Thursday 15 February 2024

Coping with a change in his special interest

Boy walking in a Mercedes t-shirt

Our son has had a special interest in cars and racing since he was about seven years old.  It's really common for children with autism or ADHD to have something they are 'super in to'.  Being very interested in a subject provides Anthony with lots of joy and in some cases it provides comfort in being able to talk about something familiar.  Knowing lots about something takes away fear I suppose. 

Saturday 20 January 2024

The impact of a shortage of ADHD meds

Anthony on holiday

When Anthony was seven years old we asked for him to assessed for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) because despite all the help he was getting he could not settle or concentrate in class. Six months later he started a controlled stimulant drug to help him concentrate at school.   For the next five years Anthony had them everyday, not just when he was at school because without them he would fall apart.  ADHD meds have been in short supply recently and are not always thought of as being important, but to Anthony they were about his survival. 

Wednesday 15 November 2023

Helping my autistic son to have more responsibility

Teenage shoes

There's been a lot of focus on schools and qualifications for teenagers over the last few years - and rightly so.  But being a teenager can mean learning a lot more than just academics.  For many kids this is the time they need to learn about  being responsible for themselves, learning the life skills they will need to become as independent as possible.  For some it will be learning about budgeting and time keeping for others this might be being able to make a meal or get dressed independently.  

Thursday 31 August 2023

Getting the kids ready for going back to school


The school summer holidays is always the longest break in routine for our kids. Whilst our kids with autism struggle with these changes, many kids find the transition into and out of school holidays challenging. 

Friday 4 August 2023

Taking my kids to the Falconry display and crafting a barn owl family


We're spending a lot of time at home this summer.  A combination of budgets, timings and other activities going on in our lives.  We are fortunate to live not far from Hampton Court and they have some events on.  This year we have been to the jousting which all the kids enjoyed and we also saw a falconry display there too.  It went well and we have a craft to make as well. 

Tuesday 6 June 2023

How will our autistic son cope when he starts work?

Job list


My 15 year old son did a practice job interview at school today. He took in a suit to wear and practiced questions with us last night. For Anthony, this type of thing is really important. He was diagnosed with autism at four years old, and ADHD when he was around seven. We've been looking at colleges and my mind already races forward to the day ... a day he's looking forward to actually... when he gets a job. And I wonder about him in a workplace.

Sunday 14 May 2023

Mental health and our autistic son

School boys


Earlier this year our eldest son really struggled with his mental health. He was missing lessons at school, struggling to cope outside the home and crying and worrying about his future a lot.  I read some recent research from Wysa that showed more than 8 in 10 teenagers are experiencing mental health worries, with 1 in 3 needing professional support. According to the research, half of young people can't access the support they need, with many feeling too ashamed or uncomfortable to talk to teachers or mental health teams at school. 

Tuesday 25 April 2023

Trying to tell if my pre-verbal autistic son is in pain?



David is not like most other twelve year old boys. He's not got a favourite football team, he doesn't eat pizza and he's never played a game of Fortnite. But that's not surprising.  David is autistic and part of this means he's also never tied his own shoes, independently brushed his own teeth or used spoken words to tell us anything other than his basic wants.  One of my greatest concerns is that David will need to tell me something and he can't.

And one of the things I worry about him not being able to tell me... is if he is in pain. 

Tuesday 11 April 2023

Helping my autistic kids feel a bit better when they are under the weather

Boy with temperature


Nobody likes feeling sick. Even minor ailments can get in the way of you going about your day. Add in not understanding why you are feeling unwell or how to make yourself better and it gets even more complicated.

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