# data[].attributes.body
If you would like us to focus on a particular aspect for a social story for your child please contact Mrs Fayers (SENCO) n.Fayers.scs@osborne.coop

# data[].attributes.headline
Parent guide to getting logged in to programmes used by school

# data[].attributes.subject
Parent guide to getting logged in to programmes used by school

# data[].attributes.body
This will give you a step by step guide on logging in to the programmes used by the school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital platform log in support tool for parents 

# data[].attributes.body
This handy guide, written by parents, for parents gives guidance and support for other parents of neurodiverse children.

# data[].attributes.body
These are updated annually and are ratified by Governors. The most up to date version can be found on the school website

# data[].attributes.headline
Supporting children to deal with upsetting content

# data[].attributes.subject
Supporting children to deal with upsetting content

# data[].attributes.body
In light of recent situations in Ukraine, please have a look at this helpful guide when dealing with upsetting content with your child/ren

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting Children with Dealing with Upsetting Content

# data[].attributes.body
Various methods to support students using assistive technology

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Review of Assistive Technology (Software) Jeff Howson (1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Written by Dr Rebecca Gordon

Developmental dyslexia (herein referred to as dyslexia) is a neurodevelopmental condition typically attributed to children who demonstrate difficulties with reading and spelling, and where these cannot be explained by broader intellectual difficulties, socioeconomic status, exposure to effective education, or emotional problems ¹.

Reports of the prevalence of dyslexia differ depending on the report source and can range from 5% of to 20% of the population ². One of the reasons for such a broad estimate is the imprecise nature of diagnosis. For example, what is the cut off point for 'poor' reading? How is poor reading defined? Is it relative to the child's peers or their other academic abilities? However, prior to diagnosis is early identification, and this is one of the most challenging obstacles to diagnosing dyslexia. After all, a sought diagnosis is typically prompted by concern from a parent or teacher based on observed behaviours related to reading, writing and spelling.

In this blog, we consider three neuromyths (i.e., misunderstandings) and how they might contribute to a failure to identify those with an increased likelihood of being dyslexic, and prevent understanding of the long-term challenges dyslexic people face. These neuromyths are:

Neuromyth 1: Children with dyslexia experience visual stress and reverse letters and words
Neuromyth 2: Children with dyslexia are right-brain dominant
Neuromyth 3: Dyslexia goes away once children learn to read through remediation

When parents and teachers are unaware of the false nature of these statements, it affects the likelihood of dyslexia being identified early (or at all) and subsequently, unfortunately, often limits the interventions available. We also look at how these neuromyths might lead to poorer outcomes in adulthood.
Neuromyth 1: Children with dyslexia experience visual stress and reverse letters and words
Visual stress describes the sensation of distortions and discomfort when reading. In the past, it was thought to be a cause of dyslexia, and interventions used coloured overlays on text to alleviate this stress. However, research has begun to question the effectiveness of this approach ³. With regard to letter and word reversal, it is true that some dyslexic children make this mistake, but so do their peers. It is a very common developmental phenomenon in emerging literacy skills[1]. There is no evidence that this behaviour is linked to later problems in learning to read or spell. Importantly, children can have dyslexia without ever having experienced visual stress or reversed letters or words.

Visual-based neuromyths related to dyslexia likely evolved from the original description of this condition as "word blindness" ⁴. This was because individuals typically were in the average range for intelligence but could not develop literacy skills (i.e., reading). It was therefore thought that the difficulty must be related to the visual system (see Magnocellular theory of developmental dyslexia ⁵). However, this explanation has long since been dispelled as some behavioural and neuroimaging studies have presented evidence of phonological (i.e., sound-based) differences and anatomical differences in the brains of children with dyslexia compared to non-dyslexic children ⁶. The main issue with these misconceptions is that they can delay or prevent early diagnosis of dyslexia. For example, if letter or word reversal is believed to be a core component of dyslexia, and this behaviour is absent, a child may not be suspected of potentially being dyslexic, and their delayed literacy development may be attributed to general lower intelligence (or even laziness).

Dyslexia manifests in many ways, including being less able to recognise rhyming patterns, difficulty in breaking words into different sounds, and using vague or inexact vocabulary. Observable characteristics of dyslexia may also vary with age. At the early stages of reading, difficulties with decoding individual words may be evident. Later on, comprehension and fluency problems may be more obvious as reading demands increase. In adulthood, difficulties may focus around spelling and written expression. In addition, although difficulties with reading, writing and spelling have been identified as the core features of dyslexia, broader cognitive difficulties affecting, for example, memory, attention, and cognitive control have been found in some children ⁷ and adults ⁸.
Neuromyth 2: Children with dyslexia are right-brain dominant
This idea that some people are left-brained and others are right-brained comes from lateralisation research which used neuroimaging to demonstrate the association of some cognitive skills (e.g., language) with increased neural activity in a specific brain hemisphere (e.g., in the case of language, the left). From this arose the idea that the right side of the brain is more related to spatial and creative abilities. The research evidence, however, is that abilities such as language and creativity are reliant on the integration of both hemispheres. From these misinterpretations, the neuromyth that dyslexic people are right-hemisphere dominant has arisen to "explain" why they have difficulties with reading. Similarly, there is a related neuromyth that people with dyslexia are more creative (again, there is little evidence for this). Although hemisphere-specific cortical activation is a real phenomenon; lateral cognitive responsibility of specific skills such as literacy does not take into account the incredibly complex (and fully integrated) system that is the human brain. In fact, left-brain, right-brain dominance was discredited in the 1980s.

Aside from the obvious problem of expecting dyslexic children to be creative, this neuromyth is an extremely effective mechanism for the development of misguided educational techniques in place of interventions that could actually help children who struggle with reading, writing and spelling. Teaching techniques such as word-sound awareness, orthographic spelling rules and strategies to section words into affixes and roots have been shown to be effective interventions ⁹.
Neuromyth 3: Dyslexia goes away once children learn to read through remediation
This is arguably the neuromyth that has the most detrimental impact on the long-term outcomes for people with dyslexia. As mentioned previously, there is a growing body of evidence that broader cognitive difficulties related to dyslexia affect memory, attention, and executive functioning. Findings from studies with adults and children strongly suggest these difficulties persist long after reading and spelling have been improved by remediation ⁷. That is to say that dyslexia does not just disappear once an individual reaches adulthood. Its effects are lifelong. Studies with dyslexic adults have found increased forgetfulness, daydreaming and problems with planning and structuring written information. Such research indicates that dyslexia is not limited to phonological problems but can present very real challenges in adult life, such as the workplace. Adults with dyslexia have reported increased memory failure and difficulties with time management ⁸. This then affects career progression. For example, overall dyslexic people have to work longer and harder in their workplace to work at an equivalent level to their non-dyslexic peers ¹⁰. Related to this are real concerns about the impact of dyslexia on mental health and self-esteem, particularly due to ongoing stigma and lack of understanding around different ways of thinking. One study found that 85% of adults with dyslexia who had adjustments in higher/further education did not reveal their dyslexia to their employer. The reasons listed included fear of losing their job, discrimination, and being thought stupid ¹¹.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
So how can educators support individuals with dyslexia?
A diagnosis of dyslexia requires a clinical assessment. However, we can still be aware of certain behaviours that might have an increased likelihood of a dyslexia diagnosis. There is a growing body of research that suggests differences in cognitive control and attention in the early years (i.e., 3-5 year-olds) might predict reading difficulties in primary school children ¹². When a child reaches school, forgetfulness, difficulties following instructions, time management and attention are all areas of cognition which are typically areas in need of additional support in children with dyslexia. Obviously, it is difficult, if not impossible, to track performance in all these areas as children develop. However, if a child is struggling to acquire skills in literacy, there is benefit in being aware that these other abilities are also implicated in this. Equally important is to move away from the assumption that the absence of letter/word reversal, or advanced creativity, is a sure sign that the child is not dyslexic. It is also important to consider the persistence of dyslexia-related difficulties into adulthood, where external memory aids and time prompts could decrease the likelihood of task failure, and time adjustments and written instructions can reduce cognitive load for adults with dyslexia.
Resources
How to recognise dyslexia symptoms by age: www.healthline.com/health/dyslexia-symptoms-by-age
References
⁵Stein J. (2001). The magnocellular theory of developmental dyslexia. Dyslexia, 7, 12-36.

