# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Autism is a Difference, not a Deficit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A definition of autism with an overview of communication, behaviours and interests, and sensory processing differences needed for an autism diagnosis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Autism Toolbox is a free online resource developed to support the inclusion of autistic learners in Scottish Early Learning and Childcare settings, Primary and Secondary schools.

The Toolbox supports the Scottish Strategy for Autism which aims to build on improvements to autism services and increase access to these.

Coronavirus (Covid 19) - Select 'here' for information and resources to help support learners at home and 'here' for supporting a return to education during COVID 19.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome The Autism Toolbox is a free online resource developed to support the inclusion of autistic learners in Scottish Early Learning and Childcare ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Autism in the classroom: Strategies for success | Autism Speaks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This excerpt from the School Community Tool Kit offers strategies for teachers to help support students with autism so they get the best education possible.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
To learn more about CWP's new Autism Strategy, please visit the Autism Strategy area of our website.

If you have any feedback or questions about the Autism Strategy, you can contact us in a number of ways detailed below. You might find the tips guide helpful before you contact us.

email us at cwp.autismstrategy@nhs.net with your message or, if you prefer, attach an audio file to your email

provide some short feedback on the form below

phone and leave a voicemail on 01625 508 542 (any weekday after 5pm, or anytime at the weekend). In your voice message, please refer to the Autism Strategy and let us know whether you would like someone to get in touch with you. If so, please indicate which method is best for you (email text, email audio, phone call). We will aim to respond within 3 working days.

phone and speak to a person on 01625 508 542 (Tuesday to Thursday, from 8am until 4pm). Please refer to the Autism Strategy when you call.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Autism Hub :: Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Autism Hub is for people who are, or who may be autistic. It is also a useful space for family members, staff, and professionals who support autistic people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Support for people with Autism ASD in Wirral

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wirrals local offer of support for people with ASD Autism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wirral Autism and Learning Disabilities Keyworkers (WALK) - Family Toolbox

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Wirral Autism and Learning disabilities Keyworkers (WALK) team was established in September 2022 for children/young people with autism and/or learning disabilities, who are on the Dynamic Support Database and present with mental health challenges that lead or could lead to them being at risk of admission to a Tier 4 setting/hospital.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Merseyside Autistic Children’s Society - BeyondAutism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Merseyside Autistic Children’s Society is a small registered charity based in Wirral that is run entirely by parent and grandparent volunteers. They offer information and support to families living with autism. Also, they run various sessions including adventure play, bowling and swimming.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A website about autism, for autistic young people - so that everyone can gain a better understanding of what autism actually is.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This project has been led by young autistic people who wanted to support other people like them, looking to learn more about their autism diagnosis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bromborough Pool Cafe Shop: A Cozy Retreat Supporting Autism Together

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Experience the warmth of Bromborough Pool Cafe Shop, where friendly staff serve delicious, freshly prepared food and bespoke cakes. Nestled in Bromborough Pool Village, this charming cafe is dedicated to supporting Autism Together, offering a welcoming

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sugar and Dice | Board Game Cafe in Liverpool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sugar and Dice is your local friendly board game cafe in the heart of Liverpool. Whether it’s a fun night out with friends, or a day out with the kids, Sugar and Dice is the perfect choice!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Relaxed screenings for our guests and their friends with the sound turned down and the lights on.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wirral Autumn 1 Half Term 2025 Newsletter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Happy Times - Social Enterprise providing movement, sensory and relaxation based activities on the Wirral

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Happy Times provides focused and fun activities for adults with disabilities, Autism, ADHD and people with complex disabilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
COVID-19 UPDATE We have reopened to give one to one respite to children and adults with additional needs. We are accepting direct payments from people that already receive them. We are able to offer 1-5 hour blocks and can take a sibling from the same family on the same session. The charge is £15 pe…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
Homepage

