Image 1: Pixel art of a person in a white shirt with long green hair and black over-the-ear headphones pointing at the viewer. The caption reads, "Autistics? Are you aware?"
Image 2: With an open smile, the person gestures upwards to a graphic with an open smile. The graphic is seven gray ovals with black text inside, encircling a dark gray circle captioned, "Autism spectrum Disorder". The text within the the ovals:
- Motor dysfunction, connective tissue and movement disorders
- Seizure disorders and epilepsy
- Sensory dysfunction and pain reactivity
- GI impairment: Inflammation; small intestine bacteria overgrowth; celiac and non-celiac gluten sensitivity; food intolerances; digestive insufficiencies
- HPA dysfunction and abnormal stress response
- Immune impairment: Neuroinflammation; allergic disease; auto-immunity; infection
- Metabolic disorders: Methylation issues; sulfation and detoxification issues; inborn metabolic disorders; mitochondrial dysfunction; oxidative stress
Beneath the graphic is text next to the person, as if they were speaking. "I've seen a lot of good comics about mental health and autism and the social issues with autism," it reads, "but I'm worried that haven't seen anyone talk about this... Autism is associated with a range of physical conditions as well! Honestly... I'm asking if you are aware because I wasn't..."
Image 3: The person points at themselves. The text reads, "I, uh! Actually had no idea. I neglected to my physical health for decades. I didn't realize, but I was having seizures nearly daily. Seizures can often look very different from how people would guess..."
Image 4: The person, drawn without colour, is lying down on their back, crying and shaking. The caption reads, "I worry that people don't know what seizures look like. My whole life I'd have these random shivers, but no one ever really thought anything of it. A pretty normal sign of a seizure, but they were only once or twice a week. However, I was actually having seizures daily! But it didn't look like that at all -v-."
Image 5: The top half of the image shows the person, still without colour, staring blankly into space. The caption reads, "I'd just space out? Or that's what I assumed it was my whole life, since that's what everyone told me I was doing! It never hurt so I didn't want to complain, but these were actually Absence Seizures. They're my lease favourite because people just think I'm ignoring them :( also I look dumb."
The bottom half of the image shows the person giving a thumbs up with a wide open smile. The caption reads, "I never though to even look up seizures or talk about it with a doctor because it all seemed so normal! And no one told me I was at risk."
Image 6: The caption reads, "Ignoring your health has consequences. Such as feeling suddnely extremely strange in the middle of a cool EDM concert and waking up on the floor, then the medical tent, then the ER -v-." Underneath the text, the person is shown lying down. They have bags under their eyes. Their arms are spread out. Their headphones and phone are on the floor as well. There is a fallen energy drink spilling liquid near their head.
Image 7: The caption reads, "When I went to the doctor, I was hit with, "Uhm, yeah it makes sense you have seizures with this Aspergers diagnosis."
Beneath the text, the person, back in colour with their head phones on, is shaking and pressing the the fingertips of their index finger together. Their eyes are closed. They look tired. "I guess that would have been nice to know before the brain damage and flunking high school," they say.
A hamster standing upright with a nurse's hat and red barrette and holding a clipboard and a pen says, "You wouldn't have been able to understand it because you're autistic! :)"
"Oh," the person replies "Okay cool I guess."
Image 8: The caption reads, "It makes me really worried when I see my autistic peers have these issues too but don't know they might link to autism.. And I don't think allistics are aware of this in the slightest either. Did you know?"
Beneath the caption is the same image from image 3. "I've also always suffered from a low immune system, GI issues and constant infections," the text beside them reads.
Image 9: The caption reads, "If you have an autistic friend, please be aware they might have medical needs. Be transparent about your vaccine status, don't keep your illnesses secret, explain the physical strain of activities you want to bring them on. If you're autistic, be your biggest health advocate. Be aware of your body and your disability. And even when you are told you are confused or over exagerrating, ask for tests if you think you need them."
The image beneath the caption is the same image from image 1, except their eyes are closed. The text beside them reads, "Okay, thank you!"
