Part one (of many) Parents and schools do not always agree about the need for autism assessment. Here are some very common situations that often happen and make it difficult for parents to know what to do: 1. School are … Read More
Reasons why transitions are so hard for autistic young people & what helps: What is a Transition? A transition is a change from one state, situation, place, etc., to another. Transitions often involve uncertainty, e.g., not knowing exactly what will … Read More
Things to Consider Before Referral: It is not a small or an easy decision to refer your child for autism assessment, and if parents decide to get their child formally assessed, this is one of many choices they face. For … Read More
Assessing Autistic Girls: A Common Situation Many parents contact me to find out more about assessment for their daughters and they express concerns that professionals will not recognise masking, that they will not see any differences because their daughters are … Read More
Self-harm is an extremely difficult, emotive topic, that is very distressing for parents. It is also a topic that is unfortunately quite common working with autistic young people. Autistica estimate that up to 50% of autistic people have self-harmed. (https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/anxiety-and-autism-hub/self-harm-and-autism) … Read More
Situation: Fred is 7 ½ and he is autistic. He becomes selectively mute in more and more situations. For example, when people come to his house, including family members, when teachers and teaching assistants come into his class but are … Read More
Autism and playdates- this is the second video about playdates, but this video focuses on developing flexible thinking and helping autistic children manage uncertainty. Uncertainty often triggers high levels of anxiety for autistic children, and this video gives ideas to … Read More
Playdates can be a dilemma for parents of autistic children. You want your child to have friends over and to have fun, but playdates can easily end up in everyone losing control and your house being wrecked! I have made … Read More
It is natural for parents to want to play with their children, we remember our parents/carers playing with us and we want to do this with our little ones. However, different children want to play with different things, and not … Read More