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Did you know that Wirral now has its very own autism hub? Called Zoop, it is for any autistic adults over the age of 18. You do not need to have a diagnosis to sign up and become a member!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Referral Form ADHD-ASD-DCD Part A September 2025 (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BSL-Interpreted and Relaxed and Autism-friendly pantomime performance of Sleeping Beauty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Would you love to go to the panto but a regular performance isn’t for you? The Floral Pavilion is offering accessible alternative showings of its festive traditional pantomime.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
© 2018 - 2023 STAMMA, British Stammering Association trading as STAMMA, reg. charity no. 1089967/SC038866, reg. company no. 04297778 (England & Wales)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Our Children's Speech and Language Therapy Service is a specialist service supporting children and young people aged 0-19 with speech, language and communication needs. Support is also given to children and young people with eating and drinking disorders.

Young people aged 19-25 are also supported with education, health and care plans.

Our team provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment for children and young people with:

language and communication needs (including developmental language disorder)

specific difficulties in producing speech sounds

hearing impairment

stammering

dysphagia (difficulties with eating and drinking)

AAC (finding non-speaking or semi speaking alternatives and/or augmentative means for communicating)

voice disorders

We offer appointments in a variety of ways allowing children, young people, and their families to have the support they need in a way that suits them. This may be via:

Face to face appointments in clinics, school or nursery settings or the family home .

Remote video monitoring (a way for families to share videos and progress updates via a safe video sharing system)

Video calls

Telephone calls

Parent / carer coaching sessions

Useful websites

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Who we are and what we do - Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get to know the team and how we can support children and young people

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Willy Russell Centre - Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This page provides information on our Willy Russell Centre at Alder Hey. Find out more about what the team do here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stammering In Young Children - Helpful tips for parents - Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When speaking to your child: When listening to your child Other people If you need any further advice or have any questions, please call the Wirral Community NHS Trust Speech and Language Therapy team on 0151 514 2334 and ask to speak to a speech and language therapist.For further information, visit the Stamma website. Download […]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Space4Autism - We Listen, We Help, We Care

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Home | Autism Charity In Cheshire | Space 4 Autism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Space 4 Autism's Home is in Macclesfield Cheshire, supporting people with Autism across the region. Get in touch today to discuss our many services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Support Service (SPOTSS) :: Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jodi and Matt were mystified. At 2, their son, Paul, was behaving in ways no parenting book had described: knocking into walls, hugging them to the point of hurting, and screaming inexplicably in restaurants. He was strangely tentative when climbing or balancing on the playground equipment. Instead, he always rushed for the swings, which he loved pushing as much as he loved being pushed in.

The couple didn't know how different their only child's behaviors were until Paul started preschool and they got to know more children and their parents. While their pediatrician dismissed their concerns, saying that kids outgrew these things, their preschool director did not: She suggested an evaluator, who said that their little boy had sensory processing disorder or, as she called it, SPD.

She explained that SPD includes being too sensitive to some stimuli, which made loud, crowded restaurants so overwhelming they triggered meltdowns, and not sensitive enough to other input and therefore craving it, which would explain the hugging and crashing into walls, as well as his love of both swinging and pushing the swings. And he had trouble with the senses that help him "know where his body is in space," which would account for the clumsiness and fear while climbing. She recommended occupational therapy (OT).

It's difficult when parents receive conflicting messages from professionals involved with their children. Jodi and Matt were confused, but their son was in distress and, at best, OT sounded benign. They decided to give it a try. The occupational therapist invited them to come see what Paul was doing in therapy-"crashing" into beanbags, swinging in a stretchy hammock, and being smooshed into a "Paul sandwich," with pillows subbing in for other fillings and bread, all to give him the input he sought and help calm him.

She urged them to try these ideas at home as part of what's called a "sensory diet" and also suggested that they read The Out-of-Sync Child, Carol Stock Kranowitz's seminal book on sensory processing problems. They recognized Paul's behaviors in the book and it all started to make sense to them. Most important, they felt they were able to do something to help their son-and that he seemed to be improving.

