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Being independent is really good for children's self esteem.  Point to the next step and help your child 'do by themselves'. 

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Being independent is really good for children's self esteem.  Point to the next step and help your child 'do by themselves'. 

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This is help learn the routine of getting dressed. Breaking things down into smaller steps and presenting the information visually helps for lots of children. 

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This is help learn the routine of getting dressed. Breaking things down into smaller steps and presenting the information visually helps for lots of children. 

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ason Arday believes in destiny. The University of Cambridge's youngest Black professor, he joined its faculty of education in March 2023, at 37. Before then, he had been a professor at Glasgow and Durham universities; published three books of academic work, mainly focusing on race and education; and, most importantly to him, raised more than £1m by doing charity work (his ambition is to raise £4m by the time he turns 40). All of this he has squeezed into a time period where he was learning to navigate the world with neurodivergence; Arday didn't speak until he was 11 and couldn't read or write until the age of 18.

It's an unlikely story, he concedes, one that has made headlines and changed his life irrevocably. But he believes he was always going to do something great. "I knew I was destined to do something," he says with a smile. "But I didn't know it'd be this, admittedly."

Arday's story is one of grand heights, but also of profound lows. He has barely slept over the past 15 years, he says, working through most nights - often on his academic and charity work, but sometimes just to make ends meet. Until recent years, he struggled to find the balance he needed in the chronically underfunded academic sector, replete with zero-hours contracts. Alongside lecturing, as recently as 2016 he was employed by Sainsbury's as a trading assistant. Prior to that, he was a late-night cleaner, mopping up vomit and scrubbing toilets. "I had a mantra I used to say to myself: 'It won't always be like this,'" he says.

Arday grew up on a council estate in Clapham in south London to Ghanaian parents. His mother, Gifty, was a mental health nurse; his father, Joseph, a chef. He is the second youngest of four brothers. His childhood was generally happy, but punctuated by some violence from the outside world. He has spoken about how many of the people he grew up with are "dead or in prison".

Gifty was a keen anti-racist activist who went on protests with the community leader and activist Olive Morris. Arday remembers being on picket lines with his mother, attending marches in places such as Peckham and Brixton. He gestures around as he describes his house being rammed with books by bell hooks and other Black female educators and activists. "It's not a coincidence I've ended up doing this for a living," he says.

Of course, another major facet of his upbringing was the fact that he couldn't speak, read or write for much of his childhood. Diagnosed with autism and global developmental delay when he was three, he was taught sign language when he was four. When he was 11, after "thousands of hours" of speech therapy and support from his mother, who used music and lyrics to help him understand how words flowed and fit together, something clicked one day.

"The experts made some pretty bleak diagnoses about how I would have to be in assisted living," he says. "But on that fateful day, I said hello." He stopped using sign language shortly after.

Arday at his PhD ceremony in 2016, at Liverpool John Moores University. Photograph: Courtesy of Jason Arday

Reaching across the table, he grabs a book, flicking it so the edges of the pages fly through his fingertips. He is showing how his mind works: like a flipbook with moving figurines. For him, each page is like a still from his life's montage. Since he was a child, before he was able to form language, he was able to retain these images. "I can go back to all these thousands of experiences," he says. "When you're cognitively impaired, you make sense of things in different ways."

That doesn't mean it has been easy. He has spent the whole of his academic life "masking", he says - hiding or minimising aspects and traits of neurodivergence. "I don't bring my neurodivergence into the workplace, because Black and ethnic-minority people are often judged from the premise of not having the same level of competence as their white counterparts," he says. So it's "for fear of having anything further weaponised against me". He only started speaking publicly about being autistic in recent years; before then, it felt as though the stakes were too high.

With neatly twisted locs that trail down to his waist, dark-rimmed eyes and a shine to his skin that suggests he knows where the moisturiser is kept, Arday cuts a sleek, meek figure. He is dressed simply, but with purpose; he loves tailoring, he says, and will be fitted for a suit on Savile Row next week, as he is being awarded an honorary doctorate at Solent University in Southampton. Indulging in tailoring is one of the few things he does for himself.

Arday does not view himself as intellectual, necessarily, but as someone who has determination. In 2010, he ran 30 marathons in 35 days to raise money for charity. "If you have the will, it will always supersede skill," he says, smiling. In that vein, the way Arday talks about his work is intentionally accessible: he threads in pop-culture references whenever he can (during our conversation, he manages to reference The Karate Kid, Rocky and School of Rock). Sometimes, he tries to insert all of the titles of songs from specific albums into his keynotes. "My friends always joke about this, saying: 'You're the most underwhelming person.' Academics are, by and large, very selfish, very egotistical, very individualistic. And I guess the underwhelming part is that when people meet me, I don't talk about theories - I tend to talk more about life." As his dad once told him: "You can't be buried with your books. So everything you do, think about the impact it has on the everyday person," he explains.

Arday is humbled by the recent attention he has received in the press and from the public since his appointment, he says. He has had more than 200,000 emails from all over the world, many from well-wishers. "I'm very fortunate I have the temperament to be able to deal with that. It is a lot, especially when you're being positioned by the diaspora as our next great hope," he says. "This appointment meant a lot to people, because it represented another strand of Black excellence. It straddles that thing of race, class and neurodiversity, which isn't rare, but might be quite unique, given where I started."

I ask if he ever worries about his story being used as " inspiration porn " (the idea that neurotypical or able-bodied people will consume disability stories to make them feel good, or to reduce the stories of disabled people into specific narratives). "I guess it depends on what expectations you have for the story," says Arday. "Because I don't have any expectations, and then I don't see myself how other people see me."

Arday at a Guardian Round Table in Birmingham, in 2019, on how universities can prepare their graduates for an unknown future. Photograph: Andrew Fox

So far, academic life at Cambridge (his official post is "professor of sociology of education") has felt familiar. He commutes from south London, engages with the faculty and students and gives lots of talks and lectures in and outside his college, Jesus (which became the first Oxbridge college to have a Black master, Sonita Alleyne, in 2019). From September, he will be looking after his first batch of PhD students, teaching them about social justice and intersectional inequalities.

His sociology work to date has centred around similar themes. He has worked with the social enterprise the Black Curriculum; he is a trustee for the race equality thinktank the Runnymede Trust; and he has sat on the Universities UK advisory group on racial harassment in higher education. In his Cambridge appointment announcement, he said that he wanted to "democratise higher education".

What is different, of course, is the amount of pressure he feels under from the outside world, now that he is working at such an elite institution. That, he says, has been a "baptism of fire". The elitism of the space is not something Arday holds lightly, and he has taken it upon himself to think about ways in which he can work from the inside to dismantle it.

To explain his ideology, he leans on the fighting lessons of Rocky Balboa: "You're going to be in a very archaic, hostile environment, to some extent, which will be predicated by people outside of that who may not want your existence in that place. But you've got to be willing to take the hits, because the greater mission is to achieve equality, and to achieve diversity, and to make that space as big as possible."

"We're talking about thousand-year-old white establishments. And anytime you're a person of colour that penetrates those legacy spaces, it can be difficult for some people to digest or manage. Our mission, in some respects, is very simple. It goes back to what we've always tried to do, which is to democratise education information and redistribute resources as far and wide as possible to those most in need. And those two institutions have a lot of capital."