⁶Dehaene, S. (2009). Reading in the Brain: The Science and Evolution of a Human Invention. New York: Viking

¹⁰McLoughlin, D., Leather, C., & Stringer, P. (2002). The adult dyslexic: Interventions and outcomes (Vol. 14). John Wiley & Sons Incorporated.

[1] This is linked to the requirement to repurpose a part of the brain's visual system to recognise shapes as different letters depending on their direction and orientation (e.g., b, d, q, p), which is in conflict with the brain's usual practice of recognising objects irrespective of which way they are facing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Written by Dr Rebecca Gordon Developmental dyslexia (herein referred to as dyslexia) is a neurodevelopmental condition typically attributed to children who demonstrate difficulties with reading and spelling, and where these cannot be explained by broader intellectual difficulties, socioeconomic status, exposure to effective education, or emotional problems 1.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Written by Matthew Slocombe

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition predominantly diagnosed on the basis of differences in social communication and interaction and repetitive and restricted behaviours. Autistic people may experience sensory information differently from non-autistic people. Autism often co-occurs with other diagnoses, especially anxiety.

Autism is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions. In the UK, it is estimated that at least 1-2% of children are diagnosed with autism, with 3-5 more times as many boys diagnosed than girls 1,2,3. However, this difference in diagnosis between boys and girls is thought to be due to a number of factors, such as autistic girls being more adept at 'masking' their traits, rather than a true reflection of differences in prevalence.

Like many characteristics that emerge through development, autistic traits are likely caused by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Various studies point towards autism being related to various genes. For example, autism is more common in children who have genetic disorders such as Fragile X Syndrome and Down Syndrome, suggesting that genetic factors contribute to autism. Studies of siblings also point towards genetic factors in autism. For example, 5-8% of autistic people's siblings also have autism, rising to 82-92% if the siblings are monozygotic twins - identical twins that share the same genes ⁴. It is important to note that autistic individuals have raised ethical concerns around research which seeks to identify biomarkers for autism, in terms of what the aim of such research is, and the extent to which it actually benefits autistic people. What is clear, however, is that it is currently not well understood how genes and environment interact in the development of autism.

Photo by Peter Burdon on Unsplash

Autism is often described as a spectrum condition which means that there is no one set of autistic-specific traits shared by all autistic people. Rather, autistic people can have different profiles of strengths and challenges across a range of characteristics. How much these traits impact autistic people's lives can also vary considerably. Many individuals diagnosed with autism are not held back in achieving their goals so that autism can be viewed as a difference, but for some children, their experience is of challenges in their development, friendships, and school lives, and in that sense, features of autism are sometimes described as difficulties. A better general understanding of autism can help with communication, which always relies on two people. The following paragraphs are to be understood within this context of diversity.

Autistic people can have difficulties in understanding verbal and non-verbal language. Some autistic people may have good verbal language skills but struggle to interpret the less-obvious meanings in communication, such as meaning conferred by gesture, tone of voice, and non-literal language such as metaphor. Other autistic people can have very limited verbal ability and have pronounced difficulties in communicating their thoughts. Autistic people can also have difficulties in inferring other people's feelings or intentions and in expressing their own emotions. These combined difficulties can make understanding and interacting in the social world challenging for autistic people.

Another common autistic trait relates to behaviours, interests and activities, including intense interests as well as repetitive and restricted behaviours. These can include a desire to keep to routines that they know well. Sometimes, autistic people can struggle with unspoken rules of the world, which can make the world an unpredictable place. By sticking to routines, autistic people are better able to know what is going to happen. Other repetitive behaviours might include hand flapping, rocking or repetitive use of an object like playing with a pen. These kinds of repetitive motor movements can help autistic people to manage stress.

Autistic people may also experience over- (hyper-) and under- (hypo-) sensitivity to different senses such as sound, light, smell, temperature and pain. For example, an autistic person who is sensitive to sound might experience background noises in a classroom as intensely loud and anxiety-inducing. Someone who may be hypo-sensitive to pain may not notice if they have cut or hurt themselves. The same person who might be hypo-sensitive to certain types of pain, might find different types of experiences painful, that other people would not.

Whilst anxiety is itself not a core feature of autism, many autistic people can suffer from anxiety. It is estimated that anxiety affects 40% of autistic individuals and is a common problem for autistic children 5,6. Most people would find managing sensory differences in unaccommodating environments, navigating uncertain situations, and difficulties in understanding social situations stressful.
Common incorrect believes about autism
There are a number of neuromyths related to autism which we discuss in the rest of this blog:

Neuromyth 1: Autistic children do not feel empathy
Neuromyth 2: Autistic children are unable to notice social rejection
Neuromyth 3: Autistic children with autism do not like to be touched
Neuromyth 4: Autism only occurs in boys
Neuromyth 1: Autistic children do not feel empathy
A common misconception is that autistic people do not feel empathy towards other people. This misconception is related to the finding that autistic people may have difficulties picking up on the subtle cues that convey how someone is feeling in some contexts. For example, cross-cultural studies have reported that some autistic people are better at recognising others' emotions that can be generalised to a broad range of contexts (e.g., happy, sad, afraid, angry, disgusted, surprised), compared to complex emotions that are bound to more specific contexts (e.g., interested, bored, excited, worried, disappointed, frustrated, proud, ashamed, kind, unfriendly, joking, hurt) ⁷. Likewise, an autistic person may understand how another person feels in a given context, but they may communicate this understanding differently. For example, it has been argued that autistic people actually are over-aroused by other people's emotions and become too overwhelmed to respond to these and shut down ⁸. Something to bear in mind is that no one empathises with everyone all of the time. Some autistic people may need additional support in understanding others' feelings in certain contexts, or they may need more support in communicating how they think others feel, although neither should be confused with the inability to understand other's feelings.
Neuromyth 2: Autistic children are unable to notice social rejection
Related to the empathy myth, is the misconception that children with autism are unable to notice social rejection. Because autistic people understand and communicate about the social world in a different way to non-autistic people (e.g., they might avoid direct eye contact or want to spend time on their own), it might appear that they are not interested in social relationships. An autistic person might also communicate differently about how they feel in a certain social situation. Whilst autistic people may interact differently in social situations to non-autistic people, as the testimonies of autistic people below highlight, they value friendships, notice social rejection and feel loneliness in a similar way as non-autistic people ⁹.
"Many times, autistics revert to isolation by default rather than preference. It is infinitely easier to back away and not try to be included instead of oafishly stepping in and attempting to convey your intent to be a part. Loneliness is the most predominant side effect of our unique design" "I want to be known as just someone who, uh, someone who works hard and also, someone who likes to be around others" "Learning to make connections with people-much as I desperately wanted to-was a bewildering process, for they kept changing, and I felt like an alien, always about to be exposed"
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Neuromyth 3: Autistic children do not like to be touched
Different sensory experiences are a key feature in autistic people and many autistic people have sensitive sensory experiences, especially related to touch ¹⁰. Because some autistic people may have difficulty in quickly interpreting the social dynamics of a situation, they may also not see a particular instance of affection or touch as socially relevant. Indeed, a Swedish study has shown that hyper-responsiveness to touch predicts social difficulties in autistic adults ¹¹. However, different autistic people have different sensory profiles, with some individuals showing hyper-sensitivity to touch (i.e., may overreact to a touch stimuli due to hypersensitivity) and some showing hypo-sensitivity to touch (i.e. need more input to respond) ¹². Indeed, interviews with parents of autistic individuals showed large individual differences, with some autistic individuals liking to touch everything and others responding negatively to touch ¹³. However, sensitivity profiles in autism are currently not well understood, and further research in this domain is required ¹⁴.
Neuromyth 4: Autism only occurs in boys
While 3-5 times as many boys are diagnosed with autism than girls, this difference may not be a true indicator of actual prevalence 1,2,3. Because many autistic traits relate to social behaviour, and boys and girls have different social experiences, autistic boys and girls may develop different coping mechanisms. For example, autistic girls may be quieter than boys, or they may be more adept at 'masking' their traits due to societal pressures, both of which can make autistic girls' traits less visible than autistic boys. In addition, there are high levels of non-traditional gender identities in autistic people.
Resources
National Autistic Society: www.autism.org.uk

