https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i The Reason I Jump by Naogi Higadashi is a book that attempts to explain/translate the experiences of a 13 year old boy who has Autism. Each chair is portrayed as a direct question that this child has in some form faced by peers who are not experiencing autism. Below is a timeline that quotes the book, from the perspective of that 11-year old boy and an attached resource to help us delve deeper into the questions posed by the chapters. en-us 2021-04-30 15:52:42 UTC 2021-05-05 04:49:06 UTC hello@padlet.com jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478925295 "When I’m talking in a weird voice, I’m not doing it on purpose. Sure, there are some times when I find the sound of my own voice comforting, when I’ll use familiar words or easy-to-say phrases. But the voice I can’t control is different. This one blurts out, not because I want it to; it’s more like a reflex."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 8).]]> 2021-04-30 16:17:49 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478925295 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478927755 "It’s true; I always ask the same questions. “What day is it today?” or “Is it a school day tomorrow?” Simple matters like these, I ask again and again. I don’t repeat my question because I didn’t understand—in fact, even as I’m asking, I know I do understand."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 10) ]]> 2021-04-30 16:18:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478927755 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478929383 "Firing the question back is a way of sifting through our memories to pick up clues about what the questioner is asking. We understand the question okay, but we can’t answer it until we fish out the right “memory picture” in our heads."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 12)]]> 2021-04-30 16:18:38 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478929383 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478932170 Children with autism are also growing and developing every single day, yet we are forever being treated like babies. I guess this is because we seem to act younger than our true age, but whenever anyone treats me as if I’m still a toddler, it really hacks me off.

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 16)]]> 2021-04-30 16:19:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478932170 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478939415 "When there’s a gap between what I’m thinking and what I’m saying, it’s because the words coming out of my mouth are the only ones I can access at that time. These words are either available because I’m always using them or because they left a lasting impression on me at some point in the past."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 17)]]> 2021-04-30 16:20:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478939415 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478941436 "Making sounds with your mouth isn’t the same thing as communication, right? Lots of people can’t get their heads fully around this, I think. Isn’t there a belief out there that if a person is using verbal language, it follows that the person is saying what they want to say? It’s thanks to this belief that those of us with autism get even more locked up inside ourselves."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 19) ]]> 2021-04-30 16:21:08 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478941436 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478943796 "Us kids with autism, we never use enough words, and it’s these missing words that can cause all the trouble."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 23).]]> 2021-04-30 16:21:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478943796 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478945231 If someone’s talking to me from somewhere far off, I don’t notice. You’re probably thinking, “Same here,” yes? A major headache for me, however, is that even when someone’s right here in front of me, I still don’t notice when they’re talking to me.

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 29). ]]> 2021-04-30 16:21:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478945231 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478955283 "More generally, for a person with autism, being touched by someone else means that the toucher is exercising control over the person’s body, which not even its owner can control properly. It’s as if we lose who we are. Think about it—that’s terrifying!

