Clumsy aspergers
So I was reading that being clumsy is part of aspergers and was curious if the following falls into that or me just REALLY not paying attention like my dad says.
Where I work I'm constantly around sharp pointly things and am CONSTANTLY cutting myself. Thankfully it's usually not bad enough to need more than a paper towel on it so I don't bleed on the food but there have been a couple of close calls. It's not just knives either, I managed to pinch my left ring finger pad bad enough to tear the skin and lose feeling in the spot for the rest of the day (the feeling in that finger is already f****d up because of an incident with a utility blade but I blame that on the T3s).
I don't bump into things very often but I have stumbled over my own feet and given my immune system a run for it's money with some of the injuries it's had to heal.
This all partmof aspergers or do I just need to "pay more attention" like my dad says?
Pointers on how to NOT get my fingers with the tip of sharp objects would also be appreciated.
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A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song
Probarbly a combination of both.
"paying more attention" will help cutting yourself less.
I am clumsy as well, often waking into the sides of doors, even when there is enough room, and things like that: my proprioception (sense of location of your own body) isn't up to expectations, so i augment that using my regular perception.
nerdygirl
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I tripped a lot more when I was a kid.
Two things helped me most with that: learning how to pick up my feet properly when I walked, and making sure that my shoelaces are tied tightly.
If you get a chance to hike, this would teach picking up one's feet VERY QUICKLY. One cannot hike without picking up one's feet to avoid tree roots and rocks sticking up out of the ground.
With knives, I've learned to move more slowly, though I have still injured myself as an adult. I try not to do anything "stupid", but I have to use extra caution when I am tired. The injuries I had as an adult were related to tiredness, and my hands slipped. Or, my judgment was off due to tiredness. For example, one time I didn't dry a potato after washing it and before cutting...whoops! Thankfully, I was not hurt when the knife slipped. Another time, though, I was so tired that I sliced open the tip of my finger and needed stitches.
It's useful to learn some knife skills. How one holds the knife can make a difference. One can also hold the thing being cut in such a way that the flat part of the fingers is next to the knife, protecting the tips. Perhaps taking a kitchen safety skills class would be useful.
I would say that yes, in general, these things have to do with paying attention. If I were better at paying attention, I probably would not drop so much, bang into things so much, trip so much, spill so much, or have slips with knives so much. BUT, I have a problem with "paying attention". I live in the clouds constantly. So, while it is about "paying attention", it's really more than that.
I got that comment all the time growing up. Something would happen, and I'd hear, "UGH! Can't you just pay attention!" This is such a pat-answer solution, and so vague! I remember, instead, telling my own kids what TO DO, instead of afterwards yelling at them for not doing something vague. I'd say something like "Keep your arms down close to your sides" or "step over such-and-such", giving lots and lots of warnings about the potential obstacles.
This is why I recommend a cooking class. You would learn specific things TO DO that would reduce mistakes and injury.