This family's story is a common one, says Lindsey Biel, an occupational therapist and coauthor of Raising a Sensory Smart Child. When a child is identified as having developmental delays, not speaking or walking as well as other children his age, the first thing parents often hear is SPD. "On top of confirmation of these delays, parents are given this unheard-of diagnosis of sensory processing disorder," she says.

One of the reasons it's often "unheard of" is that SPD is not included among the conditions spelled out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), the guide used by psychiatrists and many other clinicians-including pediatricians, psychologists, and social workers-in diagnosis. It is occupational therapists who first theorized that sensory processing issues are a source of distress for many children, and an explanation for a lot of otherwise puzzling behaviors. And it is often OTs who identify these challenges, typically in preschool children, and who specialize in treating them. Despite an intense campaign-waged in part so that costly private treatments could be covered by insurance -it was not added as a new diagnosis in the latest edition of the diagnostic manual, the DSM-5.

What is accepted in the wider clinical community is that many children do have unusual and sometimes problematic sensory responses, including most of those kids who are eventually diagnosed with autism. Indeed, Paul was later found to be on the autism spectrum. In the latest edition of the diagnostic manual, the DSM-5, sensory problems like the ones Paul experienced are now listed as one of the criteria for an autism diagnosis. But lots of other children who are identified as having sensory issues as preschoolers are later diagnosed with ADHD-Paul's secondary diagnosis-and others with anxiety. And some are never diagnosed with any disorder in the DSM.

So while there is general agreement that some children do have serious sensory challenges, the disagreement is over whether SPD should be considered an independent disorder, how far sensory issues go in explaining behaviors, and whether the treatment occupational therapists offer for sensory issues has any effect on a child's functioning over time.

Michael Rosenthal, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist and the son of an occupational therapist, explains the landscape this way: On the one hand, it's clear that identifying sensory issues and working with an OT help many children become calmer and better regulated. By tuning in to a child's particular sensory profile, they can find ways to help kids cope and bring them more balance. "I've known many OTs who are really creative and 'get' kids very well," he says.

On the other hand, it's not clear how much benefit children get from the techniques and whether it's possible to generalize enough from the behavior of individual kids to consider it a coherent disorder. "The thing we don't really understand is how and if this approach works for every kid who has sensory issues," Dr. Rosenthal adds, "and where the science is in creating a specific sensory diet for a specific kid."

Catherine Lord, PhD, a leading autism expert and the director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, argues that sensory issues are an important concern, but not a diagnosis in themselves. "I do think there's a value in attending to how a child is perceiving sensations, thinking about whether he could be uncomfortable. Where I get concerned is labeling that as a separate disorder."

From a parent's point of view, it's hard to understand why it matters whether SPD is considered a legitimate diagnosis by clinicians who go by the DSM. But from a clinical point of view, diagnoses are essential. They drive treatment, by helping clinicians understand the symptoms they are seeing and how best to respond to them. The mental health establishment doesn't acknowledge SPD as a distinct disorder because it isn't convinced that SPD is the best possible way to understand, and approach, those symptoms. And it's dissatisfied with evidence that the treatment gets real, measurable results.

"The debate is not about the importance and quality of work that OTs are involved in-we know that OTs help many children," says Matthew Cruger, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the director of the Child Mind Institute's Learning and Development Center. "It is about whether we have acquired sufficient scientific evidence to conclude two things: Are kids who show these behaviors consistently and meaningfully different from typical kids, and are there specific treatments for this problem?"

"In the sensory integration world, I think there are too many assumptions about cause and effect," adds Dominick Auciello, PsyD, also a neuropsychologist. "The explanations seem logical," he says, "but they are not based in careful study about whether that logic is actually true." Dr. Auciello offers an example: Consider the OTs' claim that kids hug other kids excessively because they are seeking deep pressure. It's an interesting theory, he says, but "there are other equally feasible hypotheses, such as if a child is impulsive, has autism, is inattentive to social cues, has trouble internalizing verbal social rules, has seen modeling of inappropriate behavior, or lacks a sense of social boundaries."