Oxford and Cambridge have a staggering £21bn in wealth between them, according to a 2018 report from the Guardian. On a practical level, when it comes to redistributing resources and capital, Arday is engaging in as many schemes and interventions as he can to give education access to marginalised communities.

"A lot of it is about going into schools, across the gambit of intersectionality, not just focused on race, and really giving minoritised groups the opportunity to be in these spaces and not just to absorb these thousand-year-old buildings, but to express themselves," he says. "It's always hard to fathom the impact that having certain experiences can have on a young person. It leaves an indelible imprint on them for the rest of their life."

One of the people who changed Arday's life as a young person was a man named Sandro Sandri. Arday met Sandri after having been taken by his mum to a careers office where they were told that the best he could hope for was some volunteer work. She took him away, telling the worker that they would regret their actions, and instead reached out to Merton College in Morden, south London, which had a space on its BTec course in sport and development. Arday went to the college and met Sandri, a sports lecturer, who decided to take a chance on him and would stay late almost every night of the week working with Arday on his literacy skills, then take him home.

"Up until a year ago, he would text me every day and say: 'You're great. You're going to do some great things.' He really believed in repetition," says Arday. "The only promise he ever made me make was that whatever he did for me, I'd do the same for someone else."

Does he think he has achieved that? "I've tried to help as many people as possible. I've tried to bring as many people as possible with me. I've tried to create as much space as I could, for Black people, and Black women in particular." He is certain that there will be another, younger Black professor at Oxbridge in the years to come, doing exceptional work.

In terms of his own destiny, Arday adds, he doesn't think it will be his academia that will leave a lasting impression on the world. "The things that have always had meaning to me are the things I do that serve the greater good, the selfless acts," he says. "With humility, faith, hope and love, anything is possible."

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Jason Arday: he learned to talk at 11 and read at 18 - then became Cambridge's youngest Black professor

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Diagnosed with autism as a child, Arday found his voice through speech therapy and his mother's unflagging support. Now he is using it with the same tenacity that saw him run 30 marathons in 35 days

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This should be the first thing you read if you think your child might be autistic or if they have been diagnosed....

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This should be the first thing you read if you think your child might be autistic or if they have been diagnosed....

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Jennifer White-Johnson
jenwhitejohnson.com

I was recently asked how I came to understand and appreciate my son's expressions of Autistic Joy. How is joy usually characterized? The absence of sadness? Unbridled gladness and glee? That is Knox, every. single. day. He emanates a spark and a joy that always reminds me that life is worth living, that waking up in the morning can and should have purpose. That taking the time to capture that radiance can be a light, showing how Knox interacts with happiness itself when surrounded by the heaviness of this world. For the past seven years I have used my camera to capture Knox's story as he chooses to tell it-through his interactions, his spinning, his soulfulness, and yes, his unbridled joy.

Sharing visual narratives of my son's Autistic Joy has allowed me to highlight what I often didn't see depicted in the media. When Knox was diagnosed as Autistic at three years old, our community was supportive, but the common expectation after a diagnosis is instant behavioral intervention and treatment. The common expectations from Black and Brown parents is that you keep your Autistic kids in line. Keep them steady, not letting them waiver in fear of what they may face as they grow. Families of color are often forced into silos, not knowing where to turn next, afraid of unjust stigmas sometimes coming from within their own communities.

The depiction and representation of #AutisticJoy and especially #AutisticBlackJoy in media has been slim, often overshadowed by the same predominate white narratives. Autistic communities of color aren't always given the consistent equitable freedom or space in media, printed or electronic. I spent time trying to find and connect to viable Autistic Community celebrating Autistic lives of color in my state, and didn't find many. I realized I had to reclaim the narrative and begin sharing through my art making space for dialogue and engagement.

I finally began to find it when connecting with other Neurodivergent families of color and Autistic adults. Reading, listening, watching Autistic adults practicing self advocacy within their communities and platforms. I knew Knox's self advocacy was exemplified through his joy as a true act of resistance.

Not long ago I encountered a few people who tried to challenge the validity of Knox's joy: I posted and shared a video for an Autistic dancer, friend and activist of color, and in the video Knox was shown spinning, stimming, and dancing during his birthday week. A few questioned how his joy can be seen as a form of self advocacy.

Why anyone would want to stifle an Autistic kid's joy? The Autistic community immediately came to my rescue showing Autistic Joy at its finest!

The importance of showing Knox's joy increases the visibility in the lives of Autistic children of color. Moments that show the world that being Autistic isn't something to be ashamed of, it is beautiful, luminous and shows that being joyful shouldn't be masked. It is a natural and valuable form of human diversity. Equipping Knox with an endless and unconditional amount of love is what carries him through each day. We see kids and adults of color being attacked everyday for just living their lives. Acceptance and support is what encourages Autistic kids like Knox to advocate for themselves. This joy cannot and will not be robbed from Autistic kids of color.

Often the Neurodiverse community are excluded from artistic narratives and creative spaces, thus we gladly create our own, taking ownership of our stories and telling them how we choose to tell them. Unfiltered and honest. My role as a mom is to help my Autistic son embrace his playfulness, as I continue to embrace mine. As a black and brown mom I want to focus on the joy of my kid's beautifully Autistic self. Amplifying that JOY is what can unite us, breaking the cycle of assimilation, breaking the cycle of unjust stigmas, and infusing the narrative of soul in the lives of Autistic kids and adults!

We instill in Knox that every unique aspect of who he is beautiful. Using joy and creativity to create the framework setting our own tone for Autism Acceptance. There is heart and soul in the journey that breaks through the stigma of highlighting #AutisticJoy in Black & Brown lives. It is up to artists and designers to use our tools to further the narrative of Autism Acceptance and its visibility in the lives of people of color! The conversation must continue, the path must be set, making space for those who choose to honor the beauty and the soul of Autistic Joy.

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Jennifer White-Johnson jenwhitejohnson.com I was recently asked how I came to understand and appreciate my son's expressions of Autistic Joy. How is joy usually characterized? The absence of sadness? Unbridled gladness and glee? That is Knox, every. single. day.

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Great website, with lots of lovely simple ways to build children's brains 

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Great website, with lots of lovely simple ways to build children's brains 

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(Read this page in Welsh - Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Cymraeg)

Just remember to Look, Say, Sing, Play

We've teamed up with Vroom™ to give you some fun and easy tips to help you bring even more Look, Say, Sing and Play into your daily routine with your baby or toddler.

Whether it's bathtime, bedtime or you're washing up, playing with your child, using silly voices, or even singing can build their brain right from birth. It's a great way to have fun while making your bond even stronger.

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Right from birth, every time you talk, sing or play with your child, you're not just bonding, you're building their brain. Get free brain-building tips.

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Morning and evening rotines for Immanuel

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 Brent Speech and Language Therapy @CLCHBrentSLT Give them a follow for great ideas for helping your child's language development. 

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 Brent Speech and Language Therapy @CLCHBrentSLT Give them a follow for great ideas for helping your child's language development. 

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Celebra charity has a free lending library with lots of books about disability. You can join up here...

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Celebra charity has a free lending library with lots of books about disability. You can join up here...

