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Strong sensory memories from childhood

Sunflower
over 5 years ago

The next phase of my ASD assessment is taking place in a few days (Full Developmental History). As a result I have been thinking quite a bit about my childhood.

Some memories are prompting incredibly vivid recollections of smells (the inside of my mother's jewellery box, the wooden floor in the school dining hall). In some cases physical sensations are triggered too (how it felt to wind up my musical box). 

A couple of things have really surprised me:

  • I had no idea so much detailed information is still stored in my brain (I am 58 now) 
  • I am primarily a visual thinker and only expected to 'see' images 

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? 

Parents
  • over 5 years ago

    One that particularly sticks in my mind was when I was probably about 12 my mum coming home with a new bottle of perfume, taking the top off it and smelling it and straight away saying "wow, that's a blast from the past". She asked why and I said because you gave me an empty mini perfume bottle that used to have that in it to play with when I was really small.

    She couldn't believe it, and confirmed that yes, she did, but couldn't believe I could remember it because I must have been pre-school age. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and my "smell memory" is very good. It has its down side though - public transport is a nightmare due to the number of people who bathe in really vile perfume. I often spend the latter half of my commute breathing through a scarf and feeling like I am going to chuck up ....

Reply
  • over 5 years ago

    One that particularly sticks in my mind was when I was probably about 12 my mum coming home with a new bottle of perfume, taking the top off it and smelling it and straight away saying "wow, that's a blast from the past". She asked why and I said because you gave me an empty mini perfume bottle that used to have that in it to play with when I was really small.

    She couldn't believe it, and confirmed that yes, she did, but couldn't believe I could remember it because I must have been pre-school age. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and my "smell memory" is very good. It has its down side though - public transport is a nightmare due to the number of people who bathe in really vile perfume. I often spend the latter half of my commute breathing through a scarf and feeling like I am going to chuck up ....

Children
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