Dr. Rosenthal adds that identifying what's causing a particular behavior can be especially difficult in children who have complex issues, as many children with sensory challenges do. Take a child with autism who is averse to the feeling of water on his face. "We don't know where these things came from," he says. "There may be certain kids who come out sensory reactive from the womb and some who develop it from experience. A child could have a very early encounter that's negative-a mini trauma-that sticks in his mind, and he generalizes and avoids those things in the future. If an experience is powerful and reinforced, it can become just as powerful as an organic issue." Is it a sensory issue, then, or is it anxiety?

So while there are anecdotal accounts that kids respond to sensory work, skeptics point to a lack of research that clarifies how and how much they work to improve a child's functioning. "Any studies are poorly constructed, too small of a sample size, or show that the treatment actually did not work," Dr. Auciello says. He also worries that the interventions may actually reinforce the symptoms: "For example," he says, "if a child has a meltdown and is then allowed to go to the sensory gym to help him 'regulate,' you may actually be rewarding the meltdown."

The research outlook may be brightening, however. In 2007, a team led by Lucy Jane Miller, director of the STAR (Sensory Therapies and Research) Center, released a randomized controlled pilot study of the effects of sensory integration treatment. Though the sample was tiny-24 children, just 8 of whom received the treatment-and it showed significant improvement in functioning only in three of six measures, its authors concluded that the study did validate a model for how researchers can identify homogenous groups of subjects. This is an important step for enhancing the reliability of a future study. Indeed, in a paper from the University of California, San Francisco, researchers claim to have done just that-identify a group of kids with pure SPD-and found that their brains are in fact different from controls in key sensory areas.

Of course, researching the brain biology of a disorder without a codified diagnosis-and that so often overlaps with other neurodevelopmental conditions-isn't a risk-free proposition; investigators screened out kids with ADHD diagnoses, but many had high scores on scales for ADHD symptoms, so the study could be interpreted to show more about ADHD than SPD. But investigations like this can shed light on the sensory symptomology that all clinicians and researchers agree, at minimum, is present in many kids on the autism spectrum or with ADHD, as well as others, and help lay groundwork for future efforts.

But studies like UCSF's may do nothing to dull the disagreement, precisely because of the ambiguity in symptoms that can characterize several diagnoses. Some believers in SPD claim that common symptoms that are attributed to other disorders that are in the DSM-5, including autism, ADHD, and anxiety disorders, may actually stem from sensory challenges.

Marcus Jarrow, an OT and clinical director of the SMILE Center, which offers a sensory gym and other therapies, posits that autism is essentially an extreme case of SPD. He quotes the late Stanley Greenspan, MD, a child psychiatrist who did seminal work on developmental disorders. "Dr. Greenspan once said something along the lines of 'every child on the spectrum has sensory processing dysfunction, but not every child with SPD is on the spectrum. When the sensory processing issues become severe enough to impact relatedness, engagement and the child's ability to interact with the world around them, then the child is on the spectrum,' " Jarrow says.

Jarrow argues that sensory-based work is the key to getting children on the spectrum engaged socially. "In my experience, it is often in response to appropriately applied sensory-based strategies that children on the spectrum demonstrate their initial, or most consistent and meaningful, engagement," he says. "If a child cannot appropriately register and interpret the sensory information from their worlds, they will tune it out. Try making sense of an especially long foreign film with no subtitles while bombs are going off outside your window."

But he doesn't just work with kids on the spectrum. "I see sensory processing issues as the root of much of the 'hyperactivity' and 'attention' difficulties we observe these days. If a child has somatosensory issues and can't get comfortable in their seat for more than a few seconds, that child will clearly present with increased activity levels and certainly have a difficult time paying attention," he says, adding, "I firmly believe that a lot of children diagnosed with ADHD and treated with meds could otherwise respond very well to sensory integration treatment."

