Helping autistic children experience the joy of connection
Recently Lucy has started to experience-share more with us at Bright Futures School. She has come a long, long way from the disengaged girl who started with us back in …
Category: Autism
Exploring Autism and Music, a chance to listen, learn and participate
Research into different aspects of autism can reveal many unexpected and interesting findings, which can sometimes help to improve the lives of young people in a practical way. Today we have …
The frustration and heartbreak of Pathological Demand Avoidance
We’ve covered Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), which is a condition on the autistic spectrum, a few times on SNJ and it’s always very popular so we know it’s something that …
A young autistic campaigner asks, What’s ‘normal’ anyway?
I’ve always found normal to be rather dull. But I have children with autism and a diagnosis myself, so maybe I would say that. But what is normal, anyway? And …
Holly’s autism film starring role helped raise her classmates’ awareness
Last week, I said Autism Awareness had graduated from a day to a week. Dear reader, I was wrong. It’s a month. Look, if Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a rare disease …
To medicate my anxious child or not. It’s an emotive question
My son, Monty, has autism as well as many other, co-morbid conditions. Co-morbidities are conditions which overlap with the ASD diagnosis; for example he has chronic anxiety, ADHD, Tics, Dyslexia …
Is autism a difference or a disorder? The truth is in-between
I don’t think anyone is unaware of the word ‘autism’ these days. The problem still lies in understanding how vast a spectrum it is and how to adequately provide for that, …
Co-regulation in Autism: synchronising emotions, intentions and thoughts
In a previous post in my series on co-regulation in autism, we looked here at what it is and how important it is to establish co-regulatory roles when working with …
Improving autism training in schools: A good practice example.
Tania’s note: One of the things we need to see more of is easily accessible good practice in SEND teaching. Today, Head Teacher of Freemantles Special School, Justin Price, is …
A new year, a new leaf? What’s your SEND wish for 2017?
And so, we leave behind the detritus of 2016 with its never-ending celebrity deaths, seismic political upheaval and general air of doom. It was a pretty rubbish year for parents of …
What autistic schoolgirl Lucy, did next: An explosion in development
In my last blogpost, I shared my intention to show footage of other pupils from Bright Futures School. In light of more excellent progress from Lucy, on whom my other …
Can you help harness parental knowledge about genetic intellectual disability?
When I was at the Cambridge Rare Disease Network Summit the other week, I saw a very interesting presentation that has something of interest for every family of a child …
Parent pens The Children’s Guide to Autism
Note: The book giveaway is now finished (Nov 2016) It’s a while since we brought you a giveaway, so today here’s your chance to win a copy of a new book about …
Why sharing best practice in autism benefits everyone
I’m always on the look out for best practice examples to bring to you on SNJ, whether you are a parent or a practitioner. I believe that the more knowledge …
Autism Hero Awards: A win for SNJ!
Those of you on Facebook or Twitter may have spotted a few of these pictures but for those of you who haven’t heard, I’m delighted to tell you that I …
What parents wish teachers knew about their autistic child
Teaching children with autism is one of the biggest worries faced by many teachers and even Special Needs Coordinators (SENCos) as they feel they have not had sufficient training in …
Hey mum, you’re autistic too! Me, my kids and my adult autism diagnosis
I’ve been sent a few books lately about diagnosing Autism in girls and women. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll be aware that it’s something I already know quite a …
Our magical mystery tour helped our autistic son deal with anxiety
How many of us have stayed home rather than face the potential ordeal of your autistic child having a melt-down at an unfamiliar place or event? How do you get …
Teaching children with autism: The Guided Participation Relationship
When development is typical, infants at around six-seven months begin to show signs of an insatiable drive to grow…to stretch, learn and explore. Parents, in turn, are instinctively ready to promote this …
How do people with autism experience empathy?
I decided to write about this as a result of an article I posted on SNJ’s social media a while back about autism and empathy. It had such a great response …