depressed.

Other times I have smaller regressions, if I do not go into town for a while I literally get sensory overload, All the scripts I have performed and rehearsed I forget. All the social rules have got muddled up and I really struggle. Dare I say it I feel more autistic on these days. It is like I have to keep on top and be aware most of the time or I fall backwards. It is exhausting and at times I have just stayed at home for days and not go out, feeding more on my regression.

Other times I can move forward and progress if I keep working at it. The one blocker that stops me is burnout when I am so exhausted from trying and working at it for long periods of time that I simply need to stop and shut down. My brain has had enough of all this information, it want’s a breather and time to just be.

I have only recently learnt that one of the reasons I get so exhausted if I am in a social environment is because I am on hyperfocus, my brain is on alert all the time, anxiety high and I am just not relaxed. Naturally, my body is just going to say stop and need a break to relax.

medieval,lamp,indoors,architecture

So, as you can see regression can be short or long term but autism is constantly shifting between progress and regress.

Cheers for reading X

What You Can Expect When You Stop Smoking And Start Vaping

~ mummyhereandthere ~ Leave a comment

Quit Smoking And Start Vaping

Recently there has been a lot hype going on about the host of benefits that people are able to enjoy when making the choice to change from traditional tobacco products to the vaping electronic devices. But before you make the choice to change to an electronic cigarette, where you aware, that the changes begin instantly?

Below is a timeline that will give you information on what happens inside your body when changing from smoking onto vaping:

8 Hours

8 hours from your last cigarette, your body already starts to improve. In fact, in the first 8 hours, you will start to experience noticeable effects of giving up smoking. The first thing that happens is that the oxygen levels inside your blood will start to go back to a normal level, even when you have already started vaping.

This is because vapour that is produced by the electronic cigarettes are free from carbon monoxide that is present in tobacco-cigarette. This offers your body with a way to start detoxifying from carbon monoxide that you use to inhale, which means you can enjoy the benefits of higher oxygen levels inside your blood, which translates into feeling better in a variety of other ways.

24 Hours

One day after you have stopped smoking and started vaping, your body has rid itself of any residual levels of carbon monoxide which was once present inside your system. By now your lungs will start to detoxify as they start to work on removing the toxic mucus and debris that has accumulated when you were still smoking.

These processes occur as you are no longer taking in these toxins and adding to what was already present in your lungs and body. You are now giving your body the chance to start cleaning and healing itself. This is also possible as the vapours produced from our electronic devices are free from toxins present in the smoke from traditional cigarettes.

48 Hours

After 2 days, your body will carry on thanking you for making the decision to change to vaping as well as finally kicking your habit for cigarette smoking. By now your taste will start to improve, so drinks and food will start to be more enjoyable. In addition, your smell will also improve, and you may start to notice more and more fragrances that you have been missing out on when you were still a smoker.

This occurs because the body naturally starts to repair receptors in the nose and the mouth that were damaged from toxins present in the tobacco cigarettes that you used to smoke.

72 Hours

After experiencing all these improvements in just 48 hours, it should not be surprising that within 3 days your body will continue to get stronger. Most people that have made the switch to electronic cigarettes typically notice by day 3, that their breathing has started to show significant improvements.

Your breathing by now should be easier when compared to when you still smoked as you have stopped exposing your lungs to tar that was once irritating and clogging the bronchial tubes. As the tubes start to relax and as they clear, previous smokers start to notice that their breathing is easier, and their energy levels start to increase.

3 To 9 Months

If you manage to quit smoking cigarettes and you stick with vaping for the next 3 to 9 months, you will start to notice that shallow breathing, coughing and wheezing should have significantly reduced or even gone away.

You will experience these important changes because your lung functions have improved, and your body has now naturally cleared away dangerous debris which built-up while you were a smoker.

5 Years

Now it is time to look over the long-term affects you can expect when you stop smoking. Within 5 years, the risks associated with heart attacks would have reduced by as much as half. If you are still vaping at this time, you also don’t need to worry about the vapour produced by the electronic cigarettes as they won’t cause any damages to the heart cells.