As an example, he cites a 6-year-old boy who came to his clinic, after his mother said she had been pressured by his school to have him evaluated -and medicated-for ADHD. "After a summer of pretty intensive sensory integration treatment with great home carryover," Jarrow said, "he went back to school in September and meds were never brought up again. I'm not trying to imply in any way that SI can prevent every kid out there from going on medication, but it certainly can help."

"To say any child has a disorder," responds Dr. Cruger, "you have to answer if the condition exists to scientific standards. And if you can meet that threshold of empirical evidence, then you begin to see how effective the treatments are for alleviating that condition. Therefore, it is worth noting that there are not scientific studies that support Jarrow's claim that a child with ADHD could be better treated by OT than medication, but there have been hundreds of studies examining the diagnosis of ADHD and the use of medication to treat the symptoms of ADHD in these children-generally showing medication to be a safe and effective treatment of the symptoms of this disorder, though not a cure for the condition."

"In addition," Dr. Cruger says, "neuroscientific studies, including CT scans and MRI studies, have seen volumetric differences between typically developing youngsters and children diagnosed with ADHD-not in those somatosensory regions, but in frontal lobe regions noted to be essential for the inhibition of impulses."

One of the most hot-button aspects of the SPD debate is this claim, of Jarrow and others, that sensory-based protocols, used correctly, can actually "rewire" the brain, allowing for more optimal regulation. Skeptics agree that kids can change, but argue that what's being called sensory rewiring may really just be behavioral training.

Dr. Rosenthal gives an example: "Take a kid who's behaviorally out of control. Let's say he spends several days a week working with an OT in a sensory gym, and he gets himself under control. And the effect seems to improve his self-regulation over time. Something's happening in the brain, maybe some neuronal patterns or some axons wiring together, creating better regulation in brain. Is it sensory rewiring of some kind or learning a new calming method? "

The challenge, he adds, is to isolate the component of therapy that's actually helping the child.

The SPD Foundation, which campaigned unsuccessfully to have the disorder listed as a separate diagnosis on the DSM-5, is doing its own ongoing research through its SPD Scientific Working Group. Two researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University are now testing the short-term effects of sensory-based therapy in improving attention and functional performance in children ages 6 to 10 with typical development, ADHD, and autism.

As research struggles to catch up with practice, more OTs and clinicians are open to working together to benefit kids. In fact, Biel just completed a book, Sensory Processing Challenges: Effective Clinical Work with Kids & Teens, that's intended for mental health clinicians so that they can become more knowledgeable about how sensory challenges affect their clients. She also teamed up in 2009 with Fernette Eide, MD, a neurologist, and husband Brock Eide, MD, a primary care physician, to present the Sensory Processing Master Class webinar to teach parents and professionals how to help children with "attention, learning, motor skills and social/emotional issues."

Dr. Eide says the continuing controversy over SPD is unfortunate because kids with sensory processing problems would benefit most from a "team approach with close coordination among psychiatrists, psychologists, and other professionals."

While the American Academy of Pediatrics stated in 2012 that there is not support for SPD as a diagnosable condition, the group did acknowledge the existence of sensory-based challenges and the fact that a lot of children are receiving therapies related to them, although they cautioned that there was limited data on the use of these therapies or their effectiveness. Because of this, the AAP recommends that pediatricians help parents find ways of measuring therapy outcomes by creating pre-and post-behavior rating scales as well as explicit treatment goals, such as the ability to focus, tolerate foods, and be in a loud room.