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Update to our Postal Library List - Cerebra

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We have made some improvements to our library book list. We have made it easier for you to see which books are the most popular to help you decide which ones to borrow. You can view the new Library List here. Books within a blue box indicate that we rate...

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Register here for a Brent My Account. You can then access Brent Parenting services, including the Family Wellbeing Centres. 

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Register here for a Brent My Account. You can then access Brent Parenting services, including the Family Wellbeing Centres. 

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Your browser is currently set to block JavaScript. You need to allow JavaScript to use this service.

To learn how to allow JavaScript or to find out whether your browser supports JavaScript, check the online help in your web browser.

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Sensory processing visuals, to help your child communicate what they need. 

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Sensory processing visuals, to help your child communicate what they need. 

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At Nursery we have a selection of Core Books and songs that the children will experience again and again. We will share with you on EY log which story or song they are learning about. I have shared videos that you can watch together and learn some of the signs for key words. But nothing beats looking at a book together or signing a song together.

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Incy Wincy Spider: BSL Signed Nursery Rhymes | CBeebies

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If You're Happy and You Know It! | Barefoot Books Singalong

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Head Shoulders Knees & Toes (Sing It) | Follow Along | Super Simple Songs

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Twinkle Twinkle Little Star BSL | Song for Kids | Sign Songs

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Mr Tumble Songs | Wind the Bobbin Up | Mr Tumble and Friends

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Something Special Old MacDonald Had a Farm Mr Tumble

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Little Rabbit Foo Foo - BSL signed story with voice

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Signed Story - Handa's Surprise - British Sign Language (BSL)/SSE

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Signed Story - Dear Zoo - British Sign Language (BSL)/SSE

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears Fairytale with Mr Tumble | CBeebies

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Walking Through the Jungle | Barefoot Books Singalong

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Jabari Tries (not signed, read by the author)

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Jabari Tries (not signed, read by the author)

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Jabari Tries by  Read Aloud by Gaia Cornwall

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The Colour Monster - signed with Makaton

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Signed Story - Owl Babies - British Sign Language - (BSL)/SSE

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Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love - Signed Stories - Sign Language | BSL | SSE | Read Aloud

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Makaton signed: THe Very Hungry Caterpillar 

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Makaton signed: THe Very Hungry Caterpillar 

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar | MAKATON | Read Aloud

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Walking Through the Jungle (Signed story)

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Walking Through the Jungle (Signed story)

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Walking Through The Jungle by Julie Lacome - Signed Story - British Sign Language (BSL)/SSE

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Signed Story - We're going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen - British Sign Language (BSL)/SSE

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BBC Tiny Happy People Website has great information to help with communication and interaction. 

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BBC Tiny Happy People Website has great information to help with communication and interaction. 

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Great short videos that show parents like us with children who have a range of needs.

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There are many common disabilities that can lead to speech and language difficulties. These resources are designed to help families of children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

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Speech and language needs and disabilities - BBC Tiny Happy People

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There are many common conditions that can lead to speech and language difficulties and delays including Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, hearing and sight impairments, and autism. These resources are designed for families of children with SEND to help them with their speech and language learning.

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This booklet is great for understanding your child's communication development and has lots of ideas for what you can do at home to promote their listening, understanding and talking. 

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This booklet is great for understanding your child's communication development and has lots of ideas for what you can do at home to promote their listening, understanding and talking. 

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Great little video about early communication happens through 'Serve and Return' 

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Great little video about early communication happens through 'Serve and Return' 

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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There is large amount of evidence from developmental psychology about the importance of contingent, reciprocal interaction ("serve and return") for many aspects of early childhood development (see Working Paper 1). But how do we know it actually "builds brains"? An increasing number of more recent studies, utilizing brain imaging and other new technologies, now document the impact of nurturing, supportive interaction and "sensitive caregiving" on both brain function and structure. A sampling of these studies are cited below.

"Neuroimaging revealed a neural mechanism by which language experience may influence brain development; namely, children who experienced more conversational turns exhibited greater activation in left inferior frontal regions (Broca's area) during language processing, which explained nearly half the relationship between children's language exposure and verbal abilities."

Romeo, R.R., Leonard, J.A., Robinson, S.T. et al. (2018). Beyond the 30-million-word gap: Children's conversational exposure is associated with language-related brain function. Psychological Science, 29(5), 700-710.

"Sensitive parental care, characterized by prompt and adequate response to the child's signals and needs, predicts a more secure attachment relationship, higher levels of cognitive competence, and fewer psychological problems."

"Parental sensitivity in early childhood was positively associated with markers of more optimal brain development at age 8 years, including a larger total brain volume, larger gray matter volume, and thicker cortices in the precentral, postcentral, caudal middle frontal, and rostral middle frontal gyrus."

Kok, R., Thijssen, S., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. et al. (2015). Normal variation in early parental sensitivity predicts child structural brain development. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(10), 824-831.

"Variations in typical mother-infant interactions are associated with differences in infant brain volumes. Specifically, we found that lower maternal sensitivity was correlated with smaller subcortical grey matter volumes"

Sethna, V., Pote, I., Wang, S. et al. (2017). Mother-infant interactions and regional brain volumes in infancy: An MRI study, Brain Structure and Function, 222, 2379-2388.

"After considering age at imaging, household income and postnatal maternal anxiety, regression analyses demonstrated significant indirect associations between maternal sensitivity and bilateral hippocampal volume at six months. ... Moreover, functional analyses revealed direct associations between maternal sensitivity and connectivity between the hippocampus and areas important for emotional regulation and socio-emotional functioning."

Rifkin-Graboi, A., Kong, L., Sim, L.W. et al. (2015). Maternal sensitivity, infant limbic structure volume and functional connectivity: A preliminary study. Translational Psychiatry, 5, e668.

"Parent-child synchrony provides the first experience of nonverbal resonance where the mother adapts her gaze, affective expression, vocal quality, and movements to the infant's earliest signals to create a shared dialog. Synchrony supports the development of abilities that sustain social engagement, including symbol formation, moral understanding, emotion regulation, and frustration tolerance and provides a template for biological synchrony; during synchronous moments parent and child coordinate their heart rhythms, neural response, and oxytocin release, hence, synchrony is a mechanism by which the parent's mature physiological systems externally-regulate the child environment-dependent systems and tune them to social life. Here, we show that synchrony longitudinally shapes the neural basis of empathy in preadolescence and specifically targets brain areas that underpin the interface of cognitive and affective empathy."

Levy, J., Goldstein, A. & Feldman, R. (2019). The neural development of empathy is sensitive to caregiving and early trauma. Nature Communications, 10, 1905.

"7-mo-old infants activate auditory and motor brain areas similarly for native and nonnative sounds; by 11-12 mo, greater activation in auditory brain areas occurs for native sounds, whereas greater activation in motor brain areas occurs for nonnative sounds, matching the adult pattern. We posit that hearing speech invokes an Analysis by Synthesis process: auditory analysis of speech is coupled with synthesis that predicts the motor plans necessary to produce it. Both brain systems contribute to the developmental transition in infant speech perception."

Kuhl, P.K., Ramírez, R.R., Bosseler, A., Lin, J.L. & Imada, T. (2014). Infants' brain responses to speech suggest analysis by synthesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 111(31) 11238-11245.