10 Years

Within 10 years the risks associated with lung cancer will reduce by half of what it would have been if you continued to smoke. This is again because the electronic devices are free from carcinogens that are present in tobacco cigarettes. By now your risks of a heart attack is also reduced to about the same as people who have never smoked. If you continue using e-liquid that contains nicotine, the effects of this form of nicotine on your heart can be compared to those associated with caffeine.
Keep it Up
The longer that you are able to stay away from tobacco cigarettes, you will start to notice even more health improvements. You will start to feel better overall and the risks you used to have for various illnesses will also start to dramatically reduce. In addition, the people that are always around you will also not be exposed to harmful effects produced by cigarette smoke.

**This is a guest post**

Dream wedding photography tips.

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 6 Comments

Hey readers,

When you think about planning your wedding you want it to be amazing because of how special it is for you and your partner.

One area to consider is photography as it is one thing that can hold special memories from the big day.

Something that most people don’t think about when it comes to wedding photography is sharing guest photos that have been taken of the day.  One way to share the photos with everyone is an app that allows everyone to connect and come together. Check out wedding photo sharing comes up with an ingenious way to share your images with others. It is an app that allows a live feed so that guests can instantly put the photos on to the app and is accessible for everyone. With the app, you can invite the guests from the wedding invitations making it less stressful for the big day. The app is also available for Android and app stores. I think using a photo share app is a great way to not have to worry about losing photos or if people delete them as they have instant access and then you don’t worry about losing precious photo memories.

 

multi-device-showcase.jpg

I think if you are doing your own photography making sure that you are prepared beforehand is so important. Preparation is key, so consider things like having a tripod so that the camera is secure and photos are crisper without getting shaky. If a tripod is not your thing then definitely make sure that there is a strap so that your camera is safe and not run the risk of breaking the camera.

Something that is so blatantly obvious but with all the other things you need to prepare and remember the big day you may forget. My biggest tip is to make sure the camera battery is charged. Another thing is to have an extra battery so that you are safe and not suddenly have the camera die on you when you may have a beautiful moment you want to capture. I like to follow a motto, it is better to be safe than sorry.

A brilliant tip for taking wedding photos is to make sure that there is more than one person taking the photos, as it gives a more diverse range of shots.

When taking photos don’t just take them of the bride and groom but look at all the other elements that are happening in the area. A good suggestion would be to take snaps of guest reactions because a picture can tell a thousand stories.

I personally would suggest planning beforehand how you are going to do the main bulk of photography.  Obviously, the plan does not have to be set in stone but if you get the main shoots that are important for the groom and bride, say for instance a shot of the hands after the rings have been placed would make a beautiful shoot. If you have an idea beforehand of where you want to go with taking photos then you don’t have to panic as you know what you kinda looking for. Therefore making it less stressful and you can feel more comfortable in the role of the photographer.

Cheers for reading X

 

This is a sponsored post with Wedding Photo Swap. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

My top 5 kids apps

~ mummyhereandthere ~ 12 Comments

Hey readers,

Technology is so great, you can learn so much and it is for everyone. What I love though is that my boys can use the tablet for fun or learning and it gives me five minutes peace.

CBeebies play app

I love this because it is an app based on most of the children’s programmes on Cbeebies, so there is the familiarity. There is also more than one choice you can paint with Mr. Tumble, to Nina and the neurons where you programme the floor for the robot to follow the instructions. So, there is a mix of fun and educational games to play.

Kids Doodle

Related image

This is a fun one for letting your little ones be creative and there are no rules. My eldest is autistic and this has helped him when he is stressed or having a meltdown, can help relax him and take the mind of his worries. You can make pretty patterns, glow in the dark.

Minions

Image result for minions apps

What kid doesn’t like minions. It is a platform game and even though my 4 year does play on it, I am not sure he strictly follows the runs but nonetheless still enjoys it. Whereas my 6-year-old understands the rules and likes to play competitively. This is one of the longest we have and it gets used the most.

Fish Farts

Image result for fart app fish

This a funny game, it involves touching the fish on the screen and hearing them move with the vibrations of the fart. Both boys find this so hilarious because let’s face it what kid doesn’t find the sound of farting funny.

Zombie Smash

zoombie

Zombies is a good game (some parents may frown) but it is fun. It makes silly noises and pictures and they not allowed to squash the children which makes them laugh they do.

What apps do your children enjoy?

Cheers for reading X

My own dream home improvement wishes

~ mummyhereandthere ~ Leave a comment

Hey readers,

There are so many things that I dream about constantly with regards to having home improvements to my home to make it look more better for me and my family. There is so much to think about and wish you could do if you had the money or time to do them. I am going today talk about the kind of things that I wish I could do to make my home more homely.