Four years after Paul began OT, he's still at it, along with physical and speech therapy and a social skills group. Given all that, plus the fact that her son has matured and can express himself more verbally, it's hard for Jodi to say with any certainty that the sensory diet has "rewired his brain." All she knows is that when he gets "the sillies" and can't sit still, she will pull out one of her sensory techniques such as jumping on the bed to provide him with the input he craves. She, and many other parents like her, aren't waiting for a study to try to help their kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Debate Over Sensory Processing - Child Mind Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jodi and Matt were mystified. At 2, their son, Paul, was behaving in ways no parenting book had described: knocking into walls, hugging them to the point of hurting, and screaming inexplicably in restaurants. He was strangely tentative when climbing or balancing on the playground equipment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Signs and symptoms of Sensory Processing Difficulties

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Signs and symptoms of Sensory Processing Difficulties

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Afasic and Naplic have been working together to reach out and help parents of children with DLD (Developmental Language Disorder), and have been able

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
All our free resources are stored in the Makaton Library…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Supports children with speech, language and communication difficulties. Children with communication difficulties might find it hard to express themselves, understand words, speak in sentences and understand simple instructions. I CAN’s mission is to ensure that no child who struggles to communicate is left out or left behind.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Selective Mutism Information & Research Association (SMIRA)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Selective Mutism (SM) is a communication anxiety disorder. This site contains information on and support for parents, people with SM, and professionals.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Running pioneering, highly specialist residential courses for young stammerers. Start your stammering adventure here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Developmental Language Disorder | DLD and Me

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A website developed by Speech and Language Therapists for kids and teenagers to learn about Developmental Langauge Disorder. A companion website for our book DLD and Me.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This conversation starts with books, then goes into more books, takes a turn into self-advocacy, and into the powerful message for therapists working with autistic kids. And if you're wondering, we'll get to the narwhals too. Our guest, Lei Wiley-Mydske, is an Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent and disabled writer, artist, advocate, activist, and parent. Lei runs so many cool projects - including a neurodiversity library inside of a tattoo shop - that we discuss in this episode.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This conversation starts with books, then goes into more books, takes a turn into self-advocacy, and into the powerful message for therapists working with autistic kids. And if you're wondering, we'll get to the narwhals too. Our guest, Lei Wiley-Mydske, is an Autistic and otherwise neurodivergent and disabled writer, artist, advocate, activist, and parent.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It is no surprise that some of the most frequently requested Social Stories are among the most difficult to write. The Stories in this Sampler address a few of those challenging topics. These are models that parents and professionals may use to develop Social Stories for a specific child, adolescent, or adult.

The Sampler contains Stories related to these concepts:

Safety: Understanding safety may make it easier to follow some rules.

Tragedies: What a tragedy is and understanding tragedies on television.

Discovery of Self and Others: Each person is one of a kind.

Advanced Concepts: Stories to address 'elusive' topics like stereotypes and resilience.

A few notes before you get started:

The Stories are arranged in a suggested sequence, according to concept areas and level of difficulty. They are designed to work together now, and over time. Reading the entire collection of Stories before selecting a starting point may be helpful. The ties between the Stories - and how they work together to build concepts - will become apparent.

A few Stories have two versions for level of difficulty or for a male or female Audience.

A Social Story may use an activity to make a point and share information. Such is the case with the "Peanut Butter Survey". Or, an activity may be accompanied by a set of Stories, as is the case with "The Fingerprint Survey" and Stories.

Story and Activity List: Th e following is a sequential list of Stories and activities in The Sampler, followed by a brief description of each. Stories with two versions share one title, with the exception of the series of Stories about Emma and Tyler.

1 & 2. "Safety Wherever I Go" (1-Boy Version) and "Safety Wherever I Go" (2-Girl Version) use simple text and large illustrations to identify safety measures in several areas, including the physical environment (rails, gates, doors and locks), safety equipment (helmets, life jackets, seat belts), signs, and more. The repetitive format builds predictability into the content, reinforcing the reassuring message.

3. "What is a Tragedy?"introduces and defines key vocabulary, like tragedy and survivor, explains the events surrounding a tragedy, describes efforts to assist survivors, and encourages the audience to ask questions of trusted adults.