"The quality of the interactions between parents and their children, measured with gesture and speech, is associated with advanced language development ... Infants' language learning is enhanced in one-on-one social contexts, perhaps because these contexts allow more contingent social interaction between adult and child. ... Evidence is accumulating to indicate a greater role for social interaction and social contingency in language learning. A large number of studies now suggest an important role for social behavior in language learning, among them: (1) the necessity of a social context for phonetic learning from exposure to a new language (Conboy & Kuhl, 2011; Kuhl et al., 2003); (2) the role of contingent response to infants' babbling... (Goldstein et al., 2003; Goldstein & Schwade, 2008), (3) the role of social behavior (eye gaze) as a tactic that provides vital information for language learning in infants (Brooks & Meltzoff, 2008). ... These findings contribute to our understanding of the social foundations of language, as observed in both typically developing and developmentally challenged young children, suggesting that language acquisition fundamentally requires social interaction to instigate learning (Kuhl, 2007; Kuhl, 2011; Kuhl, Coffey-Corina, Padden, Munson, Estes, & Dawson, 2013)."

Ramírez-Esparza, N., García-Sierra, A. & Kuhl, P.K. (2014). Look who's talking: Speech style and social context in language input to infants is linked to concurrent and future speech development. In press: Developmental Science, 17(6), 880-91.

"Our findings, derived from the moment-to-moment tracking of eye gaze of one-year-olds and their parents as they actively played with toys, provide evidence for an alternative pathway, through the coordination of hands and eyes in goal-directed action. In goal-directed actions, the hands and eyes of the actor are tightly coordinated both temporally and spatially, and thus, in contexts including manual engagement with objects, hand movements and eye movements provide redundant information about where the eyes are looking. Our findings show that one-year-olds rarely look to the parent's face and eyes in these contexts but rather infants and parents coordinate looking behavior without gaze following by attending to objects held by the self or the social partner. This pathway, through eye-hand coupling, leads to coordinated joint switches in visual attention and to an overall high rate of looking at the same object at the same time, and may be the dominant pathway through which physically active toddlers align their looking behavior with a social partner."

Yu, C. & Smith, L.B. (2013). Joint attention without gaze following: Human infants and their parents coordinate visual attention to objects through eye-hand coordination. PLoS One, 8(11), e79659.

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5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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Child-adult relationships that are responsive and attentive-with lots of back and forth interactions-build a strong foundation in a child's brain for all future learning and development. This is called "serve and return," and it takes two to play! Follow these 5 steps to practice serve and return with your child.

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Seeing pictures of what is available really helps children learn how to choose. 

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Seeing pictures of what is available really helps children learn how to choose. 

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It can really help to talk about children's feelings, and help them learn the words for how they are feeling so they don't need to get upset to show us something isn't right. 

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It can really help to talk about children's feelings, and help them learn the words for how they are feeling so they don't need to get upset to show us something isn't right. 

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The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson - Signed Stories - British Sign Language | BSL | SSE | Read Aloud

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Sing and sign along with your child's favourite rhymes in BSL 

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Stories signed in BSL to enjoy with your child.

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Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson - Signed Stories - British Sign Language | SSE | Read Aloud

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Interactive music videos from Jessie's Fund 

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Interactive music videos from Jessie's Fund 

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Really great videos you can join in with at home. The calming ones are great for getting ready for bedtime, and can be used with other guidance for good night time routines.

https://jessiesfund.org.uk/our-work/interactive-music-videos/

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Really great video demonstrating how to use visuals with your child. 

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Really great video demonstrating how to use visuals with your child. 

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Using visuals to support LANGUAGE and ATTENTION

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For children with communication difficulties picture really help them understand the words you are using.

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This is one for weekends and holidays. Create a visual routine for days when the routine has gone! 

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This is one for weekends and holidays. Create a visual routine for days when the routine has gone! 

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Girls and Women with Autism are often overlooked when it comes to diagnosis. 

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Girls and Women with Autism are often overlooked when it comes to diagnosis. 

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Title: Autism traits in girls and women⎥Autistic traits I struggle the most with⎥#actuallyautistic

Source: YouTube

Author: neurodivergent me, 2021b

Title: Pregnant & Autistic⎥1st trimester update⎥My experience being pregnant as an autistic woman

Source: YouTube

Author: neurodivergent me, 2021c

Title: 8 autism traits in girls & women, explained by an autistic woman⎥AUTISM IN GIRLS

Source: YouTube

Author: Ruby Woods, 2020

Title: My Autism Diagnosis Journey - Female With ASD

Source: YouTube,

Author: Erin R, 2022

Title: Adult Female Autism Diagnosis: My Experiences

Source: YouTube

Author: Meghan Levaughn, 2021

Title: Unmasked: Living With PMDD & Autism

Source: International Association for Premenstrual Disorders

Author: A Is For Aoife Not Autism, 2021a

Title: Autism and Periods

Source: blog

Author: A Is For Aoife Not Autism, 2021b

Title: Autism and Puberty

Source: blog

Author: Sara King, 2021

Title: My experiences of pregnancy, birth and motherhood as an autistic mum

Source: Royal College of midwives

Author: Hannah Clarke, (accessed Aug 2022)

Title: What is it like to be a woman on the spectrum?

Source: Neurodiverging

Author: Danielle, (accessed Aug 2022)

Title: Episode 11: A Struggling, Undiagnosed Autistic Girl in the 1990s

Source: Neurodiverging

Author: Carly Ott, 2017

Title: Autistic And Pregnant

Source: The Art of Autism

Author: April Griffin, 2016

Title: Gender Identity Issues And Females On The Spectrum

Source: The Art of Autism

Author: Alicia Trautwein, 2020

Title: Autistic and pregnant

Source: Motherfigure

Author: Rhi Lloyd-Williams, 2021

Title: AUTISM INTERVIEW #170: RHI ON AUTISTIC PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH, AND MOTHERHOOD

Source: Blog

Author: Alicia Trautwein, 2020

Title: The Challenges of Being an Autistic Mother with Autistic Children

Source: special educational needs

Author: Lucy Parker, 2019

Title: The truth about being autistic and a mother

Source: Motherly

Author: Lana Grant, 2017

Title: Autistic Women, Pregnancy and Motherhood - Lana Grant

Source: Spectrum Women

Author: Linda Hollenberg, 2021

Title: The Autistic Doula: Navigating the sensory challenges of motherhood

Source: Reframing Autism

Author: Autistic Women Everywhere, accessed September 2022

Title: AUTISTIC WOMEN EVERYWHERE

Source: Autistic Women Everywhere

Author: Sarah Vanis, accessed September 2022

Title: AUTISTIC WOMEN EVERYWHERE

Source: Autistic Women Everywhere

Author: Vanessa Hughes, accessed September 2022

Title: AUTISTIC WOMEN EVERYWHERE

Source: Autistic Women Everywhere

Author: Suzie Ramsay, accessed September 2022

Title: AUTISTIC WOMEN EVERYWHERE

Source: Autistic Women Everywhere

Author: Janey Klunder, accessed September 2022

Title: AUTISTIC WOMEN EVERYWHERE

Source: Autistic Women Everywhere

Author: Esther Whitney, 2022

Title: Personal Account: Breastfeeding as an Autistic Parent

Source: Autistic Parents UK

Author: Ruth Jenks, 2021

Title: Relationships with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period

Source: Autistic Parents UK

Author: Keara Farnan, 2018

Title: Why It's Hard to Find a Boyfriend as an Autistic Woman

Source: The Mighty

Author: Nicole Seaward, 2021

Title: Autistic Womxn - Relationships

Source: Grit and Flow

Author: Hope Whitmore, 2015

Title: "Are You Angry With Me?": Dating as an Autistic Woman

Source: The Toast

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More women and girls than ever before are discovering that they are autistic. Many had been missed or misdiagnosed due to outdated stereotypes about autism. But that is slowly changing.

