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Whether you are new to the theory or interested in digging deeper, there are many possible places to start.

The animation below is an accessible 4-minute introduction to the key ideas.

This animation written and narrated by Kieran Rose and animated by Josh Knowles Animation; was commissioned by Health Education England and produced by AT Autism and Anna Freud National Centre, originally as part of training Tier 4 mental health practitioners (#Tier4AFC) led by Dr Pavlopoulou and Dr Moyse. If you would like to find out more about the training please email the team on ascld_training@annafreud.org

These comic strips by SALT for my Squid explain some ideas very simply:

You might also enjoy this 2-minute video from NeuroPride Ireland or this 11½-minute video from Autistamatic; Damian Milton talking about monotropism and flow states (9 minutes); or Dinah and Fergus Murray on the Different Minds podcast (34 minutes). If you prefer a slideshow type of presentation, try this from Autienelle or this en español; or this comic from Neuro Divers.

The 2005 paper Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism (pdf, epub, journal) by Dinah Murray, Wenn Lawson and Mike Lesser is the key academic text, with Wenn’s book The Passionate Mind going into a good deal more depth and his 2013 paper for OA Autism looking at it from more of a neuroscience angle. Dinah and Mike were interviewed for The Observer in 2005: ‘Say it loud, autistic and proud‘. Dinah also wrote the Monotropism entry for the Volkmar Encyclopedia of Autism; her chapter Dimensions of Difference for The Neurodiversity Reader is an update on her thinking.

The article Me and Monotropism: A unified theory of autism by Dinah’s youngest, Fergus Murray, is relatively accessible, and shouldn’t take most readers more than 15 minutes to read. It has also been translated into Spanish (español) and Hungarian (magyar nyelv). This conference talk by the same author is about as long.

More About Autism

‘So what exactly is autism?’ (pdf) (Damian Milton 2012) provides a good overview of autism theory (as of 2012) and makes a strong case for Monotropism.

A Critical Realist Approach on Autism (Marianthi Kourti 2021) argues that the Double Empathy Problem and Monotropism both ‘provide a theory of autism that is deeper than the neurotypical counterparts they are responding to’ by bringing in the insights of autistic people.

Understanding and Working with the Spectrum of Autism (book, Wenn Lawson 2001) was well ahead of its time, presenting an autistic view of what it means to be autistic, together with detailed insights on how to work with autistic people.

‘Keeping it all inside‘ (pdf) (Cathy Wassell & Emily Burke 2022) is a very informative ‘white paper on an internal presentation of autism and why it’s often missed’ – focusing on what autism is more likely to look like in girls, while being clear that it can present much the same way in people of any gender.

‘Atypical resource allocation may contribute to many aspects of autism‘
(Emily J. Goldknopf 2013) looks at neurological evidence that fits with the hypothesis that autistic processing resources tend to be more concentrated.

Roundabout Hypothesis (Chris Memmott 2018) is a metaphor or model for autistic thinking, which is closely related to monotropism. Another one is Splines Theory: A Spoons Metaphor for Autism (Luna Corbden 2013).

‘An Updated Monotropism theory: A Developmental Model & Pathological Demand-Avoidance‘ (video, Richard Woods 2019, revised 2022) explores the relationship between monotropism, anxiety and demand avoidance.

Theories and Practice in Autism (Fergus Murray 2018) introduces six starting points for understanding autism (español) in terms of monotropism:

1. Coping with multiple channels is hard
This can be sensory channels or other information streams.

2. Filtering is tricky and error-prone
Sometimes I can’t tune things out, other times I filter them out completely.

3. Changing tracks is destabilising
Task-switching is hard, and new plans take work.

4. I often experience things intensely
Usually things that relate to my concerns and interests.

5. I keep looping back to my interests and concerns
It’s hard to let things drop.

6. Other things that drop out of my awareness tend to stay dropped
I may need reminders.

See also Monotropism In Practice.

A still by Josh Knowles from the animation above

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Whether you are new to the theory or interested in digging deeper, there are many possible places to start. The animation below is an accessible 4-minute introduction to the key ideas. These comic strips by SALT for my Squid explain some ideas very simply: You might also enjoy this 2-minute video fr…

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Let's Raise the Roof   - A Social Model of Disability

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An introduction to the Double Empathy problem

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Double Empathy Problem Comic - Tzipporah Johnston (1)

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Reframing "Severe"  Autism, by Damon Kirsebom

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Flo explains the challenges of unmasking for her mum

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Féach ar an deireadh column, tá amchainní Gaeilge ann

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Tábla 1- An Méid is Féidir le Múinteoir nó CRS a Dhéanamh in Aon Ghníomhaíocht

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Aguisín 1- Cumarsáid Rathúil le Daltaí a Éascú

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Aguisín 2- Leideanna Praiticiúla do Mhúinteoirí chun Cumarsáid le Daltaí

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Aguisín 3- Cumarsáid Rathúil a Éascú sa Seomra Ranga

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www.5pointscale.com was developed to share information about the use of the 5-point scale and other systems to teach social and emotional concepts to children and adults who could use some extra…

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Úsáid an liosta seo chun eolas céadfach a fháil muna bhfuil OT agat. Ar dtús tabhair don thuistí, ansin cur eolas ón scoil foireann ann agus glór an páiste ann.