4. "Watching a Tragedy on Television" clarifies the confusing aspects of watching a newscast about a disaster on television. It reassures children throughout, opening with a news bulletin that interrupts regular programming. The Story covers several concepts, including but definitely not limited to: the distinction between what is happening on the screen versus the safety of home; how a single event may appear on television for many days (making it seem like a tragedy is reoccurring); and how a family's typical routine usually resumes shortly, with the example of eating dinner. The Story closes with mention of efforts to help survivors.

5 & 6. "What Autism Means and What it Doesn't Mean" (5) and "What Autism Means and What it Doesn't Mean" (6) demonstrates how simple Story content and format can cover a relatively advanced or abstract concept. The Stories introduce a concept that echoes throughout The Social Story Sampler: autism is a personal factor, but it never defines who someone is. Story 6 contains more detail. Please note: Stories in The Sampler assume that readers with autism are aware of their diagnosis and understand it at a basic level.

7. "The Peanut Butter and Jelly Survey" uses peanut butter and jelly sandwich preferences to explore individual differences. This survey is geared to a younger Audience, although it is likely to be useful with children of any age, with or without autism.

8. "Everyone is Diagnosed Frequently" challenges the traditional interpretation of normal by pointing out that since everyone is diagnosed frequently, it is average or normal to have a diagnosis. The Story uses the example of Clark (pictured at left), who is a guy with over 35 diagnoses in the course of his 30-something life to date: His family and friends think he's a pretty healthy guy. They're right.

9. "The Difference Between Emma and Everyone Else"and 10. "The Difference Between Tyler and Everyone Else", could be regarded as Social Story puzzles. The first paragraph announces Emma/Tyler is a lot like other people except for one huge difference. Both Emma and Tyler have autism, but that, of course, is not it. Building upon concepts from "Everyone is Diagnosed Frequently", this Story has a bit of a surprise ending when the big difference between Tyler/Emma and everyone else is revealed. To develop an individualized version, the Story may be used to create an interview regarding a child's personal information. A child or adolescent may then compare his or her Story with that of Emma and Tyler.

11. "The Fingerprint Survey" continues building the concept that each person is unique via drawings. Where The Peanut Butter and Jelly Survey focuses on personal preferences, this survey explores a more advanced level of personal differences. It demonstrates how a single instruction, for example, "Draw a stick figure doing something," makes its way through an individual's mind and past experiences before it becomes lines and colors on paper. It is a tangible way to demonstrate that each of us has a brain and life story that is uniquely ours, with clues to that story in our drawings and the thoughts that create them.

12. "Emma and Tyler Take the Fingerprint Survey" describes two sets of survey responses. Individuals who complete "The Fingerprint Survey" compare Emma and Tyler's survey results with their own. Tyler serves as a healthy role model, too, as he does not like to draw but participates despite his lack of confidence.

13 & 14. "Fingerprints, Decisions, and Fingerprint Decisions" (13-Girl Version) and "Fingerprints, Decisions, and Fingerprint Decisions" (14-Boy Version) introduce and define the terms decision and fingerprint decision for the first time in The Sampler. It opens with a discussion of the difference in fingerprints between identical twins, moving on to other things that distinguish us from one another, like our brain, environment, and experiences. That leads to a summary of the different kinds of decisions that we make. The Story closes with a page devoted to a definition and discussion of fingerprint decisions.

15. "Learning About Skunks and Stereotypes" introduces and defines stereotypes. Skunks provide a tangible and universally recognized case example. The Story describes how stereotypes can be helpful in some cases, and damaging in others.

The description of both good and bad stereotypes lays the groundwork for future discussions of both. Adolescents are increasingly independent and it's important to teach the 'warning flags' or constellation of cues that may mean trouble or a threat to personal safety. An example is driving and the quick judgments that it requires. Many of those judgments are stereotypes at work.