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Sharon Bourla from Brent SENDIASS came into both nurseries to talk about the EHCP process. Here are her slides. 

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Sharon Bourla from Brent SENDIASS came into both nurseries to talk about the EHCP process. Here are her slides. 

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EHC Need Assessment Fawood  - Curzon centre Nov 22

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Being a parent can be tough, and we all need to look after our mental health as well as our physical health. 

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Being a parent can be tough, and we all need to look after our mental health as well as our physical health. 

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Promoting mental wellbeing | Brent Council

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Like physical health, not all people enjoy the same sorts of things, but there are many different things you can do to promote your mental wellbeing.

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A guide for parents. Please talk to nursery if you are finding your child's behaviour tricky to cope with.

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Cost of living support available in Brent. 

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Cost of living support available in Brent. 

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If you are struggling financially, you are not alone. Here is good place to start to get support.

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Cost of living support and advice | Brent Council

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If you are struggling with rising costs or just about getting by, remember you’re not alone. There’s lots of support available. Let’s tackle the tough times together.

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A short video to explain the EHCP process to parents. 

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A short video to explain the EHCP process to parents. 

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If you child is likely to need quite a lot of support when they go on to school, an Education, Health and Care Plan might be the best way forward.

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A quick guide for parents and carers to the Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) process

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A hugely helpful guide to claiming DLA for your child.

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If your child is disabled you may be eligible to apply for Disability Living Allowance for them. 

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If your child is disabled you may be eligible to apply for Disability Living Allowance for them. 

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Here is more information about applying. If you do apply and are successful, please let the nursery know as we can claim some funding too.

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Disability Living Allowance ( DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:

is under 16

has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability

They will need to meet all the eligibility requirements.

The is between £26.90 and £172.50 a week and depends on the level of help the child needs.

If your child lives in Scotland

You need to apply for Child Disability Payment instead of DLA for children.

If your child is getting DLA for children but they have moved to Scotland, you'll need to report this change so they can get Child Disability Payment instead.

If your child moves from Scotland to England or Wales

If your child gets Child Disability Payment, you must:

Your Child Disability Payment will stop 13 weeks after your child moves - apply for DLA as soon as possible after moving or your payments could be affected.

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children

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Help for children under 16 with disabilities - DLA rate, eligibility, how to apply, claim form.

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Take care of yourself so you can take better care of your child or children. Scroll to the end if you are feeling very stressed or unwell.

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Ways to put yourself first

Give yourself permission

It is very easy, as a parent or carer, to prioritise the needs of your family and others ahead of your own wellbeing. But taking time for yourself is not selfish. Everybody needs space to unwind and relax, and giving yourself permission to take some time to recharge your batteries means that you will hopefully have more energy and patience to meet the needs of your family. Start by trying to give yourself 10 minutes each day where you can just sit down, have a cup of tea and take a breather.'

You often get told to give some time for yourself. This doesn't need to be outside of the house. You can do this however you want, even if its going to the next room and eating some chocolate. '

Be kind to yourself

If you're looking at this page there's a pretty good chance you're struggling at the moment. It may be that you also feel bad about yourself and feel as if you're failing. If this is happening it can help to have a think about how you 'talk' to yourself. We're sometimes much harder on ourselves in our own thoughts than we would be to anyone else we speak to. Imagine that it's a friend who's in your situation right now instead of you. How would you comfort them? How would you encourage them? Can you speak encouragingly to yourself too?
'When things aren't going well, I often blame myself. I'm learning to notice when I do it and to try to be kind and gentle with myself. I tell myself I'm doing my best instead of that I'm failing.'
Ways to get things done

Make a to-do list

At times you might find that your 'list of things to do' can build up. This could be general errands, shopping for vital items, or general admin. If these tasks are weighing on your mind compile a to-do list that you can tick off as you go along prioritising those activities which need to be done that day or week. This includes setting aside quality time with your children and time for yourself. Just seeing everything written down may help make things seem more manageable and identify things which really aren't urgent. And remember it is fine and healthy to sometimes have a downday.
'I've had to learn how to not feel guilty about not getting everything I wanted to get done. A mixture of self-compassion and having realistic expectations to begin with.'
Ask for help

Asking for help from others can sometimes feel as if we're failing as a parent or carer but parenting can be tough and reaching out for support is nothing to feel ashamed of. Whether it's minding your child for a short time to allow you to get things done or running a small errand for you, friends and family will often be happy to help and children and young people can also benefit from knowing there are other trusted adults in their life that your family can turn to. Depending on the age of the child, you can also ask them to complete age-appropriate tasks to help around the house to relieve you of some of the everyday tasks.
'It's so important to take help where you can. Try to be specific about the help you need and when you need it as this will often help others know what is required and how they can help.'
Ways to look after yourself

Maintain energy levels
'Making time to exercise is really important even if its just walking around the block with your baby in a pram.' 'My partner would often have to work late so every now and again I would ask a friend to babysit whilst I slept upstairs knowing my children were safe and entertained downstairs.'
Looking after your physical health can have a positive impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing. A healthy and balanced diet can help how you feel physically and avoiding certain foods can help if you're feeling low or anxious. Regular exercise doesn't need to mean running 5ks but may include regular walks,

or visualisation.

Prioritise sleep
'It's important to have your own voice and to not let others tell you what you should be doing or what you need.'
Balanced sleep is really important for good mental health but it can also be a really useful self-care tool for when you need a break to get away from your thoughts or situation for a bit. Trying to establish good sleep routines for your children can be the first step to giving you time at night to relax and allow you to get a good night sleep for yourself. This may be harder with babies and infants but even with older children you may benefit from allowing yourself a power nap in the daytime whilst they are at school.

Ways to stay connected
'As much as I love my phone and everything I use it for, I feel like I'd be much less anxious without it.'
Check in with friends

Maintaining good relationships with friends and family is one of the most important factors in maintaining good mental health. New 'parent friends' can be great for both you and your children but sometimes old friends are the only ones who you can really confide in, have a laugh with, and make you feel better about yourself. Of course, meeting face-to-face may not always be possible but scheduling a regular call once your children are in bed or doing their homework can make all the difference.
'Doing something that I love and that I've loved since before I had children helps me to feel energised and more 'myself'. It's good to remember who I am outside of being a parent.'
Say 'no' to things

Often when we're struggling, it may feel hard to balance how we're feeling with the expectations that may be placed on us by ourselves or our family. There is lots of advice about setting healthy boundaries and interpersonal effectiveness worksheets online which can help you communicate your needs without seeming aggressive or feeling guilty about neglecting the needs of others. Remember you have the right to say yes or no without having to explain your reasons.