Use the information to inform what regulation breaks will be meaningful for your children, use their preferences in work tasks if you can to support regulation throughout the day.

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Sensory Considerations for Early Years Environments

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Creating an environment that embraces the unique sensory needs of all children, can significantly enhance their comfort and ability to engage, learn and develop. Small adjustments in the home or early years setting can support sensory regulation which will in turn enable children to learn and develop new skills.

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In recent years, the number of autism classes in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools has greatly increased. So too has the number of children benefiting from Irish-medium education and the immersion model from naíonra onwards.

In this podcast teachers Elaine, Aisling, Máire and Éabha discuss teaching autistic pupils in an Irish-medium environment with Dáithí Murray.

The panel will share some of the benefits of Irish-medium and Gaeltacht education for autistic children and young people, as well as some tips and advice for colleagues working in the sector. They will also share some insights into unique issues facing those working in Irish-medium education to support autistic pupils and students reach their full potential.

https://gaeloideachas.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/GaeloideachasPod-1.mp3

Middletown Centre for Autism and Gaeloideachas are releasing a series of resources for teachers in Irish-Medium Education. Later in the year Gaeloideachas and Middletown will launch an Irish language handbook for teachers, this will contain information and helpful strategies for teachers working with autistic pupils in an Irish-medium or Gaeltacht environment.

Guest speakers on the podcast
Elaine Ní Shé, Teacher and Special Education Coordinator, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh
Elaine is an Irish and French post-primary level teacher. She is teaching in Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh since the school first opened in 2006. She has completed a post-graduate course in special education and is currently the special education coordinator in the school, as well as a learning support and French teacher.
Aisling Fay, Principal, Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige
Aisling is a Gaelscoil principal with thirty years of experience. Aisling is currently principal of Gaelscoil na Fuinseoige, a school established in 2016. In 2017, the school opened a class for autistic children. There are six pupils in that class now. Aisling worked as Head of School Placement in Hibernia College and continues to work with student teachers. She has a postgraduate in management in education and completed a thesis on the role of parents in newly established schools. She has a particular interest in Special Education and has given talks with the NCSE.
Máire Ní Choileáin, Former Naíonra Educator, Naíonra Thír na nÓg
Máire has twenty-five years of experience working as a naíonra leader/educator. She raised her own family through the medium of Irish outside of the Gaeltacht. She also has experience working with adults with intellectual disabilities.
Éabha Ní Chualáin, Principal, Scoil Naomh Ciarán, Cill Chiaráin, Conamara
Éabha is a primary school teacher for fifteen years and has experience in various educational settings around the country, including Gaelscoileanna, L2 schools and other Gaeltacht settings. She is a teaching principal in Scoil Naomh Ciarán since 2016. Scoil Naomh Ciarán is a Gaeltacht school with Deis rural status located in the beautiful area of Cill Chiarán in Conamara. The school opened an autism class in 2018 with the help of local parents, the school's Board of Management and the NCSE. Éabha and another teacher from the school have completed the Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies delivered by Middetown Centre for Autism and Mary Immaculate College. The course was a great help to them preparing for new teaching methods, as well as getting a proper understanding of autism. The school has a supportive, engaged staff that has completed many professional development courses in recent years. They promote excellence in teaching and inclusion in the school. The school is currently involved in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme and has a huge interest in proving special education services in the mother tongue of children and families in their area.

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New podcast: Teaching autistic pupils in an Irish-medium environment | Gaeloideachas

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*Energy: The Framework, Tools, Strategies & Logic to Support Regulatio

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Discover the true power of regulation with Energy: The Framework, Tools, Strategies & Logic. Forget about the buzzwords and clichés - we'll show you how to harness your energy and use it to your advantage. Don't just "regulate" your emotions, level up your energy for a more authentic and affirming approach.

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All activities in life involve processing sensory stimuli. Having difficulty processing sensory stimuli can impact on an individual's ability to perform everyday activities.

The strategies recommended in this resource will not be suitable for every child and young person. Strategies should only be introduced after a period of assessment, and should be individualised to meet the unique needs of the child/young person.

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All activities in life involve processing sensory stimuli. Having difficulty processing sensory stimuli can impact on an individual's ability to perform everyday activities. The strategies recommended in this resource will not be suitable for every child and young person.