Autism Education Trust: www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

NHS: www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism
References
¹ SIGN (2016) Assessment, diagnosis and interventions for autism spectrum disorders. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network

² National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health (2017) Autism: recognition, referral and diagnosis of children and young people on the autism spectrum (full NICE guideline). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

³ American Psychiatric Association (Eds.) (2013) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. 5th edn. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

⁴ Park, H.R., Lee, J.M. and Moon, H.E. et al. (2016) A short review on the current understanding of autism spectrum disorders. Experimental Neurobiology 25(1), 1-13.

⁵ White, S.W., Oswald, D., Ollendick, T., Scahill, L. (2009). Anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Clinical Psychology Review. 29 (3), pp. 216-29

⁶ Van Steensel, F. J., Bögels, S. M., Perrin, S. (2011). Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis. Clinical child and family psychology review, 14(3), pp.302-317

⁷ Fridenson-Hayo, S., Berggren, S., Lassalle, A., Tal, S., Pigat, D., Bölte, S., ... & Golan, O. (2016). Basic and complex emotion recognition in children with autism: cross-cultural findings. Molecular autism, 7(1), 1-11.

⁸Fletcher-Watson, S., & Bird, G. (2020). Autism and empathy: What are the real links? Autism, 24(1), 3-6. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319883506

⁹ Jaswal, V. K., & Akhtar, N. (2019). Being versus appearing socially uninterested: Challenging assumptions about social motivation in autism. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 42.

¹⁰ Tomcheck, S. D., Dunn, W. (2007). Sensory processing in children with and without autism: A comparative study using the short sensory profile. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 190-200.

¹¹Lundqvist, L. O. (2015). Hyper-responsiveness to touch mediates social dysfunction in adults with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 9, 13-20. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2014.09.012

¹²Güçlü B, Tanidir C, Mukaddes NM, Unal F. Tactile sensitivity of normal and autistic children. Somatosens Mot Res. 2007;24:21-33

¹³Leekam, S. R., Nieto, C., Libby, S. J., Wing, L., & Gould, J. (2007). Describing the sensory abnormalities of children and adults with autism. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 37(5), 894-910. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0218-7

¹⁴Marco, E. J., Hinkley, L. B., Hill, S. S., & Nagarajan, S. S. (2011). Sensory processing in autism: a review of neurophysiologic findings. Pediatric research, 69(5 Pt 2), 48R-54R. https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e3182130c54

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Written by Matthew Slocombe Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition predominantly diagnosed on the basis of differences in social communication and interaction and repetitive and restricted behaviours. Autistic people may experience sensory information differently from non-autistic people. Autism often co-occurs with other diagnoses, especially anxiety. Autism is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Written by Matthew Slocombe

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition clinically characterised by impulsivity, hyperactivity and poor attentional control. There are three subtypes of ADHD: predominantly inattentive subtype (who have less hyperactive behaviours), predominantly hyperactive subtype (who have less inattentive behaviours), and combined inattentive and hyperactive subtype.

Children with ADHD can struggle with controlling their attention, organising their thoughts and actions, and regulating their emotions and behaviour. As such, ADHD has implications for children's ability to learn and develop. Children with ADHD are more likely than their peers without ADHD to underachieve in school 1,2 and can have difficulty making friends ³. ADHD is also associated with poorer language skills 4 and higher rates of anxiety and depression 5,6. Whilst ADHD is most commonly characterised by difficulties, the flexible attention associated with ADHD can be beneficial for creative thinking and improvisation ⁷. As with many neurodevelopmental conditions, they are too often solely considered in terms of the difficulties students have as opposed to the strengths that children may also have. This is reflected in the language used, ADHD for example, may characterise children as having both a disorder and a deficit. The ADHD Foundation has, noted it may reduce stigma and improve outcomes to speak in terms of ADHC - attention dysregulation hyperactivity condition.

ADHD is relatively common, although prevalence varies across different countries and can depend on how ADHD is diagnosed. In the UK, it is estimated that approximately 1.7% of children have a diagnosis of ADHD, whereas studies from the US have reported rates of 8.8% ⁸. In terms of the different subtypes, 20% to 30% are diagnosed as predominantly inattentive, approximately 15% as predominantly hyperactive, and 50% to 75% as combined inattentive and hyperactive ⁹.
What causes ADHD to develop?
ADHD is what is known as a neurodevelopmental condition. This means that it emerges from changes in the brain that take place across development via a complex interaction between genes and the environment.

Whilst the current research cannot state for certain the exact causes of ADHD, several different factors are associated with higher rates of ADHD, suggesting that there may be multiple genetic and environmental causes. The latter include exposure to toxins such as cigarette smoke and pollutants, problems during pregnancy, and childhood trauma ¹⁰. ADHD is not caused by parenting style, although severe neglect and abuse are associated with higher rates of ADHD ¹⁰.

For most people who have ADHD, it is unlikely that there is just one genetic or environmental cause. Instead, ADHD is likely to be the result of an interaction between many small causes ¹⁰. How these different causes interact with each other is currently not well known, and the combination of factors that cause ADHD may differ between children.

It is important to note that having genes that are associated with ADHD does not necessarily mean ADHD will develop. A useful analogy here is to think about the construction of your home. Thick walls and poor ventilation can predispose a room to be a warm room. However, the actual temperature of the room depends on environmental factors, such as the outside temperature and whether or not the house has heating. It is the interaction between the room's construction and environmental factors that causes room temperature, in the same way as it is the interaction between genes and environment that can cause ADHD to develop.
What causes ADHD in the brain?
In the brain, ADHD is believed to be caused by difficulties with a function called inhibitory control. Inhibitory control acts like the brain's 'braking system' and plays a vital role in controlling the flow of activity around many different areas in the brain. Similar to how the brakes in a car are important for controlling speed and direction, inhibitory control is important for the coordination and control of our thoughts, attention, motor movements and emotions ¹¹.

One way the brain's inhibitory control system works is by activating plans in an area at the front of the brain called the prefrontal cortex ¹². These plans provide a structure that the brain uses to coordinate which thoughts and actions need to be activated and inhibited at specific times and in particular orders. It is thought that people with ADHD can struggle to keep these plans in the prefrontal cortex active, which causes the disorganised patterns of activation and inhibition in the brain that make controlling attention, action and emotions difficult.

Attention difficulties in ADHD can manifest in different ways. When the brain's braking system struggles to inhibit 'distractions', this can cause difficulties in maintaining attention on one task for a prolonged period; people with ADHD might 'flitter' from one task to another. However, when a particular activity is very rewarding, the brain's braking system can struggle to inhibit carrying on with the rewarding task, causing a behaviour called 'hyperfocus', where it becomes difficult to stop doing one particular task.

When the brain's braking system struggles with controlling thought and action, this can result in being driven by impulse. This can manifest in hyperactive behaviour and saying things without thinking about them first. Differences around control of thought and action can also cause difficulties in organising thinking, movement, language and complex tasks. People with ADHD can have disorganised sentences, difficulties in finding the right words and sentences to express their thoughts ⁶ and can often have poorer motor control ¹³.