Ways to create free time in your diary

Sometimes a 24/7 engagement with instant messaging and social media can feel a bit relentless and stressful. Some people say they stay on devices out of habit. Just as you might limit your children's time on devices, try to set a time when you will put the phone down and unwind with your family. You can also curate your social media by only following accounts that make you feel good and blocking or ignoring accounts which may make you feel angry, low or depressed. Limiting use of devices can also help you have 'good sleep' which in turn can help with your energy levels and mental wellbeing.

Remember your passions

Before you became a parent of carer, you may have had hobbies or passions which have fallen by the wayside. Finding time to engage in activities which you enjoy can boost your self-esteem and have a positive impact on your own wellbeing. Whether its baking, crafting, creative writing, or drawing and painting, there are many activities you can do at home that needn't cost too much and can give you a sense of pride when the activity is complete. Of course, you may prefer to join a choir or local drama group or even just taking time to listen to music that you like rather than what your kids like can prove beneficial.

Additional support

Whilst self-care is important, it is important to recognise that if you are struggling as a parent or carer with your mental health and wellbeing that you know that there is help and support out there for you. Your GP should be able to offer help and support and, if necessary, refer you to an adult mental health service. Where possible, try to talk to a trusted friend or relative so they are also aware of how you're feeling and can check in on you. The below organisations also offer crisis support for parents and carers:

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Guidance on the importance of self-care for parents and carers

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Sometimes children show us how they are feeling through their behaviour, this can be hard to deal with. This advice is for Autistic children, but it has information that is useful for everyone caring for children.

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Sometimes children show us how they are feeling through their behaviour, this can be hard to deal with. This advice is for Autistic children, but it has information that is useful for everyone caring for children.

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The Brent Local SEND offer is a directory of services available in the local area. 

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The Brent Local SEND offer is a directory of services available in the local area. 

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The SEND Local Offer directory | Brent Council

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Find out about organisations and activities in your local area that support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families.

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Because the more we understand our own emotions, the better we can help our child naviagate theirs.

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About

Paul Ekman is an American psychologist who is a pioneer in the study of emotions and their relation to facial expressions. He has gained a reputation as "the best human lie detector in the world". Eve Ekman is currently a Post Doctoral Scholar at UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. Ekman's research interests were inspired by her experience as a medical social worker in the emergency department of San Francisco General Hospital coupled with her training in the applied emotion regulation and mindfulness intervention: Cultivating Emotional Balance, CEB.

Donate

This project was generously supported by the Dalai Lama Trust. To give back, and to help bring more emotion awareness to the world, consider donating here.

Additional Resources

Here are some of the publications that guided us, or that you might be interested in seeking out to learn more.

Personality Trait

Each emotion has a corresponding personality trait that represents a longer term manifestation of an emotion.

Psychopathology

Each emotion relates to distinct psychopathologies, which describe a persistent behavior that interferes with one's ability to function.

Signal and Message

Description of what signals are

Partially-Charted Emotions

Half or less than half of emotion scientists believe there is convincing evidence that each of the following is an emotion.

The Scientific Basis For This Work

The Emotions Atlas is based on the consensus among scientists (in the choice of the five emotion continents and the relationship of emotions to moods, personality and psychopathology), the work of a few scientists who focused on the naming of states within emotions, dictionary definitions in the glossary, and theory or best guesses about the actions for each state and whether they are constructive or destructive. For more information, see "What Emotion Scientists Agree About", by Paul Ekman Perspectives in Psychological Science, in press.

Emotional Episode Timeline

Impediments and Antidotes

Here are some ways to counteract emotional states. Impediments apply to blocking a positive emotion, antidotes apply to reversing negative ones.

Intrinsic or Intentional?

Actions can be intrinsic (take place without intent) or intentional (active attempt to enact change) or both.

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Paul Ekman is an American psychologist who is a pioneer in the study of emotions and their relation to facial expressions. He has gained a reputation as "the best human lie detector in the world". Eve Ekman is currently a Post Doctoral Scholar at UCSF's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine.

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We encourage children to be as independent as possible. Using visual routines helps them.

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Slightly longer more complex bedtime routine

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Slightly longer more complex bedtime routine

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Use this bedtime routine to help your child wind down at the end of the day. 

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Use this bedtime routine to help your child wind down at the end of the day. 

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Help with Sleeping

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Celebra sleep guide and sleep tips

https://cerebra.org.uk/download/sleep-tips/

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Information about Selective Eating and what to do about it 

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Information about Selective Eating and what to do about it 

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It's really worrying when your child is refusing to eat anything but a tiny number of foods. But there is something you can do about it.

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If you are worried about your child's eating...this is a good place to start.

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If you are worried about your child's eating...this is a good place to start.

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Sometimes the worry can be overwhelming. As parents our instinct to feed our children is the first and most powerful. It is very stressful if your child isn't eating well. Noting what your child is eating, even if it is only a small amount can help us understand what is going on for them.

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A good bedtime routine (with no screens) is often the key to a good night.

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A good bedtime routine (with no screens) is often the key to a good night.

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Use this visual routine to show your child what is happening at bedtime and try to keep to it so they feel safe and secure to drift off to sleep every night.

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https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/autism-eating

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A story you can share with your child to help them understand and not be frightened of having a covid test, if they need one.

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Useful tips for helping children sleep well. 

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Useful tips for helping children sleep well. 

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If you want to help your child eat better, start here. It explains how. 

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If you want to help your child eat better, start here. It explains how. 

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Eating for Children with Sensory Difficulties

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A guide for the parents of deaf children about EHCPs 

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A guide for the parents of deaf children about EHCPs 

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Blogs, Information and Activism about Autism

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Blogs, Information and Activism about Autism

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Some great information for and by autistic people.

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Ingredients for slowing down to the relational speed of life and cooking up de-powered social operating models. Many Autists realise that the best we can ever hope for in this hypernormative civilisation is acceptance of our existence in bare survival mode, performing the function of a mindless busy cog and consumer in the sensory hell of the industrial machine.

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Content about autism by autistic and neurodivergent people. A resource for autistic adults, parents of autistic children, educators, and physicians.

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Our specialist postal library contains a wide range of books for both adults and children and a selection of toys specially chosen for children with brain conditions. It's a great way to try out what sensory toys your child enjoys the most without buying what can be very expensive items.

One mum, Annmarie, told us how our library has helped her son, Harrison:

"Harrison is eight years old and finds it hard to sit still and focus as he doesn't have a brilliant concentration span. He often prefers his own company and can show challenging and sometimes dangerous behaviours. Although he can talk, he has very limited understanding. Harrison has ASD, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and learning disabilities.

"We thought that Harrison might benefit from playing with sensory toys but the ones we wanted were far too expensive for us to buy only to find that Harrison didn't like them. We were thrilled to find Cerebra's toy library and Harrison loves it when we receive a new box of toys to try".

Our toy library has a variety of sensory toys for all sorts of different needs. Whether your child is sensory seeking or sensory sensitive we have a kit that's suitable. If they're learning about cause and effect or have limited mobility, one of our switch toys could be just the thing for them.

