The clothing of an autistic teenager

Anthony is rapidly heading towards his 15th birthday.  He is well and truly into his teenage years and it shows.  He is changing all the time - he's now way taller than me, struggles with his new array of emotions and constantly wants to assert his independence (when before everything was help me).  But even as a relatively well functioning autistic teen, change is challenging.  And to top it all off the wardrobe of a teen changes too. 

Ideas for helping our anxious son

Stress and anxiety are a big part of our home at the moment.  Our eldest has recently identified anxiety as his greatest struggle when trying to get through the day.  As a teenager who was diagnosed with both autism and ADHD by the time he was seven he has often found it difficult to communicate how he is feeling or what's wrong.  It's great that he can do this but it's heart-breaking to hear your child say "I'm scared every moment of every day." 

Ways to improve our well-being for 2023

In the last year a lot has changed.  It's become obvious that taking care of my family's mental health is a major priority, much more than ever.  It's something I've always been aware of but it has turned into a daily concern here. 

Protecting our autistic kids in winter weather

As it starts to get very cold, the snow starts to fall and the days become darker we still want to get out and about with our kids but need to be extra careful with them.  Our autistic kids can't always communicate with us about how their body is feeling and there senses can become overwhelmed by winter weather.  So what can we do to support them?

Gift ideas to help develop imaginary play

Many kids with autism struggle to develop their imagination and struggle with enjoying imaginative play.  It's something we've really worked on and our middle son is just getting there with some things in it.  There's lots of ways to access your imagination but many kids with autism find it difficult to create things from nothing and we've found that providing props and support is a way to support them.  Here's some ideas if you are looking for things this Christmas. 

Tips for parents as more children need speech and language support

I saw a recent article on the BBC that showed the number of five and six-year-olds who need speech and language support at school has risen by 10% in England over the past year. As a parent of two children with speech and language and communication difficulties, related to their autism diagnoses, I know of the huge stretch this must create on the system.

Taking an online 'ADHD' test

Every now and again, there is a test published to help the reader see if they might be on the autism spectrum.  Often they coincide with an article on the subject.  Last year published research showed that parents of autistic kids often have autistic traits too.  Most times that I see a test like the one in The Telegraph online but I've also seen a few for ADHD recently too, and yesterday I filled one out. 

Three Diwali craft ideas for our autistic kids

It's Diwali!  This is a wonderful tradition originating in India, known to many as the festival of light.  But it’s not just about lights and legends –– Diwali is a time to have fun with friends and family! People exchange gifts and sweets, enjoy delicious feasts, watch firework displays and wear new clothes.  For us, it's a time to learn and we can celebrate with some fun Diwali themed activities. 

Some advice from others for additional needs parents

Parenting a child with additional needs comes with a unique set of challenges. Most of my experiences come from my amazing kids but it' means I most understand things from parenting kids with autism and ADHD. Here's some tips from others that has a focus on supporting those with cerebral palsy. Like autism, cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition, however if affects the individual in a different way.