Takeaway: There are psychological, social, sensory, and biochemical reasons why children with autism shy away from eye contact. So, it’s important to know which triggers to work on and how best to address them. Your best option? Find an autism specialist to help create a custom support plan for your child. Read More
Takeaway: We make sense of the world around us because our brains process a constant stream of sensory signals. But for some people, these signals get crossed and become like a traffic jam in their heads – an unsettling experience, especially for young children who can’t explain what they’re going through. Thankfully, we can tackle these difficulties using tools like sensory integration therapy, occupational therapy, and a sensory diet. Read More
Takeaway: To make change less scary for your child, get her used to following a clearly-outlined visual schedule, and then gradually introduce ‘change cards’ to challenge her need for predictability. If done right, you’ll be able to systematically desensitise her to many types of change and teach her to use coping strategies for any anxiety she feels. Read More
Takeaway: Art therapy is a powerful tool to help adolescents connect with their unconscious mind. And this lets them explore emotions, experiences, and struggles in a way that regular ‘talk therapy’ often can’t. The key is to find the right therapist, though. Someone who understands child psychology and is trained to use art as a therapeutic tool. Read More
Takeaway: Neurodivergent children are those who think, feel, or behave differently from their classmates. And rather than seeing these differences as disorders that need to be cured, we should see them as natural brain diversity (i.e., neurodiversity) with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. So, we’re not trying to ‘fix’ a ‘problem’ anymore. Instead, we embrace and develop valuable aspects of a child’s rich, complex mind and personality. Read More
Takeaway: Children with autism struggle to communicate and make friends, but with the help of a specialist, you can help your child learn the skills she needs to socialise and fit in better. Read More
Takeaway: More boys than girls are diagnosed with autism, but does that mean autism primarily affects boys? Recent research shows that while there are indeed gender differences with autism, there’s another factor at play. Often, fewer girls are diagnosed because they’re better at covering up their autistic traits and blending in. But thankfully, as autism testing improves, we’re able to spot and help more of these overlooked children. Read More
Takeaway: Both autism and learning difficulties arise from brains that are ‘wired’ differently. This difference makes it harder to prioritise tasks and focus on the right thing for long enough. But interestingly, there’s also a social component to learning which autism affects. A trained specialist can help your child tackle these issues, but in the meantime, don’t forget your child also has strengths and passions. Encourage her to celebrate these and it’ll balance out a lot of the other frustrations she experiences. Read More
Takeaway: PDD is the older term for what we now call Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It describes children whose brains function uniquely, giving them a whole new set of strengths and weaknesses. Most notably, though, children with ASD have issues socialising, communicating, and learning. These differences often make it harder to thrive at school and build a circle of close friends. But given the right support, children with ASD can learn to live a fulfilling life. Read More
Takeaway: ‘Social communication’ means knowing how to read social cues and changing our communication style accordingly. Children with social communication difficulties (SCD) have problems reading body language, facial expression, tone of voice, etc., making it harder for them to fit in and connect with others. But a psychologist or speech & language therapist can help them develop these skills. Read More