Monthly Archives: February 2026

Feb 27 2026
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Autism Spectrum, writing on the Spectrum

Autism: A Different Operating System

Autism is not a processing error. It’s a different operating system. –Sarah Hendrickx

This quote precedes the research studies that we have been reflecting on in this blog, and yet, it speaks directly to the findings revealed in the results of the research studies reported in the December 26, 2025 Washington Post article. 

These studies described research revealing genetic variations found in some children at birth, which are triggered to activate at different ages and under diverse environmental conditions. In Sarah’s words “different operating systems”.

This discovery of discrete biological subtypes of autism enhances the diagnostic process, assists with placement on the spectrum and improves the ability to determine the type of intervention and/or treatment required. In essence, the spectrum becomes more of a discrete continuum of variations, rather than a vague categorisation.

In this recent expansion of the diagnostic criteria for determining autism several hither-to unknown factors have come to light. Although we have always known that the spectrum covers a broad range of symptoms, now, according to new studies a variety of factors would seem to indicate at least four distinct forms of autism:

  1. 10% of those tested were Broadly Affected, facing the most severe challenges, affecting nearly every aspect of their lives.
  2. 19% displayed Mixed Autism exhibiting developmental delay. This group ironically showed few signs of anxiety, depression or disruptive behaviour. “Mixed” indicates a wide variance in the display of social or repetitive behaviours.
  3. 30% were Moderately Challenged, exhibiting mostly problems with subtler social and communication ‘differences’ and repetitive habits.
  4. 37% were classified as Social/Behavioural: Early development was on target, but these participants struggled with issues like ADHD, anxiety, depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder. 37% of test group.

One of the key findings of the study was the late diagnosis of the fourth group—the social-behavioural. The data from a number of globally diverse studies indicates that those diagnosed after their sixth birthday carry distinct genetic profiles. These genetic profiles may be embedded codes which affect various factors including the processing of knowledge and events, and behavioral responses.

This prompts the conclusion that ‘autism’ is indeed an indication of a unique ‘operating system’, arising from underlying discrete genetic variations.  

This quote from: Kingston, Susanna . Embracing Late Adult Autism: A Self-Help Guide for Adults Discovering Their Neurodivergent Mind and Learning to Thrive on the Spectrum (p. 1). Kindle Edition.

Sarah Hendrickx is the author of several books on autism (see our Authors and their Books page) and a well-known speaker.  Her writing is multi-faceted; as well as writing on Autism, she also writes about gardening and travel.

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Feb 13 2026
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Autism & the Environment, autism research, Greta Thunberg, John Robison, Temple Grandin, writing on the Spectrum

Understanding Autism: Beyond the Spectrum

Consider autistic persons who have reached a high degree of recognition–I can quickly name a few in a variety of careers. For instance, there is John Elder Robison, author; Temple Grandin, Animal Activist and speaker/author; Elon Musk, Entrepreneur; Greta Thunberg, Environmental Activist; Susan Boyle, Songstress; and Anthony Hopkins, knighted actor. This diversity would seem to indicate that autism has many different facets–thus the term “autism spectrum”.

A recent article in the Washington Post, December 26, 2025, reports findings from recent studies[i] indicating evidence of at least four autism phenotypes, having both a specific set of behaviours and genetic traits as well as overlapping origins and characteristics.

This work leads to a greater understanding of the complexities and the range of autism’s many forms, suggesting that common variants found in the general population can “in certain combinations and under certain environmental conditions” result in the development of some forms of Autism at different stages of life.

It occurs to me that limiting autism to only four types is like reducing the colour spectrum to the primary colours: red, yellow and blue. And that makes me think of rainbows. 

Rainbows are caused by two everyday elements: sunlight and raindrops.  These elements are natural and we see them often.  However, when an individual ray of light enters a raindrop, the light bends or refracts. This separates the white light into its component colours inside the droplet.  But before exiting the raindrop, the light bends again, reflecting off the back of the droplet. This final bend or dispersion reveals a particular colour—one of the primary or secondary colours, or a shade thereof.

The findings in this study indicate that autism is somewhat similar in origins. Like a ray of sunlight entering a droplet of water, there are myriad environmental[i], industrial, medicinal, hereditary and prenatal influences. These can effect change in a person’s DNA, affecting the way we develop and subsequently, the way in which we interact with our environment.

A lead author of the subtype study, Natalie Sauerwald, is quoted as saying “There are many autisms.”

One of the studies reported, using an unrelated research team and different data found that genetically distinct forms of autism can be expressed later—after age six[ii]. These diagnoses appeared “strikingly different” from that diagnosed in early childhood. According to the article “…hundreds of genetic mutations have been identified as being linked to autism.” 

Only half appear to be inherited, the rest arise spontaneously, either from random copying errors in DNA or from external influences like air pollution, paternal age, maternal diabetes, and prenatal infections.  These types of autism appear later, and look more like depression, ADHD or PTSD.

