Sensory Behaviours Our brains work 24 hours a day. Every day, our brains are taking in information from the world around us. For many of us, we give this little thought, perhaps even taking for granted the inputs and stimuli we receive from the environment. For others, the world around them offers a constant stream […]
Sensory Seeking or Sensory Avoiding? Read More »
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means that the brain structure is different in those with ADHD in comparison to someone who is neurotypical. ADHD is associated with a dysregulated dopamine system. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. Dopamine is linked with movement, memory, pleasurable reward and motivation, behaviour
ADHD, Boredom and Sensory Seeking Read More »
Having worked in education as an early years professional, lecturer and inspector, alongside my work in therapy and coaching I have had the fortitude to see children’s needs from many angles. When I was at school, and even in the first years of my teaching career, other than students who had been diagnosed with dyslexia
Are we disregarding children? Read More »
What is rejection sensitivity? A frequent conversation that I have with parents and young people who have had a neurodiverse diagnosis (or are awaiting diagnosis) is the challenges that they can have with rejection sensitivity. This is most often symptomatic of those with ADHD or ADD. Rejection sensitivity occurs where the actual or perceived rejection
Rejection Sensitivity and ADHD Read More »
When we experience stress, we can have two different reactions: Hyperarousal – where we feel overwhelmed by the stress Hypoarousal – where we feel numbed by the stress Any of us can become hyper or hypo aroused, however we frequently see these actions in children who are neurodiverse, such as those with autism spectrum disorder,
Hypoarousal versus Hyperarousal Read More »
Whilst the understanding of the concept of mental health has increased, especially since the lockdowns, there is a gap between awareness and understanding. For some, their awareness is coupled with effective strategies, whilst for others their awareness is yet to be supported with understanding of the ‘how’. We can often, also get lost in looking
7 ways that we can support children in the classroom Read More »
ADHD Many moons ago, when I started my career with children, ADHD and ASD were two words we rarely heard. In fact, when I started my career in early years 24 years ago, most frequently, children were just described as ‘fidgety’ ‘having ants in their pants’ or in worst cases, described as being ‘naughty’. Whilst
Why do children with ADHD struggle socially? Read More »
What is a master masker? For those who have attended any of my training or the Level 4 Diploma in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Coaching, I often talk about children who are ‘Master Maskers’. There is often a misconception, that children SHOW us their emotions, and this can cause a conflict between home and
Master Masking – why children hide their feelings Read More »
As part of my work as a therapist and coach, I spend a great deal of my work working with children and/or their parents who require autism assessment. Many children are diagnosed with autism by age 5, however, for some of these families, these assessments come after the age of 12, when many children have
Why do children with autism get missed? Read More »
Many moons ago, when I started my career with children, ADHD and ASD were two words we rarely heard. In fact, when I started my career in early years 24 years ago, most frequently, children were just described as ‘fidgety’ ‘having ants in their pants’ or in worst cases, described as being ‘naughty’. Whilst we
ADHD is not about ‘naughty school boys’ Read More »
