Autistic individuals often thrive off routine and predictability and prefer to stay in familiar environments. However, it is important for autistic people and their family members to seek out a variety of environments so that they can gain exposure to different sensory experiences. Frequent outings build adaptability and encourages lifelong engagement within the community
Masking, also referred to as camouflaging, is when autistic people change their behavior to better “fit in” with their social environment. It can help autistic people interact with others but it can also cause mental distress to the autistic person.
Autistic people who are very sensitive to food textures might eat a lot of "ultra-processed foods." Ultra-processed foods are foods that have been significantly changed from their original form by undergoing extensive industrial food processing.
Meltdowns are involuntary responses that autistic people have to stressful and overwhelming environments. Meltdowns usually happen when an autistic person feels like they cannot escape a stressful situation or cannot express their concerns.