Another role of the brain's braking system is to regulate emotions. As children develop, their inhibitory control systems become better at inhibiting activity in parts of the brain involved in emotions ¹⁴. As children with ADHD have difficulty with inhibiting strong emotions, they can become upset or excited very quickly. Poorer emotion regulation is likely to contribute to the higher-than-average rates of anxiety and depression in children and adults with ADHD 5,6.

Photo by Santi Vedrí on Unsplash
Common neuromyths related to ADHD
Neuromyth 1: Children grow out of ADHD
Neuromyth 2: Sugar causes ADHD
Neuromyth 3: ADHD stimulant medication can lead to drug problems later in life
Neuromyth 1: Children grow out of ADHD
Whilst most cases of ADHD are diagnosed between the ages of 6 to 12, many ADHD related difficulties children face can continue into adulthood. ADHD was indeed previously believed to be a condition that only affected children. However, follow-up studies have now shown that 15% of children with ADHD continued to meet the full diagnostic criteria later in adulthood, with a further 50% reporting significant ADHD related difficulties in adulthood 15,16. Whilst ADHD is often a lifelong condition, many learn to develop coping mechanisms for some of the difficulties they may experience as a result of their ADHD or have greater control over the environments they operate in to enable them to lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives.

A balanced diet is necessary to maintain good brain health and cognitive functioning. A common belief that you may have heard is that certain diets can be used as treatments for ADHD. However, the evidence-base for specific ADHD dietary interventions, such as supplements or reducing intake of specific foods or additives, is currently weak and inconclusive ¹⁷. A particularly prevalent belief is that sugar can cause ADHD and that reducing sugar intake may alleviate ADHD symptoms. There is little clear evidence for a causal link between sugar and ADHD. For example, a recent follow-up study of 2924 Brazilian children found that sucrose consumption was associated with ADHD, although only boys and only at age 6. When the same children were followed-up at 11 years old, change in sucrose consumption was not associated with change in ADHD prevalence, as would have been expected if sucrose was a contributing cause of ADHD ¹⁸. So why would there be an association between sucrose and ADHD at age 6? The authors suggest that it may have been ADHD causing higher sugar intake rather than sugar intake causing ADHD.

The above study highlights the complexity in teasing apart the direction of causality in ADHD and sugar. However, the relationship between diet and ADHD is far from well understood. As the causes of ADHD can vary for different children, it may well be the case that certain dietary changes can help some children but not others. This, together with the inconclusive evidence base, highlights the importance of seeking medical advice before considering making any dietary changes. It is important in this consideration that we guard against diagnostic overshadowing, whereby one diagnosis overshadows the possibility of other needs. All children can differ in terms of their responses to different foods, regardless of whether or not they have ADHD. If you do suspect there is an association between specific foods and your child's ADHD symptoms, the advice from the NHS is to first speak to your doctor. They will be able to advise you on whether any dietary modifications may be helpful and may also refer you to a dietitian.
Neuromyth 3: ADHD stimulant medication can lead to drug problems later in life Supporting children with ADHD
Photo by Dose Juice on Unsplash

Treatment for ADHD often involves stimulant medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), lisdexamfetamine and dexamfetamine (though some may be prescribed non-stimulant medication). It might seem strange that stimulants can help reduce hyperactivity. However, these types of medication work by stimulating the brain's braking system, and by doing so, help children to concentrate and control impulsive behaviour. Whilst ADHD is associated with higher rates of drug misuse, there is no evidence to suggest that stimulant medication increases the risk of drug misuse ¹⁵. The relationship between ADHD and substance misuse is complex: ADHD traits such as impulsivity and emotional dysregulation may themselves contribute to the association between ADHD and higher rates of substance misuse. However, the evidence on whether treating ADHD with stimulants affects the prevalence of substance misuse is mixed. Some studies have reported that stimulant medication has little effect on the prevalence of substance misuse in people with ADHD, whereas other studies have reported that treating ADHD with stimulants is associated with lower rates of substance misuse. Importantly, there is no evidence to suggest that stimulant medication increases the risk of substance misuse ¹⁹.

A good way of supporting children with ADHD is to understand their unique profile of strengths and needs. Using strengths to support areas of need will be one of the most effective ways of providing support. Whilst all children will be different, a good area to focus on (that will be of value to all children) is support developing their skills around organising thoughts and actions. This support might include providing additional structure to help young people with ADHD maintain plans in their mind, such as visual memory aids, or prompts to remind them of the sequence of activities in a task.
Useful websites https://adhdfoundation.org.uk/ https://www.youngminds.org.uk/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/ References
Embedding regular routines in the classroom and at home are useful to provide a stable structure that children with ADHD work better within. Unexpected change can be very distracting for people with ADHD, and stable routines can help avoid this source of distractions and/or distress.

Even when external support is provided, children with ADHD can find maintaining their attention on one task challenging. Having ADHD means that it takes a lot of effort to maintain attention even when external supports are provided. They can find it very difficult to sit in one place and concentrate on one task. Varying tasks and providing opportunities for children to be physically active can be helpful to give all children's attention a break. Providing opportunities for children to carry out certain tasks in the classroom, such as handing out books and materials to other children, can help children address any needs around movement or stimulation in ways that may less explcilty draw attention to difficulties a child is experiencing and also support a sense of belonging within the classroom.

¹Fleming, M., Fitton, C. A., Steiner, M. F., McLay, J. S., Clark, D., King, A., ... & Pell, J. P. (2017). Educational and health outcomes of children treated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. JAMA Paediatrics, 171(7), e170691-e170691.

²Breslau, J., Miller, E., Chung, W. J. J., & Schweitzer, J. B. (2011). Childhood and adolescent onset psychiatric disorders, substance use, and failure to graduate high school on time. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 45(3), 295-301.

³Ros, R., & Graziano, P. A. (2018). Social functioning in children with or at risk for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psycholog y, 47(2), 213-235.

⁴Korrel, H., Mueller, K. L., Silk, T., Anderson, V., & Sciberras, E. (2017). Research Review: Language problems in children with Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-a systematic meta‐analytic review. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58(6), 640-654.

⁵Tannock, R. (2009). ADHD with anxiety disorders. In T. E. Brown (Ed.), ADHD comorbidities: Handbook for ADHD complications in children and adults (pp. 131-155). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc..

⁶Brunsvold, G. L., Oepen, G., Federman, E. J., & Akins, R. (2008). Comorbid depression and ADHD in children and adolescents: consensus and controversy. Psychiatric Times, 25(10), 13-13.

⁷Hoogman, M., Stolte, M., Baas, M., & Kroesbergen, E. (2020). Creativity and ADHD: A review of behavioral studies, the effect of psychostimulants and neural underpinnings. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

⁸Verkuijl, N., Perkins, M., & Fazel, M. (2015). Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. British Medical Journal, 350.

⁹ National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2021, January). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: How common is it? https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/background-information/prevalence/

¹⁰Faraone, S. V., Banaschewski, T., Coghill, D., Zheng, Y., Biederman, J., Bellgrove, M. A., ... & Wang, Y. (2021). The world federation of ADHD international consensus statement: 208 evidence-based conclusions about the disorder. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

¹¹ Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual review of psychology, 64, 135-168.

¹²Munakata, Y., Herd, S. A., Chatham, C. H., Depue, B. E., Banich, M. T., & O'Reilly, R. C. (2011). A unified framework for inhibitory control. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(10), 453-459.

¹³Kaiser, M. L., Schoemaker, M. M., Albaret, J. M., & Geuze, R. H. (2015). What is the evidence of impaired motor skills and motor control among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Systematic review of the literature. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 36, 338-357.

¹⁴Pitskel, N. B., Bolling, D. Z., Kaiser, M. D., Crowley, M. J., & Pelphrey, K. A. (2011). How grossed out are you? The neural bases of emotion regulation from childhood to adolescence. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 1(3), 324-337.

¹⁵Young, S., & Gudjonsson, G. H. (2008). Growing out of ADHD: the relationship between functioning and symptoms. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12(2), 162-169.