I would love to have a door from my living room to the outside area that can be folded and create a bigger space so that the air could be more moveable around my living room. I like the idea of bifold doors and they are reasonable with the prices. You can take a look here and you will see how much is a bifold door for yourself.  I would definitely go for the six door design because I just love having as much possible fresh air as I can get,  especially during the summertime. It would be perfect to have that open space when doing a BBQ or just allowing the kids to run and back and four without having to worry about the door opening and closes. It can just be folded back in an open positive making less stress in the family home because I don’t have to constantly should about leaving the door alone. Having the bifold door would create a lovely feel for the room to have the outdoor world come inside.  Because I live in a small place having a huge area of glass will make the room look bigger and brighter. It will also provide more space which is always a blessing when you have children.

6 Bifold Doors Configuration Option
bifold 6 door

The bifold door is made from toughened glass and comes with a 10-year guarantee, giving you that confidence that the product is protected. It is made from aluminium meaning that it shouldn’t, in theory, have to recoat it ever. There is also the financial gain with it being cost-effective with keeping the heat contained in the room for longer during the colder seasons. Having aluminium doors can be saving money as they need less material used to make then timber.

I feel that it would be lovely to maybe have also a skylight so there is more light coming in. I love nature and looking outside to see the sky would be a lovely way to feel relaxed at home. As my living room is quite dark it will help bring in light especially as my eldest is my hot on Lego, so making it much easier to play. Having a skylight is energy efficacy more so in the colder season because they allow more light and heat, therefore, saving money on your heating bill.

With both the skylight and bifold door they have a positive effect on your health because having more natural sunlight into your home means that it can help with your mental state and give you the feeling of energised. Therefore reducing anxiety and stress.

Cheers for reading X

This is a collaborative post with Direct Bifold Doors. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

The Chicest Trip To Milan, Italy

~ mummyhereandthere ~ Leave a comment

It is fair to say that one of the chicest countries in the world is Italy, and of all the beautiful cities there that you can visit none is more fashion conscious than Milan. After all, the Milanese are the hosts of international fashion week. With that in mind, if you are looking for a stylish stay in this fine city, keep reading for the ultimate guide.

Getting there

I’ll be honest, the journey from Sydney to Milan is not a short one. In fact, you are looking at around 24 hours all in, usually with a stop in places like Abu Dhabi and Hamad. However, I’ll also say that it is well worth the trip, and there are some things you can do to make the time go that little bit faster.

Firstly, some airlines are offering wifi on board now, so it’s a perfect time to catch up with your blogging or update your Insta to make your followers green with envy.

Then there is always the good old sleeping cure. Just make sure that you don’t get too out of whack and then spend the whole brake fighting jetlag when you arrive in Italy. Be sure to charge up your devices too, and make use of the onboard entertainment, and you should be able to survive the trip.

Staying there

Next, if you are going to have a chic vacation from start to finish, you must pick accommodation that reflects this. Luckily, you don’t have to look too far in Milan to find a luxurious hotel that is super stylish as well.

One such venue is the Boscolo Milano located on the Corso Matteotti. There you will find modern, light and ever-so-stylish rooms of all sizes for your trip. They also have a fabulous spa in which to relax and a fully equipped gym and swimming pool for all your fitness needs.

Although, if you are in the mood for something a little more traditional why not stay at the place like the Hotel Principe di Savoia? There you will find characterful rooms in an opulent style that is chic in a way that is all its own.

Eating there

Now you may think that the Milanese, being so focused on fashion, don’t eat that much, but you wouldn’t know that from the plethora of restaurants available in the city.

Try out Seta fro plate of food more stylish than most people’s wardrobes, or Macelleria Equina “Da Vito” Milano for a distinctly more kitsch style.

The chicest sites

No trip to Milan would be complete without visiting some of the chicer sites which include the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum, as there you can see how the other half truly lived.

The Golden Triangle is filled with the chicest, high-end store.

Then there is the Teatro alla Scala, a beautiful opera house dating back to the 1800’s. Lastly, do not miss the Golden Triangle. A location that is, of course, one of the chicest places in the world let alone Milan, and as such a must for any budding fashionistas and trendsetters.

**This is a guest post**