Author: Helen Neale
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Striving for independence for your autistic child: a little bit at a time
It’s something we all strive for in our children, isn’t it? Independence. From the moment they’re born, we’re waiting for those milestones: an ability to support the head; rolling over; crawling; walking and then more and more achieved as they get older. Before you know it, they’re dressing themselves, reading and writing and having more…
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How to prepare for SEND meetings
One thing I didn’t anticipate with parenting special needs children was the amount of form-filling and meetings, meetings with professionals who will make big decisions around the children, based on a few bits of paper. There are so many different meetings to be had, with so many different people. We need to prepare and to…
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After Early Intervention for Verbal Apraxia
Since my son’s initial diagnosis of verbal apraxia three years ago, I have cried three times a year. This usually occurs around evaluations, meetings, and one other random moment in time when I realise how much my boy struggles to do something the rest of us take for granted. As he gets older I have…
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Time for me: A cup of coffee….
I mention my favourite coffee chain drink in my twitter profile, much to my husband’s amusement (it’s a massimo decaf skinny mocha by the way), its come to represent more than just a cup of coffee over time. “Me time” or time for me and me alone…can be infrequent when parenting and especially when parenting…
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Verbal Apraxia: An introduction to our diagnosis
As a baby my son was a talker; he babbled, cooed, and screeched loudly bringing smiles to our faces. We would laugh joyously as he yelled, “ba ba ba” at the top of his lungs. I said he will be an early talker and everyone agreed. But soon one and a half passed us by…
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Tips for potty training special needs children and starting nursery: From a mum who knows
One of the big milestones in a young child’s life is commencing nursery classes; you have the initial visit to the setting, the child has a nursery visit and then there is a home visit where the staff have a chance to ask questions about your child. There are questions about whether they can dress…
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Parenting an Autistic Child: 5 top tips from lived experience
Walk into any bookshop and there are shelves of self-help books, absolutely loads. Books on increasing self-confidence, pregnancy, diet, positivity…the list would seem to be endless. Until you become part of a new “club”, one that you weren’t necessarily aware when your child was newborn that you’d be “joining”, due to the fact it’s an…
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Our Experience with PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
Today we have a guest post from the lovely, Autism Mumma. Do read her blog, its an inspirational story of her journey with her daughter, D, who was diagnosed with autism before she was five years old. She is passionate about raising awareness of autism; as she herself calls it the “invisible disability.” Today she…
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ADHD medication guide: To medicate or not to medicate that is the question
This is another guest article from Sarah Templeton, who has ADHD herself, and is also the owner of the Headstuff ADHD Therapy coaching and counselling organisation. This is not medical advice, and any decisions regarding medication should be taken with a medical professional. The information here is based on her experience as a coach, counsellor,…
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How to explain autism to children
We have the wonderful Steph from Steph’s Two Girls guesting on the site today, who has a truly inspirational blog that helps many to understand autism and pathological demand avoidance. Steph can explain things so much better than we can….Nowadays, there are lots of children with autism attending mainstream schools (or trying to, but that’s…