We also have soft play toys and communication aids. Your child could discover a new favourite sound, sight, smell or way to play with one of our toys.
You can view and download a full list of the toys you can borrow here.
You can borrow one item at a time for 28 days. They are delivered and collected by courier, which we arrange for you. Our service is free for anyone in the UK caring for a child with a brain condition and is easy to use.

Check out Harrison playing with the sensory toys:

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Try Before You Buy With Our Sensory Toy Library - Cerebra

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Our specialist postal library contains a wide range of books for both adults and children and a selection of toys specially chosen for children with brain conditions. It's a great way to try out what sensory toys your child enjoys the most without buying what can be very expensive items....

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Autism Acceptance Week Poster for Early Years

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Where are Books by Autistic Authors?

Geek Club Books interviews and features autistic authors on our website to help you find them. Discover books (and podcasts) in many of your favorite genres written by people on the autism spectrum:

Autistic Author Book Lists

Adriana White is passionate about supporting #OwnVoices books by autistic authors, and thinks that every library collection should include them. Her bi-monthly book lists explore the growing world of books written by autistic authors.

Young Children's Books

Adventures in Handom and The Magical Heart of Handom by John R. Miller who used his hand stimming as the inspiration for his children's books about the imaginary world of Handom and the power of having a good and kind heart.

Benji, the Bad Day and Me by Sally J. Pla is a story about siblings-one autistic and one neurotypical-where it's the autistic sibling who shows compassion and empathy for his brother.

Darius Hates Vegetables by Darius Brown - Darius is an autistic children's author who was in 5th grade when he wrote this story to reach other kids on the spectrum about how to cope with the good and bad things he encounters in school.

Letter Critters Book Series - Chase Taylor turned his childhood passion for letters into a series of whimiscal children's books: The Letter Critters, The Letter Critters Biographies, and The Letter Critters Talent Show.

Noah and Logan series by Benjamin K.M. Kellogg - Benjamin's delightful children's books are helping children on the autism spectrum learn social and life skills.

The Fire Truck Who Got Lost by Colin Eldred Cohen - Colin from the Autistic Creatives Collective puts his creative and active mind towards storytelling in his children's book, The Fire Truck Who Got Lost.

The Quiet Bear and Really, Really Like Me by Gretchen Leary - The 'Quiet Bear' promote understanding differences and 'Really, Really Like Me' helps young children understand some autism behaviors.

Wiggle Woshers by Naadia Kidy and Damilola Idowu - A magical story about forgiveness, rehabilitation, redemption, friendship and its responsibilities. The message? Kindness is our answer.

Early and Young Reader Books

Akea, the Power of Destiny and Akea, His Mother's Son by Elizabeth Jade - Asperger author Elizabeth Jade's love and deep connection to animals inspired her to write 'Akea' adventure book series for readers ages 8 to 12.

Hal and the End Street by Jude Lennon and Will Hawkes - An Autistic illustrator and children's author create 'Awesome About Autism' books to give autistic kids a mascot and teach others about autistic coping strategies.

How to Be Human, Diary of an Autistic Girl by Florida Frenz - This whimsical book written by an autistic teen gives practical tips for understanding social norms.

Marion and Stella by Daina Krumins - This Asperger author pens 'Marion and Stella' historical fiction for young readers showing that Asperger resourcefulness and ingenuity win the day.

Super Lexi series by Emma Lesko - Emma is an author and self-advocate for diversity and inclusion in children's literature. Her Super Lexi chapter book is about autism.

The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla is about 12-year-old autistic Charlie's reluctant cross-country journey-a quest to find a certain list of birds, and to find his injured father.

Fiction, SciFi and Fantasy

Moojag and the Auticode Secret by N.E. McMorran - a quirky cli-fi (climate-fiction) adventure about three friends who discover a hidden sugar-hooked society holding lost kids and find their perfect neurodivergent world in danger.

Psychic Sisters by M.E. Purfield - Mike Purfield has been writing fiction for almost 20 years in horror, science-fiction and young adult genres. Psychic Sisters is part of his Radicci Sisters series featuring two sisters, an artist and her nonverbal autistic teen sister, who bond together to solve mysteries and save the world.

Enduring Fear by Jessica Wilberforce - a paranormal urban fantasy features a strong neurodiverse female protagonist who discovers that her differences are an actual source of considerable power.

Aspean series by Roy Dias - Roy Dias has Aspergers Syndrome. He's also a husband, a father to two sons with Aspergers. He's written a YA Sci-Fi series featuring Asperger characters.

Underdogs and Underdogs: Tooth and Nail by Chris Bonnello- International speaker, author and founder of Autistic Not Weird blog, Chris Bonnello, has written the Underdogs series, YA sci-fi dystopian future novels with autistic, dyslexic and other neurodiverse heroes.

Keys of the Origin and Endeavours of the Unsung by Melissa A. Joy - An Asperger author with a limitless imagination has created a vast and vivid world of lore and adventures in a series of fantasy genre books.

Mouse by Richard Ford Burley - Readers get a chance to see an autistic character trying to do the fantastic things other characters do, like save the world.

On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis - Autistic author Corinne Duyvis' is receiving praise for new book, On the Edge of Gone, an apocalyptic sci-fi novel with a strong female autistic protagonist

Secret of the Songshell by Brian Tashima - The author isn't on the spectrum but his son is AND the audible audio version is narrated by an autistic voice actor.

The Flame Queen by Dax Munro - Book One in The Legends of Peradon follows young Flame Princess, Violetta as she learns to deal with the tragic deaths of her mother and brother. Though she was never destined to take her father's throne, this duty now falls on her shoulders, a duty Violetta longs to be free from. Themes include teen rebellion, childhood trauma/loss, and family relationships.

The Isle of Kern by Jenny Bristol is a fictional guidebook to Kern, a fictional island off the coast of England. It takes visitors on a tour of the island, covering historic sites, geology, wildlife, and out-of-the-way places.

The Orphan's Code by C. R. R. Hillin - The first in a series about a group of orphans, misfits, and runaways who assimilate into the criminal underground of the city of Bermeia and conspire to start a rebellion. Readers searching for diversity, as well as readers with anxiety, depression, and autism and readers with histories of abuse or drug addiction, will likely find characters with whom they can relate and empathize.

The Place Inside the Storm by Bradley W. Wright - Features a strong female autistic protagonist who escapes a corporation's forced implant to cure her autism.

Alpha Spirits by Isaac Roman - A young boy unintentionally unleashes ancient evil spirits and must become a "spirit tamer" in order to save the world.

The Crafting of Chess, Intelligence Block and The Card Job by Kit Falbo - Science fiction novels and novella. The Crafting of Chess you follow a teenage hustler who aims to make a more stable life through a VR video game. With Intelligence Block, you'll enjoy an interstellar entertainer trying to make his way as a techno-wizard. In The Card Job novella, a dedicated gamer needs a heist to get what he wants inside a virtual universe.

Autism Comics and Graphic Novels

Arna and Ruby by Helen Eaton graphic novel combing two families' stories with a practical guide to autism. It explores school anxiety, masking, sensory difficulties and family relationships in a very honest and open way.

Face Value Comics by Dave Kot - Dave and his team have created a comic book series in a Steampunk universe featuring stories with characters on the autism spectrum.

