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Mental health doesn’t always present in the “expected” way when ADHD is involved. An ADHD child can be struggling deeply and still not look how people imagine anxiety, depression or emotional distress are “supposed” to look. This is one of the reasons mental health can be missed, misunderstood or recognised far later than it should be. For many ADHD children, emotional distress shows up through emotional dysregulation. Feelings can come on quickly, intensely and with very lit

Effective autism-informed mental health support often looks different from what people expect. It is not about fitting a child into a traditional therapy model, but about creating an environment and approach that works for them. Support should take place in predictable, low-demand environments where a child feels safe and not overwhelmed. Communication should be clear, explicit and direct, avoiding metaphors or vague language that can cause confusion or anxiety. Therapy shoul

If you’ve been researching communication strategies for your autistic child, you may have come across the term Total Communication (TC). At first, the idea sounds very positive. Total Communication encourages people to use lots of different ways to communicate at the same time — speech, sign language, pictures, gestures, facial expressions and AAC devices. The thinking seems logical: if we give a child more communication options, they will have more chances to understand and

Helping family understand your autistic child can be a challenge. Whether your child has an intellectual disability or not, there’s often a lot of confusion, assumptions, and well-meaning—but unhelpful—comments. When your child doesn’t have an intellectual disability, people might say, “But they seem so normal.” That’s because many autistic children mask their struggles. They may appear calm on the outside while battling sensory overload or anxiety inside. Explain that autism

When your child has both autism and an intellectual disability, it can be harder to spot sensory needs, especially if they struggle to explain what they’re feeling. But their body still reacts. Your job (and we know it’s a big one) is to become a bit of a detective. Start by looking for patterns. Do meltdowns happen in certain shops? After specific meals? When wearing certain clothes? Even subtle things like lighting or background noise can tip things over the edge. Taking sh

This month, we’re exploring what it means to be autistic both with and without an intellectual disability. There’s often a lot of confusion around how autism and intellectual disability relate to each other. It’s important to know that they are two separate conditions. A person can have one without the other — or they can have both. Autistic children without an intellectual disability usually have average or above-average thinking and learning abilities. This means they’re of

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) was once considered the "gold standard" “treatment” for autism, but many autistic adults and advocates argue it causes significant psychological harm. This is especially true given how autism cannot and does not need to be treated at all. ABA's main goal is to make autistic children appear "normal" by stopping natural autistic behaviours like stimming, and teaching them to behave like neurotypicals. This teaches autistic children that their na

When your child struggles to understand spoken instructions, everyday life can feel like a constant uphill battle, not just for them, but...

Understanding Auditory Processing Challenges in Your Autistic or ADHD Child When your child seems to ignore you, struggles to follow...

As September approaches, it’s tempting to focus on the practical side of getting ready for school, with new pens, fresh notebooks, and...

Learn why autistic/ADHD pupils struggle in secondary school.

I’ve been helping a friend recently with their child’s EHC plan, and I’d forgotten just how disheartening that process can be. It’s...

1Our first blog in our “Study Smart, Stay Calm” series discusses getting your child’s access arrangements sorted as your first priority....

As parents of autistic children, we all face moments when our child struggles with tasks that seem simple to others—things like brushing...

Many autistic people are perfectionists. This can help us achieve amazing things, but it can also lead to anxiety and being too hard on...

Valentine’s Day can feel tricky for autistic teenagers. The focus on romance and big expectations can be overwhelming. It might make them...

Autistic children often seek perfection due to a combination of cognitive, sensory, and emotional factors. It can be very hard for...

We live in a world where identity is deeply personal, yet too often, how someone identifies can become a topic of debate. But at its...

Supporting an autistic child to embrace their true, authentic self is essential. However, when approached in a thoughtful and supportive...

One of the biggest reasons autistic children struggle with self-esteem is feeling like they don’t fit in. The confusion of trying to...

Even in my 40s, I still find it overwhelming when someone asks me what I want as a present. It’s not as simple as it seems—my mind floods...