¹⁶Faraone, S. V., Biederman, J., & Mick, E. (2006). The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis of follow-up studies. Psychological Medicine, 36(2), 159-165.

¹⁷ National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2016). Addendum to Clinical Guideline 72, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87/evidence/dietary-interventions-pdf-4844210798″

¹⁸Del-Ponte, B., Anselmi, L., Assunção, M. C. F., Tovo-Rodrigues, L., Munhoz, T. N., Matijasevich, A., ... & Santos, I. S. (2019). Sugar consumption and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a birth cohort study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 243, 290-296.

¹⁹Zulauf, C. A., Sprich, S. E., Safren, S. A., & Wilens, T. E. (2014). The complicated relationship between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorders. Current Psychiatry Reports, 16(3), 436.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NeuroSENse - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Written by Matthew Slocombe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition clinically characterised by impulsivity, hyperactivity and poor attentional control. There are three subtypes of ADHD: predominantly inattentive subtype (who have less hyperactive behaviours), predominantly hyperactive subtype (who have less inattentive behaviours), and combined inattentive and hyperactive subtype.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
For more information please contact the organiser, Claire. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is a Local Offer? A Local Offer gives children and young people in the borough, who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or a disability, information in one place. The Thurrock Local Offer aims to provide clear, comprehensive and accessible information about what services and provisions are available in Thurrock for parents and young people.

The local offer is part of the reforms to support for children and young people with SEND under the Children and Families Act 2014. You can find out more about the reforms in the Department for Education's guidance:

Easy Read Guide for Children and Young People
Easy Read Guide for Parents
Contact us if you require more information or have specific access requirements to view the Local Offer.

Telephone 01375 652801 or email us at fis@thurrock.gov.uk

Neighbouring Councils Local Offer Pages: Havering; Essex; Kent; Barking & Dagenham: Southend

Update on The Thurrock Parent Carer Forum (CaPa)

The Thurrock Parent Carer Forum (CaPa) took a decision to close and formally cease to operate as the Parent Carer Forum from the 30th June 2020 CaPa has provided an excellent service over the past six years in ensuring that Parents and Carers have been engaged across all areas of SEND development in Thurrock and our thanks go to them for all their hard work over this time.

In these circumstances where a new Parent Carer Forum needs to be established, Local Authorities work with Contact, the National Organisation funded by the DfE to support Parent Carer Forums within local areas. Thurrock Council have met with Julie Singleton the Regional Area representative from Contact and they are in the process of putting in place a Contact Associate who will work to develop a new group who can establish a Parent Carer Forum for Thurrock. This work will include widespread consultation with parents/carers and agencies to ensure that there is engagement from a broad range of parents and carers to form the new Parent Carer Forum. Further details on the arrangements for this process and timescales for this work will be published on the Thurrock SEND Local Offer website. During this time, Contact will be available to respond to any enquiries in relation the new Parent Carer Forum and will work closely with the council and Health organisations to ensure Parents and Carers continue to be engaged in the work on SEND. Julie Singleton from Contact can be contacted via email at Julie.Singleton@contact.org.uk

Thurrock Council is keen to seek your views and work together with parents and carers to develop this Local Offer; this survey is intended to assist this process of engagement and your answers will help to inform the development of the site. The information we gather will be fed back to Thurrock Council and will assist us to develop the Local Offer further. We would therefore be very grateful if you could spend a few moments to complete this short survey: https://consult.thurrock.gov.uk/local-offer-survey

You can find information on how your feedback has shaped the Local Offer in the Local Offer Annual Report which is published every October

Further Thurrock Council Special Education Needs Services & support can be found at https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/special-education-needs

Browse the Local Offer

Skip back to top of page Feedback

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is a Local Offer? A Local Offer gives children and young people in the borough, who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and/or a disability, information in one place. The Thurrock Local Offer aims to provide clear, comprehensive and accessible information about what services and...

# data[].attributes.headline
Speech and Language Activities for Parents and Teachers 

# data[].attributes.subject
Speech and Language Activities for Parents and Teachers 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources for Children's Speech and Language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children's Speech and Language resources to download

# data[].attributes.body
If you have concerns about your child's learning and want to discuss, please email the SENCo, Nicole Fayers
Contact details can be found on the school website

# data[].attributes.headline
Tips for supporting reading at different ages

# data[].attributes.subject
Tips for supporting reading at different ages

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Once Upon a Picture - Images to Inspire - Teaching Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inference is a tricky area of reading. Children don't always understand what it means to infer, and stumble on test questions demanding this of them. I've found that teaching the skill explicitly using a non-threatening stimulus has worked brilliantly. First, you develop the understanding of the skill, what is involved and what is required to answer questions. Then this is practised, and practised some more (justifying inferences, anyone?), before being applied to text. The joy lies in the depth of responses offered by all children taking part.

Here are some of my favourites for developing inference in the primary classroom. Let me know if you try any!

Click on the image to see the original post.
You can read more about the approach here, and ask me on Facebook or Twitter.

Note: Some of the questions below will include other skills, including prediction.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Inference Collection - Once Upon a Picture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inference is a tricky area of reading. Children don't always understand what it means to infer, and stumble on test questions demanding this of them. I've found that teaching the skill explicitly using a non-threatening stimulus has worked brilliantly. First, you develop the understanding of the skill, what is involved and what is required to answer questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonics Pop

Phonics Pop is a mobile friendly bubble pop game. Choose a set of sounds to practice, or select from the digraph (2/3-letter sounds) checkboxes. Then listen to the target sound and pop as many as you can.

If your child achieves >95% accuracy the bubbles will change to rainbow colours.

This game is © copyright 2020, J.Barrett, ictgames.com All Rights Reserved.

Made using the and libraries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phonics Pop is a mobile friendly bubble pop game. Choose a set of sounds to practice, or select from the digraph (2/3-letter sounds) checkboxes. Then listen to the target sound and pop as many as you can. If your child achieves >95% accuracy the bubbles will change to rainbow colours.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonics Bloom create interactive online phonics games to help teach children the relationship between letters and sounds and develop the skills needed to read and write. All our resources are designed by an experienced team of teachers and parents.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Phonics Games for the Classroom and Home - Phonics Bloom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Play a range of online phonics games, helping teach children the relationship between letters and sounds and develop the skills needed to read and write.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free eBook library | Oxford Owl from Oxford University Press

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Browse our library of free children’s eBooks to read with your child including Oxford Reading Tree adventures with Biff, Chip and Kipper.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parents and families | National Literacy Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our parent-facing site Words for Life provides milestones, tips, fun resources and advice to help parents support their children’s literacy development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Once Upon a Picture - Images to Inspire - Teaching Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
All of our children are expected to make predictions while reading. Here's a look at the curriculum objectives:

KS1: Predict what might happen on the basis of what has happened so far
KS2: Predict what might happen from details stated and implied

So, this can be as simple as asking the question, 'What do you think is going to happen next?', quickly followed with, 'Why?'.

However, we need to make explicit the additional skills needed to be able to do this. To be able to predict, you need to be able to read and understand what has happened, and is currently happening. You need to be able to retrieve and infer ('details stated and implied'), combine this with your knowledge of the world, weigh up probability, and make a sensible prediction of the next outcome. It might come naturally to many, but it's worth breaking it down to look at what's involved.

I've selected these images because they are 'in the heart of the action'. They allow for discussion around what has just happened, to use inference to work out additional information, and then a discussion of what might happen next. Here's a useful resource (aimed at Upper Key Stage 2, but could be used with children of all ages to introduce the language) for thinking about possibilities: Making predictions - modal verbs and adverbs. After teaching children how to predict, and how to answer questions, move them on to doing this with text.