16. "What is it? It's R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. A Puzzle Story" opens with a word puzzle that leads to a definition and discussion of resilience. The Story closes with a description of a very resilient man, Wilson Bentley (1865 - 1931).
The Sampler Stories are for any parent or professional seeking ideas and materials for use with the person or persons in their immediate care. I hope they will give you many ideas. You have my permission to download and print the Stories and activities for this purpose exclusively. Permission is not granted for professional presentations of any kind, duplication or distribution via any means, or for sale or profit. Thank you, Carol Gray, Author
The Social Story Sampler References
Project History and Story Guide
National Center for Autism (2009). The National Autism Center's national standards report: National standards project - Addressing the need for evidence-based guidelines for autism spectrum disorders. National Autism Center. Available online at http://www.nationalautismcenter.org/pdf/NAC%20Standards%20Report.pdf
The Difference Between Emma and Everyone Else The Difference Between Tyler and Everyone Else What is it? A Story Puzzle
Illustrations by Deposit Photos http://www.depositphotos.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Story Sampler - Carol Gray - Social Stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It is no surprise that some of the most frequently requested Social Stories are among the most difficult to write. The Stories in this Sampler address a few of those challenging topics. These are models that parents and professionals may use to develop Social Stories for a specific child, adolescent, or adult.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spectrum Gaming is an online community for autistic young people. The aims of Spectrum Gaming are to enable autistic young people to develop meaningful friendships; to help them understand and develop a positive perspective of their differences; and to advocate for the needs of autistic young people

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are Speech and Language UK - we want every child to face the future with confidence. For 1.7 million children in the UK, learning to talk and understand words feel like an impossible hurdle.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Selective Mutism Workbook for Parents and Professionals

# data[].attributes.subject
The Selective Mutism Workbook for Parents and Professionals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ensuring an Anxiety Free Environment - Secondary School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Advice sheet for children and adults who stammer or stutter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many autistic pupils need extra support to thrive at school.

# data[].attributes.headline
Wirral Autism Referral Section B - C - D

# data[].attributes.subject
Wirral Autism Referral Section B - C - D

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Referral Form ADHD-ASD-DCD Part B-C-D September 2025 (2)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The ADHD Team provides assessment to children and young people aged 6-16 years who have a GP in Cheshire East. The team accepts referrals for children and young people who have not received a previous diagnosis of ADHD.
ADHD treatment and medication monitoring
This service is available to children and young people aged 6-16 years who have received a diagnosis of ADHD and have a GP in Cheshire East.
ASC diagnostic assessment
The ASC Team provides assessment to children and young people aged 4-18 years and who have a GP in Cheshire East, and to children and young people aged 11-16 years and who have a GP in Cheshire West. This does not include children and young people who access health services from Winsford, Northwich, Bunbury, Frodsham or Helsby practices (unless they live in Elton) . The Team accepts referrals for children and young people who have not received a previous diagnosis of ASC.
ADHD and Autism Assessment Service Providers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The ADHD Team provides assessment to children and young people aged 6-16 years who have a GP in Cheshire East. The team accepts referrals for children and young people who have not received a previous diagnosis of ADHD.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance in children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
PDA Society - Pathological Demand Avoidance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The term PDA stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance. This is widely understood to be a profile found within some autistic people. The most obvious

# data[].attributes.headline
Traits Questionnaire with instant scoring 

# data[].attributes.subject
Traits Questionnaire with instant scoring 

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.cati-autism.com/questionnaire

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Complete the CATI in your browser and view your personal scores immediately.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Billy Found Mates Club- Resilient NW

# data[].attributes.subject
The Billy Found Mates Club- Resilient NW

# data[].attributes.body
Here at Resilient NW, we support children and young people aged 16 to 24 to build everyday resilience and to help them grow and learn skills for a happy and successful future.

The Billy Found Mates club

The Billy Found Mates club has lots of free activities and is open to anyone struggling with social anxiety aged 11 to 25 yrs