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 32). ]]> 2021-04-30 16:24:03 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478955283 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478959452 "I know I have lots of pleasant memories, but my flashback memories are always bad ones, and from out of the blue I get incredibly distressed, burst into tears or just start panicking. Never mind that it’s a memory from ages ago—the same helpless feeling I had then overflows and floods out and it just won’t stop."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 36)]]> 2021-04-30 16:24:58 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478959452 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478962485 "When I see I’ve made a mistake, my mind shuts down. I cry, I scream, I make a huge fuss, and I just can’t think straight about anything anymore. However tiny the mistake, for me it’s a massive deal, as if Heaven and Earth have been turned upside down. For example, when I pour water into a glass, I can’t stand it if I spill even a drop."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 37) ]]> 2021-04-30 16:25:40 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478962485 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478968307 "There are times when I can’t do what I want to, or what I have to. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to do it. I just can’t get it all together, somehow. Even performing one straightforward task, I can’t get started as smoothly as you can."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 40).  ]]> 2021-04-30 16:26:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1478968307 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480083096 "That’s just the way we are. On our own we simply don’t know how to get things done the same way you do them. But, like everyone else, we want to do the best we possibly can. When we sense you’ve given up on us, it makes us feel miserable. So please keep helping us, through to the end."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 42).]]> 2021-04-30 21:52:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480083096 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480285276 "Autisman: So—welcome to my home world.
Earthling: Don’t you feel weighed down? It feels as if I’ve got weights strapped to my arms and legs.
Autisman: Ah, but on your planet, I always feel as if I’m swimming around in space, weightlessly. Earthling: Okay. Now I understand you. I really understand."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 46). ]]> 2021-05-01 00:38:54 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480285276 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480292701 "In my gym class, the teacher tells me to do things like “Stretch your arms!” and “Bend at the knees!” But I don’t always know what my arms and legs are up to, not exactly. For me, I have no clear sensation of where my arms and legs are attached, or how to make them do what I’m telling them to do. It’s as if my limbs are a mermaid’s rubbery tail."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 52)]]> 2021-05-01 00:46:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480292701 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480295415 "I don’t think this is all to do with nerves and nerve endings. It’s more a matter of “inner pain” expressing itself via the body. When memories suddenly come to people, we experience a flashback—but in the case of people with autism, memories are not stored in a clear order. For those of us who are disturbed by having their hair and nails trimmed, somehow their negative memories are probably connected to the action."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 55)]]> 2021-05-01 00:49:01 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480295415 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480297130 "We do this business called eating three times a day, but for some people having to eat different meals each time can be a major headache. Each type of food has its distinct taste, color and shape. Usually, these differences are what make eating a pleasure, but for some people with autism, only those foodstuffs they can already think of as food have any taste."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 57)]]> 2021-05-01 00:50:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480297130 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480299622 "Whether it’s hot or whether it’s cold, I always have a hard time choosing the right clothing, as well as putting extra layers on or peeling them off accordingly. Some people with autism keep wearing exactly the same type of clothes all through the year, in fact."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 61) ]]> 2021-05-01 00:53:02 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480299622 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480300871 "Time is a continuous thing with no clear boundaries, which is why it’s so confusing for people with autism. Perhaps you’re puzzled about why time intervals and the speed of time are so hard for us to gauge, and why time seems such slippery stuff for people with autism."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 63)]]> 2021-05-01 00:54:23 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480300871 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480316409 "Quite a few people with autism find it hard to fall asleep at night. When I was little there were times when I couldn’t fall asleep either, even when it got really late."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 66) ]]> 2021-05-01 01:10:25 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480316409 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480318363 "In the water it’s so quiet and I’m so free and happy there. Nobody hassles us in the water, and it’s as if we’ve got all the time in the world. Whether we stay in one place or whether we’re swimming about, when we’re in the water we can really be at one with the pulse of time."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 71)]]> 2021-05-01 01:12:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480318363 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480319491 "People with autism get quite a kick out of repetition. If I was asked how come, my reply would be this: “When you’re in a strange new place, aren’t you relieved too if you run into a friendly, familiar face?”

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 75)]]> 2021-05-01 01:13:50 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480319491 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480323562 "I don’t hate races, but the instant I’m conscious of the need to run fast, I find that I can’t. If I’m just running for fun with my friends, I find I can run as long as I want to—it’s as if I’m making friends with the wind."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 83)]]> 2021-05-01 01:18:12 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480323562 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480324112 "So what do you do in your free time? Because for people with autism, free time is in fact un-free time.

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 86)]]> 2021-05-01 01:18:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480324112 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480326762 "Once, when I was a little kid at kindergarten, I wandered off from home and had to be picked up by the police. Back then, in fact, I used to leave home quite regularly and, as I look back from this distance, I can think of several reasons why I did it. It wasn’t because I wanted to go out for a specific purpose, like wanting fresh air."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 95)]]> 2021-05-01 01:21:18 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1480326762 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486219010 "But the repetition doesn’t come from our own free will. It’s more like our brains keep sending out the same order, time and time again. Then, while we’re repeating the action, we get to feel really good and incredibly comforted."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 97). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. ]]> 2021-05-03 16:54:29 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486219010 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486228955 "People with autism are sometimes unable to move on to their next action without a verbal prompt. For example, even after we ask for a glass of juice and are given it, we won’t actually start drinking until someone’s said, “Enjoy” or “Go ahead and drink, then.” Or even after the person with autism has announced, “Right, I’ll hang the laundry now,” he won’t get started until someone has said back, “Okay, that’s great.”

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 104)]]> 2021-05-03 16:56:26 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486228955 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486251577 "People with autism may look happier with pictures and diagrams of where we’re supposed to be and when, but in fact we end up being restricted by them. They make us feel like robots, with each and every action preprogrammed. What I’d suggest is that instead of showing us visual schedules, you talk through the day’s plan with us, verbally and beforehand. Visual schedules create such a strong impression on us that if a change occurs, we get flustered and panicky."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 107)]]> 2021-05-03 17:00:43 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486251577 jwarhuus https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486431354 "I think that people with autism are born outside the regime of civilization. Sure, this is just my own made-up theory, but I think that, as a result of all the killings in the world and the selfish planet-wrecking that humanity has committed, a deep sense of crisis exists. Autism has somehow arisen out of this. Although people with autism look like other people physically, we are in fact very different in many ways. We are more like travelers from the distant, distant past. And if, by our being here, we could help the people of the world remember what truly matters for the Earth, that would give us a quiet pleasure."

Higashida, Naoki. The Reason I Jump (p. 112)]]> 2021-05-03 17:34:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jwarhuus/61bodylzwuatyx6i/wish/1486431354