When teaching prediction, it really does come back to the simple question:
What do you think is going to happen next, and why?
Just remember what else is needed to answer that question.
Note: In SATs papers, this question will come in several forms, such as, 'Will Taylor change his behaviour on future visits to the field?' or, 'Based on what you have read, what does the last paragraph suggest might happen to the explorers next? Use evidence from this paragraph to support your prediction.'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Prediction Collection - Once Upon a Picture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
All of our children are expected to make predictions while reading. Here's a look at the curriculum objectives: KS1: Predict what might happen on the basis of what has happened so far KS2: Predict what might happen from details stated and implied So, this can be as simple as asking the question, 'What do you think is going to happen next?', quickly followed with, 'Why?'.

# data[].attributes.body
Website

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Text to Speech Online with Realistic AI Voices

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Convert text into ultra-realistic audio. Have any text read aloud with AI Voices. AI text reader for pdfs, books, documents, and webpages.

# data[].attributes.body
Help

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hear posts, chat messages, and assignments read aloud using Immersive Reader in Microsoft Teams for Education. Immersive Reader also includes grammar tools such as Parts of Speech and Picture Dictionary.

Launch Immersive Reader from a message

1. Hover over a message with your cursor or tap with your finger on a touch screen device.

2. Select More options , and then Immersive Reader .

Immersive Reader will launch as a full-screen experience.

Launch Immersive Reader from an assignment

If you're a student, open an assignment and select Immersive Reader .

If you're an educator, open an assignment and select Student view, then Immersive Reader .

Immersive Reader will launch as a full-screen experience.

Immersive Reader features

You can do one or more of the following in Immersive Reader, depending on how you'd like to focus on the message or assignment text.

Select Play to hear your document read aloud and to see the text highlighted simultaneously. The narrator starts reading from the top of your page by default, unless you have selected a word, in which case it will start reading from the selected word. Select Pause to stop narration.

Select Voice Options on the top right of the document to change the speed of narration.

Text Options

You can change the appearance of your document by using Text Options. Text options can help you focus on your content and remove visual distraction.

Set Text Size, Spacing, Font, and Themes that suit your learning needs. You can increase or decrease text size and the amount of spacing between letters and words. The Theme color you select becomes the background color of the document.

Switch on Show Source Formatting to retain formatting from the original text, such as bolding or underlining.

Parts of Speech in Grammar Options

Select one or more of the following options:

Syllables to break words into syllables.

Nouns to highlight nouns in your document in purple.

Verbs to highlight verbs in your document in red.

Adjectives to highlight adjectives in your document in green.

Adverbs to highlight adverbs in your document in yellow.

Switch on Show labels to see the label underneath the highlighted parts of speech.

Reading Preferences

Line Focus enables readers to narrow the focus of their reading experience by highlighting sets of one, three, or five lines within their chosen material in Immersive Reader. Use the toggle to turn it on or off.

Picture Dictionary gives you the ability to click on any single word to hear it read aloud and see a picture that helps define the word.

Translate lets you translate your text into other languages by word or document.

Select Close to exit Immersive Reader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hear posts, chat messages, and assignments read aloud using Immersive Reader in Microsoft Teams for Education. Immersive Reader also includes grammar tools such as Parts of Speech and Picture Dictionary. Hover over a message with your cursor or tap with your finger on a touch screen device.

# data[].attributes.body
This is an AMAZING website for teachers, parents and therapists! It includes paid and free resources/activities for: executive functioning, fine motor skills, handwriting, sensory barriers vision and functioning skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easy, actionable, and functional Occupational Therapy activities and interventions. OT resources and information to help kids thrive.

# data[].attributes.body
Activities and programme for improving fine motor skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dough Disco for parents

Looking for ways to combat boredom with your children at home? Dough Disco is a great activity for children and parents. It combines learning and playful fun with loads of YouTube follow along videos to get you going from scratch up to some of our more advanced moves.

Encourage creativity, develop the muscles needed for early mark making and writing and make some wonderful memories for the whole family - Dough Disco will help you with all these things!

Here are some of our "at home" Dough Disco videos that use our basic moves to get you started with your Dough Disco journey:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dough Disco is a popular fine motor skill exercise created by Shonette. Can be used to improve brain and muscle development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fine Motor Skills Activities for Older Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These fine motor skills activities could work with older kids who find other tasks too childish.

# data[].attributes.body
Usually a student will be formally test once they have reached year 9.
In years 7 and 8 pupils are monitored and EAAs are trialled in preparation and to prove consistent 'NWOW'

# data[].attributes.body
Where students have a history of need within a certain field of education (such as difficulty reading or reading fluency), a specialist assessor can assess the student using psychometric testing methods. The results of these tests will determine if EAAs can be applied.
EHCP students do not need to be tested and EAAs can be applied if 'normal way of working' is clearly evidenced.

# data[].attributes.body
In order to apply for EAAs, a bank of evidence must be provided to the JCQ that evidence a students 'normal way of working' within a centre. There needs to be a clear and established routine and use of EAAs for them to be granted in exam settings.

# data[].attributes.body
Exam Access Arrangements (EAAs) are the reasonable adjustments that can be made for an exam candidate, and might include things like extra time to complete an exam paper, permission to use assistive technology, or provision of rest breaks. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) is responsible for the approval of EAAs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments for candidates based on evidence of need and normal way of working. Access Arrangements fall into two distinct categories: some arrangements are delegated to centres, others require prior JCQ awarding body approval.

Access Arrangements allow candidates/learners with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment. For example, readers, scribes and Braille question papers. In this way Awarding Bodies will comply with the duty of the Equality Act 2010 to make 'reasonable adjustments'.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Equality Act 2010 requires an Awarding Body to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled person would be at a substantial disadvantage in undertaking an assessment.

A reasonable adjustment for a particular person may be unique to that individual and may not be included in the list of available Access Arrangements.

How reasonable the adjustment is will depend on a number of factors including the needs of the disabled candidate/learner. An adjustment may not be considered reasonable if it involves unreasonable costs, timeframes or affects the security or integrity of the assessment.

There is no duty on the Awarding Bodies to make any adjustment to the assessment objectives being tested in an assessment.
Special Consideration
Special Consideration is a post examination adjustment to a candidate's mark or grade to reflect temporary injury, illness or other indisposition at the time of the examination/assessment.

Forms

Within this section you will find JCQ forms for Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration - JCQ Joint Council for Qualifications

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Access Arrangements are pre-examination adjustments for candidates based on evidence of need and normal way of working. Access Arrangements fall into two distinct categories: some arrangements are delegated to centres, others require prior JCQ awarding body approval. Access Arrangements allow candidates/learners with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access the assessment without changing the demands of the assessment.

# data[].attributes.body
Videos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These are videos that we have found useful working with young people and families as well as videos they have suggested to us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"My daughter, who is six, just loves the journal and is excited to work in it. She's totally learning and talking about skills in a fun way and already making comments outside of journal time that show she's absorbing the growth mindset ideology. Love it!"
Diane C.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Big Life Journal UK: Growth Mindset for Kids & Teens

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We create effective tools and resources to help kids and teens develop a growth mindset so they can face life's challenges with confidence and have every opportunity in life. Our products are based on the latest research, and that's what makes them so unique and effective.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For over 10 years, we've been on a mission to help young people overcome the issues that affect them the most. Whether that's bullying, mental health, relationships, identity or the tough stuff in-between, we're here. We provide digital safe spaces, direct support, education, campaigns and world-class research.

# data[].attributes.body
Link to NHS mental health services. Self referral form

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Feel happier

If you're struggling, talk to us - you're not alone, we're here to help.

VitaMinds is a FREE local NHS talking therapies service. We're here when the pressures of life, Covid and everything else feel too much. No need to see your GP, simply refer yourself in minutes online. Get in touch today and start lifting some of that pressure.

A free and confidential NHS service
Open as usual to help you during Covid-19
If you are struggling to cope then VitaMinds can help. VitaMinds works in partnership with the NHS to offer a range of therapies to adults 18-years and over, who are registered with a Basildon and Brentwood GP.