The Washington Post article also mentions James McPartland[iii]’s research at Yale involving brain synapses of autistic adults.  Synapses are the vehicles for transporting messages from one nerve cell to another, allowing for the assimilation of more, and more varied information by the brain.  

It is important to note that McPartland, over years of study, found that adult autists had fewer synapses than neurotypicals, and the fewer the synapses, the greater the struggle with the social aspect of life.

Like water droplets in a rainbow, each of us reflects a combination of events and influences that make us unique. These may be a result of inherited DNA or of our body’s reaction to outside stimulu or events. The important thing to remember is that in our uniqueness, we bring special attributes into this world. Celebrate them!

Litman, A., Sauerwald, N., Snyder, L. G., Foss-Feig, J., Park, C. Y., Hao, Y., Dinstein, I., Theesfeld, C. L., & Troyanskaya, O. G. (2025). Decomposition of phenotypic heterogeneity in autism reveals underlying genetic programs. Nature Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02224-z

[i]  David Mandell, Professor of psychiatry, U of Pennsylvania.

[ii] Olga Troyanskaya, director of Princeton Precision Health and Co-Author of Flatiron Institute Study noted above.

[iii] James McParland, director of the Center for Brain and Mind Health at the Yale School of Medicine.

For more information on this study see;

https://www.brainfacts.org/diseases-and-disorders/childhood-disorders/2025/new-autism-subtypes-identified-based-on-genes-individual-traits-111125

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/12/26/autism-research-diagnosis-subtypes/

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2025/07/09/major-autism-study-uncovers-biologically-distinct-subtypes-paving-way-precision

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Feb 06 2026
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Autists & Changes in Routine, Routine & Anxiety Reduction, systems vs goals

How Systems Transform Goal Achievement for Neurodiverse Individuals

Perhaps you think that life on the Autism Spectrum has enough bumps without deliberately going about creating more. You’ve set a goal for yourself. What more do you need?

“Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.” – James Clear, Atomic Habits

How do systems enter into achieving goals? Let me tell you how they helped with my goal of regularly going to the gym.

I really wanted to make exercise a part of my daily routine, because as we age, fitness is freedom. So much depends on one’s mobility.

Yet I found that forming a new habit was just not that easy.

I am a morning person, but because I work, I had to get up really early if I wanted to get in an hour of exercising. And because I get up so early, by 5 pm I’m pretty much done for the day, so exercising after work was not going to happen.

In spite of my determination it soon became clear that I wasn’t doing so great.  Any excuse was enough to keep me from getting up out of my nice warm bed. Rain or even a bright sunny day was excuse enough to tell myself I’d just take a day off and make up for it later. 

And then there was putting together an outfit for gym. The right shoes, gym pants, and I am not a T-shirt girl, so what to wear that would be appropriate?

Getting ready felt tedious and prolonged.

I needed help if I was going to make the gym a regular part of my daily routine.

Then, I began listening to the audible version of James Clear’s Atomic Habits.

James Clear has a very interesting theory about success—and as a NY Times best selling author who has over a million followers, he clearly knows his subject.

Clear says it is not our goals that bring us success, but our systems.

Time and again in his book, Atomic Habits,  James Clear illustrates how developing systems can either lead you to or keep you from achieving your objectives.

And that was clearly my problem.  I didn’t have a system. 

So I set one up.  I organized all my gym clothes in a place where I could easily access them in the morning.

I developed a routine for getting spruced up. I made sure to keep everything I’d need in the same cupboard, so that I could just reach for items like my toothbrush and toothpaste, minimal make up, eye glasses cleaner, etc. in the morning when I was still waking up.

To give me an incentive (other than becoming fit), I decided to stop at the local Tim Horton’s to get myself a small coffee on the way to the gym.  No fancy, rich coffees, with added syrups and whipped cream, which could easily nullify the effect of the gym—just a small coffee to help me wake up on the drive.

Now, some years later, the gym is a regular feature of my life. Building the systems helped tremendously, and they are still in place today.

James Clear says that although people think building good habits is time-consuming and takes away from life, it actually does the opposite.  Good systems free up time.

Motivational speaker, Brene Brown tells us that having a daily routine reduces anxiety, which is a huge plus for spectrum riders. And structure adds purpose to your day. 

Having a regular routine for everyday chores, like paying the bills, preparing meals, and cleaning, gets things done in less time and with less anxiety.

Having a routine means you’re not spending a lot of time deciding how and when to take care of these small, everyday tasks. And routine can bring you success in the goals that are even more important to you.

So, if you have an area of your life you want to change, or a goal you’d like to achieve, think about the systems you can put in place that will make it easier for you to succeed.

And if you need a little help, I recommend James Clear’s highly readable book: Atomic Habits, or visit atomichabits.com.

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