Getting my autistic kids to be comfortable with face masks

A few months ago I wrote a post about how I talk to my young children about the coronavirus COVID-19 and how do I keep them safe?  It's sparked a few responses particularly as, like myself, many of our readers have children with autism, comorbid conditions or other disabilities and might not be able to wear one. 

SEND & SpectrumSunday Lockdown Linky 4

With even more of the lockdown easing, I wonder when things will seem a bit more 'normal' at least a bit more like what we were used to anyway.  In many ways lockdown has suited our autistic and ADHD family but I do wonder if I'll be calling these linkies 'lockdown' versions for much longer? It's hard to know what's going to happen and that can be challenging for many SEND families. 

Will the pandemic slow down autism assessments?

I had to make an appointment with a doctor last week. Anthony's meds means he has to speak to his GP every now and again before his prescription can be renewed.  I'd seen things in the news about the knock-n effects of the COVID-19 pandemic being a delay in people seeking medical attention.  I didn't think it would be so difficult to speak to our GP though.  It took over a week of phoning every day as the surgery opened to try and get one of the daily slots.  Eventually, I got one because we has actually run out of medication.  And I wondered how challenging this might be if it wasn't just our GP we needed to see.

Summer book ideas for the kids that will get them doing things

Books are great for many kids including those with autism.  They are great because they can give kids a starter for their imagination and they often provide the security of a routine - a story is the same each time you read it. So how can we use books to create more activities to expand their use during the holidays?

Come and get your love

"Alexa, play 'Come and get your love' by Redbone."

It's maybe one of my favourite things to say.  It's one of the key tracks in The Guardians of the Galaxy movie.  Anything Marvel in our house is a big hit - Anthony's favourite movie of all time is Endgame, closely followed by Infinity War.

My autistic son and his awesome memory

"I can't find my shoes, where are they, where are they?" screams Anthony as he races through the house. Anthony needs to be reminded to put his shoes in the hall when he takes them off. He can never remember where else they might be and has huge difficulty actually seeing them even when in plain sight. It's like directing a blind folded person to an object on the floor sometimes.

SEND and SpectrumSunday Lockdown Linky 3

With some of the lockdown easing, things are changing once again.  How are you doing? I've been meaning to write a post about how difficult this time is for parents of SEND kids but I've just not managed it. If it's not simple at the moment, I can't fit it in.  It means my linkies have been a bit ad-hoc or some have been skipped - sorry if I've missed you!

Making scrapbooks

While lockdown has meant many days at home, it's looking like we may be here for a lot of the summer too.  Sometimes a fun activity like scrapbooking can be a great way to build motor skills and planning skills along with recalling and using your imagination.  All stuff my kids could use the practice with.

Dealing with our hair and hair cutting while lockdown continues

I'm a proud mama.  All my kids have gorgeous locks of beautiful multi-tonal auburn, blonde and brown hair.  They are gorgeous.  Lockdown means it's been too long between hair cuts for most people.  But given two of our kids have autism and with that a large range of sensory needs we've been cutting hair at home for years.  So here's my tips for dealing with their hair; brushing, washing and cutting and the things we use so you can do it too.