Niamh Garvey

“Female hormones have been found to affect the severity of hypermobile symptoms in women, for example during puberty, prior to menstruation, on oral contraceptives, and after pregnancy (Hugon-Rodin et al. 2016). I get more painful joints at certain times of the hormonal cycle, and my proprioception deteriorates during menstruation; I get clumsier, I walk into things, I sometimes stub my toe up to four times a day, and I crave more tight hugs (this is also because I get more emotional and crave affection). I therefore need to be more aware of my proprioceptive system at this time, as it needs more attention to stay regulated.”
― Niamh Garvey, Looking After Your Autistic Self: A Personalised Self-Care Approach to Managing Your Sensory and Emotional Well-Being

“The Vestibular Sense The vestibular sense collects information about balance and where your head is. It collects information through the inner ear, and also through other senses including the sight and sound senses. The vestibular sense tells us if we tilt our head to the side, if we bend forward, that we are standing up straight, how fast we are moving etc. In autistic children, vestibular dysfunction can lead to delayed milestones including sitting and walking, poor posture, eye gaze differences, and poor gait. These can lead to coordination problems later in life (Mansour et al. 2021). The effects don’t just wear off when we grow into adults, although they might affect us in different ways. A poorly regulated vestibular system will alter how you take information in through your other senses. It is therefore really important to work on regulating your vestibular system, so that your other senses can collect information about the environment and your body, and communicate this to your brain and nervous system.”
― Niamh Garvey, Looking After Your Autistic Self: A Personalised Self-Care Approach to Managing Your Sensory and Emotional Well-Being