It's a FREE service and you don't need to visit a GP. Simply click the button below to get help or call us on 01268 977 171.
We help people with:
* Depression
* Low mood due to a physical condition (such as diabetes
or pain)
* Excessive worry or anxiety
* Panic attacks
* Sleep problems
* Stress
* Phobia(s)
* Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
* Experience of a traumatic event

How it works

Start your journey

How to access the service online

The form should only take about 5 minutes.
self referral

How to access the service by phone

Call us on 01268 977 171 during these hours*:

8am - 8pm Monday to Friday

9am - 12.30pm Saturday

We'll take some details from you and arrange an appointment.

We are not an emergency service and are not able to help with immediate crisis situations. If you need immediate help please contact either your GP or go to the Accident and Emergency Department of your local hospital (24hrs).

Alternatively, if you're experiencing a crisis and need a person to talk things through with, you can call the Crisis Teams in your area.

Our Services

We have several workshops and groups available, as well as online therapy.

Psychological Therapists

Psychological therapists are trained professionals who can help people to deal with problems that significantly interfere with their lives.

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners

Some of the trained staff within the service are called psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWP). They are trained to be able to guide you through a range of self help materials that are specific to your difficulties.

Vita is an award-winning, CQC registered healthcare provider

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Feel happier If you're struggling, talk to us - you're not alone, we're here to help. VitaMinds is a FREE local NHS talking therapies service. We're here when the pressures of life, Covid and everything else feel too much. No need to see your GP, simply refer yourself in minutes online.

# data[].attributes.body
Understanding the mind during stress

A brief article about the brains reaction to stress and anxiety

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental Health Resources For Children and Young People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free mental health resources, posters, lesson plans and activity sheets for primary and secondary school staff, and mental health professionals working with children and young people.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This page contains affiliate links, read the disclosure statement Inside: Kid tested strategies used by child therapists for calming anxiety, including ideas to calm down, books to read and videos that can help
It's happening again. Your daughter is frustrated and stomping away down to her room, slamming the door and in general "has her cranky pants on". You say calm down, but she yells back "I don't know how to do that!!!"

We tend to tell our kids to "calm down" without ever giving them explicit directions on how to deal with stress and anxiety. Here's a collection of the best tools and tips I've found to teach children how to calm down and relax.

Sometimes you'll need a quick way to help your child calm down and you don't have much with you. Maybe it's when you're out at Target or stuck in traffic. These tips will come in handy at those times:

Imagine your favorite place - it's like taking a mini vacation wherever you are

Think of your favorite things

Name animals alphabetically (alligator, bear, cow, dog, etc...)

Squeeze Something (play dough, clay, silly putty, your fists, a stress ball)

Get a Cold Drink of Water

54321 Grounding - go through each of your 5 senses

1. Put your arms straight out in front of you, palms facing out.

2. Put one hand over the other at the wrists and interlace your fingers.

3. Swoop your hands and arms toward your body and then place your interlaced hands on your chest.

4. Cross your feet at the ankles and put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

5. Stay still for one minute.

It's great to have a big list of coping skills to try when your child needs to calm down. Here are two more short lists of ideas for calming down at home or at school.

From Imperfect Families - Strategies to use at home

From Encourage Play - 10 Strategies to Help Kids Calm Down at school or home

People usually roll their eyes initially when they hear "breathing is important". But I will continue to say it and explain why. It's so simple, yet has such a big impact on your body's physiology.

When you and calm and relaxed, your body is in "rest and digest" mode. You breathe normally, your heart rate is lower and your muscles are relaxed. However, when stress or anxiety or anger occurs, your body automatically switches into "flight, fight or freeze" mode. Your muscles tense up, your heart rate increases and your breathing becomes more shallow.

Taking deep breaths, instead of shallow breaths, is one way to tell your body to get back to resting and digesting. That's why deep breathing is important!

Luckily, there are some fun ways to teach kids deep breathing techniques

Things to use

Things to say

Breathe in like you are smelling a flower, breathe out like you are blowing out birthday candles

Arms up and breathe in, arms down and breathe out

Pretend your belly is a balloon. Breathe in and make the balloon bigger, then breathe out and make the balloon shrink.

Videos to watch
4 - 7 - 8 Breathing by GoZen
Breathing at Sea Otter Cove from Stress Free Kids

A Coping Skills Toolbox is a kit that you create to help your child calm down when they are upset, anxious or worried. In order to get the most benefit from this, you should create this kit before an issue occurs. When your child experiences anxiety, then they can pick out an item from their Coping Skills Toolbox. This is one of my favorite ways to help kids learn to calm their anxiety.

Here are some other fantastic ideas for what to put in a coping skills toolbox/calm down kit from And Next Comes L

You can create a place specially designed to allow to calm down in a few steps

Find a spot and make it cozy (ask your child for help with that - maybe they can place a favorite blanket or stuffed animal inside)

Add calming tools

Explain how to use it and practice before

When they are starting to escalate, catch it early and give them a calm reminder about their calm down spot

Use the following phrases as a way to support your child, let them know that you're going to support them and help them in any way that you can.

"I'm here for you"

"Talk to me and tell me what's going on"

"How can I help?"

"Together, we can work on this. We're a great team"

"I love you"

"Do you want a hug?"

Here are some more ideas of what to say to calm an anxious child.

From Go Zen - 49 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Child

From Lemon Lime Adventures - What to Say to Calm an Anxious Child

Did you know there are podcasts with stories for children? Usually the hosts have a soothing voice and the stories tend to be pretty short. Your child can listen to these podcasts as a way to have some down time.

There are scripts you can read to your child to help them relax and calm down. Slowly and carefully read the words as your child listens and follows the instructions. Check out Inner Health Studios list of scripts you can use with your child. If you prefer not to read a script, there are ones that are pre-recorded.

There are also scripts to practice mindfulness with children. Eline Snel has written a great book on Mindfulness with Kids, Sitting Still Like a Frog. Here are the several scripts that can be used from that book!

Annaka Harris also has several pre-recorded scripts to help kids practice mindfulness

Confused about how to introduce mindfulness to kids? Check out these resources:
Simple Ways to Introduce Mindfulness and Meditation to Children 11 Simple But Effective Ways to Teach Mindfulness to Kids
What you need:

I've used empty soda bottles, empty water bottles, glass jars and plastic containers. Use whatever makes sense for you and your family. For instance, for the calming jars the kids have in their room, I used a heavy duty plastic bottle. I didn't want them to accidentally knock over a glass jar in the dark - that would be a huge mess!

I've had the best results when I've used warm water - it makes it easier for the water and paint to combine.
Glitter Paint
I prefer using glitter paint (or glitter glue) instead of glitter because then I'm not cleaning up glitter for weeks at my house after we make them :-)

To make your jar, add glitter paint to the bottom of the jar until it just covers the bottom of it. Add warm water. Put the cover on and shake to help the ingredients combine. Once you are satisfied with the look of your jar, then you can super glue the lid shut so it doesn't spill. In a pinch, I've also used duct tape to secure the lid.
Watch Make a Simple Calming Jar from Coping Skills for Kids on YouTube Wet Ingredients
Sometimes you want the glitter/other items to stay afloat longer or for a shorter amount of time. Here are some different ingredients you can use as the wet ingredients.
Dry Ingredients
To see several other ways to make calming jars, take a look at what Preschool Inspirations did.

One of the first things I always like to do with kids if they are struggling is to start using visuals. When you're stressed and anxious, it's harder to read and take in information. Visuals are easier.

I like to keep calming cue cards in my children's coping skills toolboxes so that they can make a decision about what coping skill they can use. Sometimes pulling out a list is too much in the moment. You can make your own cue cards.

1. Take several index cards or small pieces of cardstock

2. On each one, write or draw one coping skill

3. Hole punch the cards and place them on a keyring (to make them extra sturdy, you can laminate them)

4. Put them into the coping skills toolbox for easy access

Using visuals is a powerful way to help kids. When kids are overwhelmed, sometimes it's hard for them to figure out what to do. By having cue cards, your child can have a visual reminder of what calms and relaxes them.

