The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

Higashida observes how people with autism never fully relax like people without autism, even in summer. Instead, as he says, they are like “cicadas who’ll miss the summer unless [they] hurry, hurry, hurry” (100). Like the insect, which is always hopping and making noise, Higashida suggests that people with autism are always restless. The reason for this, he explains, is that they are detached from the ordinary flow of time.

Higashida answers the questions “Why do you like spinning?” (101). He says that some people with autism enjoy spinning because it makes it seem like an object is spinning when they do it. This sensation is a source of fun but also of control, as they can control “with perfect regularity” the speed and the way the object seems to spin (101).

Higashida addresses the question “Why do you flap your fingers and hands in front of your face?” (102). Higashida’s answer is that too much direct and unfiltered light can feel oppressive and overwhelming, as it causes sensory overload. In contrast, by flapping his hands in front of his face, he can filter this light, creating instead a pleasant sensation.