Takeaway: Many children struggle to learn language skills, but often for different reasons. Some ‘late talkers’ simply need a bit of extra time to catch up to their peers. But others have more serious language impairments that won’t sort themselves out without the right support. Either way, parents can learn to spot red flags and contact a specialist immediately. Read More
Takeaway: To teach children with autism how to regulate their emotions, we need to (1) Explore what emotions are using ‘emotion cards’ and ‘social stories,’ (2) Rate emotions on an emotions-thermometer scale, and (3) Use basic attention-redirection techniques like mindfulness and deep breathing. Read More
Takeaway: ‘Social thinking’ guides how we interact with people. And it’s much more universal than ‘social skills,’ which change from context to context. So, teaching children with autism how to think socially will give them a new framework to understand the people around them. And this can make socialising less stressful experience. Read More
Takeaway: Sleep-deprived children tend to be more anxious, while anxious children are often sleep-deprived. And this gets magnified in children with autism and/or ADHD. If regular sleep schedules and relaxation techniques aren’t helping, consider contacting a specialist for guidance. Read More
Takeaway: Parents can spot the signs of autism long before anyone else. You just need an expert to help make sense of what you see. That’s what the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) is all about. It’s a semi-structured interview where a specialist uses your observations to assess whether or not your child is in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It provides an opportunity to give your child the kind of care and support she needs.
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Overview: Children are often late in reaching their developmental milestones. Slight delays are normal, but significant ones on many fronts can be an issue. Here, a developmental assessment can help a paediatrician decide if there’s cause for concern. But what are these assessments? How can you prepare for them? And what questions should you ask? Read on to find out. Read More
Takeaway: We now see autism as being a spectrum with a range of subtypes. Asperger’s Syndrome is the old name of the mildest of these subtypes. Children with Asperger’s have a lot of the same characteristics as children with classical autism, but it doesn’t affect their functioning as much. And with the right support, they can live full, meaningful lives. Read More
Takeaway: Children with autism have problems with social interaction, get stuck with repetitive behaviour, and are overloaded by sensory stimuli. But there’s such a variation in autistic behaviour that even doctors misdiagnose it. For example, they might notice your child’s short attention span and assume that her challenge is ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). And once they’ve assumed this, they’ll likely ignore the underlying autism spectrum diagnosis. That’s why it’s important to take your child to an experienced multi-disciplinary team of specialists. Read More
Takeaway: ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) both refer to children who struggle to focus their attention. But ADHD is the newer term and it adds a ‘hyperactivity’ component to these attention issues. Children with ADHD usually have problems focussing, are hyperactive, and often impulsive. But luckily there are simple things you can do to help your child deal with these challenges. Read More
Takeaway: Children make friends and engage with the world by speaking. So, it’s worrying when they struggle to say words (i.e. have speech issues) or struggle to put words together to communicate (i.e. have language issues). Luckily, with the right team and the right therapy, your child can live a fuller, happier life. Read More