Glossary
Plain-language definitions of autism terms — written by Soira, calm and neurodiversity-affirming.
Stimming
Self-stimulating behaviour — flapping, rocking, spinning, humming, repeating sounds. Stimming helps autistic people regulate their bodies and emotions. Unless a particular stim hurts the person or others, it does not need to be stopped.
Meltdown
An involuntary response to overwhelm — crying, shouting, kicking, becoming very still. A meltdown is not a tantrum; the autistic person is not choosing it and cannot reason their way out of it. The kindest response is to reduce the input (lower sound, dim light, give space) and stay near without demanding.
Shutdown
A quieter, inward response to overwhelm — withdrawing, going still, losing words. Shutdowns can look like a child "behaving" but they are the same overload as a meltdown, expressed differently. Same response: reduce input, offer calm presence.
Sensory overload
When the senses receive more input than the nervous system can comfortably process — too much sound, too many people, harsh lights. Sensory overload is a common trigger for meltdowns and shutdowns. Quiet, dim, predictable environments help.
Sensory diet
A planned set of sensory activities sprinkled through the day to help a child stay regulated — a heavy blanket, a chew toy, a wobble cushion, a swing. The right "diet" is individual; an occupational therapist often helps design one.
Masking
Hiding autistic traits to fit in — forcing eye contact, suppressing stims, copying neurotypical social scripts. Masking takes a lot of energy and is linked to anxiety and burnout, especially in girls and women. A safe space to unmask is protective.
Executive function
The mental processes that help us plan, start, switch between, and finish tasks. Many autistic people have spiky executive-function profiles — strong in some areas, support-needing in others. Visual schedules and predictable routines often help.
Proprioception
The sense of where your body is in space — knowing your hand is behind your back without looking. Proprioception comes from the muscles and joints. Many autistic people seek extra proprioceptive input (squeezes, jumping, heavy work) because it helps them feel grounded.
Interoception
The sense of what is happening inside your body — hunger, thirst, needing the toilet, the start of an emotion. Interoception is often different in autistic people, which is why a child can suddenly seem desperate to eat or use the bathroom — they noticed the signal late, not because they were ignoring it.
Self-regulation
The ability to manage your own state — energy, attention, emotions. Self-regulation develops over many years, in autistic and non-autistic children alike. Stimming, deep pressure, breaks, and predictable routines are some of the ways autistic people self-regulate.
Co-regulation
When an adult lends their calm to help a child regulate — staying close, breathing slowly, lowering their voice. Co-regulation is how children learn self-regulation over time; it is not babying them. It is especially important during and after meltdowns and shutdowns.
Monotropism
A theory developed by autistic researchers describing how autistic attention tends to flow deeply into one thing at a time, rather than spreading across many things. Monotropism helps explain deep focus, transition difficulty, and how interruptions can feel jarring or painful for autistic people.