Jetpulse Comics by Jacob and Led Bradshaw - The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse is a comic book universe created by a father and his son. They come from the imaginative refrigerator drawings of Jacob who is on the autism spectrum. The story follows Jake and his friends Julia and Marrz the Troll as they protect the earth from evil forces that threaten the galaxy. Discover Geek Club Books "

Jake Jetpulse Hidden Heroes: Create Your Superhero Adventure by Jacob and Led Bradshaw - takes readers through a fun and creative journey as they build their own superheroes. They'll get the chance to make their own superpowers, design their superhero costumes, and build their own bad guys. There are blank comic book panels in the back of the book so that readers can bring their stories to life!

Hear Our Spectrum of Voices" comic for understanding autism, End Autism Awareness Comic about autistic advocacy for acceptance, and " Mighty League 1" and " Mighty League 2 " interactive autistic hero comics for kids.

Stanley Will Probably Be Fine by Sally J. Pla is about anxious, sensory-processing-challenged Stanley, and his fears of entering a comic-trivia treasure hunt-and how a brazen new friend both helps and challenges him.

Podcasts

Dorktales Storytime Podcast - Jonathan Cormur (Murphy) is a neurodiverse voice actor and his Dorktales Storytime Podcast is a family-fun series of slightly wacky and very geeky retellings of classic fairy tales and true stories about the hidden heroes of history.

Henpire by Samantha Grierson - Her a late-in-life autism diagnosis was the driving force behind her return to playwriting. Henpire is an episodic audio comedy with storylines dealing with the issues raised by coparenting, romance and autism within the queer female community.

Sounds Like Autism by Josh Mirsky and Dave Thompson - With the help of his mentor, Dave Thompson, Josh Mirsky wants to spread his message of positivity, hope and humor with the world. SLA focuses on celebrating neurodiversity.

The Info Dump Files by Doug Blecher and Becca Lory Hector - an autistic podcast focused on autistic interests.

Biographies/Memoirs

Being Seen by Anlor Davin - In "Being Seen" by autistic author Anlor Davin who shows remarkable courage to tell her story as an autistic woman, mother, immigrant and Zen student.

Look Me in the Eyes by John Elder Robison - A biography about the fascinating life of John Elder Robison and his adult autism diagnosis.

Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8 by Naoki Higashida - Naoki will make you rethink accepted ideas about the nature of autism as a disability.

What Every Autistic Girl Wishes Her Parents Knew anthology - Do you know what your autistic daughter wishes you knew about her? You'll find great insights in the anthology by the Autism Women's Network.

A Puzzle in a Tunnel by Charlie Keeble - A Puzzle in a Tunnel is about the Charlie's activism for autism and how to accept autistic people for the greatness and good that they can bring to society.

Why Does Daddy Always Look So Sad? by Jude Morrow - Jude is an autistic author who takes a candid look at his early struggles as a child. He shares his journey towards self-acceptance, gratitude and pride.Help and Support Guides

Preparing for Your Future with Autism by Travis Breeding - a comprehensive autobiographic style book on growing up with autism. Travis talks about his sensory issues, social skills, fixations, special interests, going through puberty, and sexuality.

Help and Support Guides

Asperkids books by Jennifer Cook O'Toole - Asperger Jennifer Cook O'Toole is the founder of Asperkids and author of several books to help parent and children on the autism spectrum.

An Asperger's Guide to Dating Neurotypicals by J.R. Reed - In his guide to relationships, author J.R. Reed shares his insights, advice and experiences as a person with Asperger's Syndrome about dating neurotypicals.

Autism and the Police by Andy Buchan - Practical advice and guide for first responders on better ways to help and protect autistic people written by a former police officer on the autism spectrum.

Come to Life! Your Guide to Self-Discovery by Tom Iland - This guide, co-written by an adult on the spectrum and his mother, can help young people with autism transform into self-advocates and become their best selves.

It's an Autism Thing...I'll Help You Understand by Emma Dalmayne - Autistic author and mom writes a book to explain subjects such as meltdowns, sensory overload, shutdowns, replay and other behaviors.

Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About and A Freshman Survival Guide for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Haley Moss -Haley is a self-advocate wrote guides to help individuals on the spectrum through two of the important transitions they'll experience in their lives.

Positively Negative: Putting Discouraging Thoughts to Good Use by Laurie Kennedy - a visual book that is quick to read illustrates ways to turn negative feelings into positive motivations and outcomes.

Wisdom from Mom: Advice for Living by Jenny Bristol is a nonfiction advice book focusing on only the best, most important advice that people should receive, from kids and the teen years to retirement age, including general advice for adults and plenty of extra advice for parents.

More Books on Autism

We have also interviewed more authors not on the spectrum who have written must-read books with autism themes. Find them in our curious interviews category on our blog.

Our Autism Book Shop on Amazon

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Books By Autistic Authors - Geek Club Books Author Interviews

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Geek Club Books interviews and features autistic authors on our website to help you find them. Discover books (and podcasts) in many of your favorite genres written by people on the autism spectrum: Adriana White is passionate about supporting #OwnVoices books by autistic authors, and thinks that every library collection should include them.

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If your child child is finding meal times difficult having a routine you stick to and using visuals so they understand can really help. Getting them involved in preparing food, laying the table and clearing away after 10 or 15 minutes (even if they have not eaten) can help them. Anxiety is often a cause of eating difficulties and keeping the routine the same, and having a clear end, with everything to do with the meal taken away can lower anxiety a lot.

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A guide to helping your child learn how to get a good nights sleep.

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Practical Help with Autism | Gina Davies Autism Centre

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Blog by a parent on tackling her little girl's sensory food issues

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Blog by a parent on tackling her little girl's sensory food issues

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This is very interesting.

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How to help SPD Children and Fussy Eaters love food and eat well!

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Many readers will know that I have faced an ongoing struggle with getting one of my twins - Ruby, to eat well. She has sensory processing disorder (SPD) and this unfortunately places her in another category entirely from the usual picky and fussy eating toddler stage!

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Further reading for parents about Intensive Interaction

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Social story to explain that Mummy is having a baby

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Social story to explain that Mummy is having a baby

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Learning through Children's Persistent Interests (schemas)

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Learning through Children's Persistent Interests (schemas)

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Info graphic about identifying pain in non speaking people

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Info graphic about identifying pain in non speaking people

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Of you want one introduction to Neurodiversity, this is it. Short and to the point. @morethanoneneurotype

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl6T4MEhLGk

A great, straightforward introduction to the idea of Neurodiversity.

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Cygnet Parenting Course for Parents of Children with Autism

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Cygnet Parenting Course for Parents of Children with Autism

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If your child has a diagnosis of ASD you can self-refer to Cygnet.

https://www.brent.gov.uk/services-for-residents/children-and-family-support/parenting-support/parenting-programmes/cygnet-programme/

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https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/anxiety/parents

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Intensive Interaction - BOAT OT Handout (3)

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https://mashable.com/article/autistic-activists-pride

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Another great video to share with family and friends to explain what it feel likes to have sensory processing differences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPknwW8mPAM

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A video from the National Autistic Society explaining what Autism is. Share with family and friends to help them understand.
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism

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Parent's info on Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment

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Parent's info on Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment

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https://www.ipsea.org.uk/ehc-needs-assessments