To make things a little easier, I've created ready to use coping skills cue cardsfor you. There are four different sets: Calming, Physical, Distracting, and Processing. If you'd like all 4, I created a set where you can download them all together.

If your child is anxious, they may also be having a difficult time getting settled for bedtime. Here are some ideas to help your child get settled at bedtime.

PINPOINT WHAT THE FEAR IS

One of the most important things to do is to figure out exactly what is causing the anxiety. Is it fear of the dark? Is it a worry about something in the closet? Is it monsters? Is it spiders? Figuring out the cause of the fear will help you come up with ways you can help your child combat it.

REARRANGE THE ROOM

Are there particular spots of the room that seem to be darker or cause more fear at night than others? Go into the bedroom during the day with your child and talk about the spots that make your child nervous. Try moving night lights and furniture around for a more calming room arrangement.

TRANSITIONAL OBJECTS

If your child has a hard time separating from you, try a transitional object. This is a special item that helps your child feel comforted. It helps them feel like part of you is still present even when you're not there. It could be something like a stuffed animal or a special stone or necklace, or a sweatshirt of yours. The object isn't what matters, it's what the object represents. They can keep it and hold it all night long to help them relax and go to sleep.

Find more strategies here: 12 Kid Friendly Strategies to Calm Anxiety at Night

Looking for some calming guided meditation to help get to sleep at night? Try one of these: Best Guided Meditations for Sleep.

Whenever I sit down and talk with someone about their coping skills, one of the first
things I ask is if they have tried writing about it. Why do I always start with journaling as
a way of processing through difficult feelings?

It's easier to write about than talk about hard things

Journaling helps you process what's happening.

It's convenient.

It's not graded

It can help you solve a problem

It can help you re-frame your thinking

Looking for a journal for a child or teen? Check out Big Life Journals!

General Anxiety

The Coping Skills for Kids Workbook by Janine Halloran. This book has over 75 strategies for kids to try to help them manage their stress and worry. This book also includes colorful worksheets to help kids learn more about their anxiety and what they can do to manage their stress.

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook I love that when Wilma Jean's physical reactions are described, they're also illustrated. When is says she has knots in her stomach and her knees lock, her stomach really looks like it's tied in a knot and there's a real lock around her knees. I love the activity she does with her teacher, going over worries she can control and worries she can't, it's a great way to help kids manage their anxiety.

David and the Worry Beast by Anne Marie Guanci David's anxiety is a beast, and the more anxious he gets, the bigger it grows. David learns to control his thoughts, and his beast shrinks. There's also a couple of pages for parents and kids in the back.

When My Worries Get Too Big by Kari Dunn Buron This book is wonderful! There are several pages where kids can add in their own thoughts, worries and what helps them relax. This book also uses the 5 point scale to talk about stress and different ways to manage it.

What To Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner, PhD This book goes through several ways that can help kids manage anxiety, including setting a time for worries, thinking about things that make you happy and resetting your body with activity or relaxation. There are some interactive places in this book, where a child can write down their worries, draw some images of things that might help, etc.

What To Do When You're Scared and Worried by James J. Crist This is one of my favorite books for kids to help them deal with anxiety. Near the beginning of the book is a checklist that helps kids narrow down what they are anxious about. The beginning of the book covers the basics of what anxiety is and how to help manage with coping skills. The next section of the book goes into detail about different types of anxiety kids might experience, including Separation Anxiety, Phobias and Panic Attacks.

Separation Anxiety

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Classic about managing separation anxiety when kids start school. My daughter's kindergarten teacher read this on our visit to school the first day.

When I miss you by Cornelia Maude Spelman This is perfect for little ones who have a hard time dealing with the fact that they are away from their parents during the day. It suggests a couple of things they can do to help and reassurance that parents will come back at the end of the day.

Wemberley Worried by Kevin Henkes Poor Wemberley worries about everything, and then she gets really worried when she is about to start school.

This E-Course offers you instant support from a Child Therapist.
You will get:
12 Videos that are quick and bite size

14 Exercises that will expand on the skills taught

6 Cheat Sheets that will serve as a reference
Along with the course you get:
Access to the instructor for ongoing support

Downloadable PDF versions of all lessons

Lifetime access to the course

More from Coping Skills for Kids about Anxiety in Children...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Calming Anxiety - Coping Skills for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inside: Kid tested strategies used by child therapists for calming anxiety, including ideas to calm down, books to read and videos that can help

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more.
It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus. He is frustrated from things that happened during the day, and now he's yelling and stomping around the house. You're feeling overwhelmed and don't know what to do next.
How do you help an angry child?
Here's a collection of the best tools and tips to teach children how to manage their anger in safe and healthy ways. Let's start with some quick, safe ways to help kids express those feelings.

Looking for more quick ideas to help kids express their anger?
Stop sensory meltdowns by hanging upside down 5 simple ways to help children calm angry feelings 10 more ways to help kids manage anger A Different Way to Respond When Your Child is Aggressive
We need to help our kids understand and expect that they will experience a variety of feelings as they go through life, including anger. It's normal to feel angry at times. It's what you do with those feelings that matter.

Here's a great reminder from Imperfect Families that anger is a feeling too.

When a child is in fight, flight or freeze mode, they can't process information as well as when their body is in rest and digest mode. This is not a teachable moment, and they can't take in a lecture at this point. Your goal is to get them through this rough moment. It's best to keep talking to a minimum. When you do speak, make sure you use a neutral, calm, and quiet tone. Keep it short and repeat the same phrase. Repeating it is helpful because they aren't processing information and words as they usually would. Repetition makes it more likely that they'll hear what you are saying.

Phrases that you can say at that moment:

"I'm here for you."

"I love you."

"I want to help you."

"Let me know when you're ready."

"You are mad; I get it."

"I understand."

Looking for some more inspiration for phrases to say? Check this out:
26 Phrases to Calm and Angry Child
When some kids get big feelings, they destroy items around them - rip books, throw toys, etc. If that's the case for your child, it may be helpful for you to set up a safe spot where kids can go when they are angry. In that space, take everything out that can be destroyed or thrown that might injure someone or damage property. If you have more than one floor, set up a safe spot on each level of your home.

If you aren't in the safe spot when your child is dealing with big feelings, move harmful objects out of the way and try to get them to that safe place.

It may make sense to set up their room as a safe place too. We found this helpful when our son was dealing with a lot of angry feelings. We moved his toys and his bookshelf to a different room in the house so he could still play with them. The items that stayed in his room were those things that wouldn't hurt him or us. We did this to keep everyone, including him, safe. And as time went on, and he had better control of his emotions, we were able to add things back to his room.

How to Make a Calm Down Spot at home
Calm Space in Schools
One of the best things you can do is work on teaching coping skills kids can use before things escalate to epic proportions. The trick is practicing when they are in a calm and relaxed mood, not in the moment when they are angry.

Identify Triggers

Start by talking about what's making them angry. Help them identify those triggers, so you both know for the next time. Is it a particular school subject that makes them frustrated? Perhaps being hungry or thirsty? Are their specific noises or locations that are frustrating?

help kids identify where they feel angry in their body

Sometimes, kids don't know they're angry until after the explosion has happened. Help them identify the signs their body gives them that they are feeling angry. Over time, they'll start to recognize that feeling and ideally use a coping skill before things get too overwhelming.

Explore what other emotions they may be feeling

When kids are angry, there are usually other feelings that they are experiencing too. But anger is easy to see and often hides different feelings that lie below the surface. It's sometimes referred to as the "Anger Iceberg." It takes a bit of time to figure it out, but when your child is in a calm place, talk about what other feelings may be hiding underneath their anger.

Read more about the anger iceberg here.

Identify and practice coping skills

Now that they know what causes those big feelings and how to identify them, help them figure out ways to deal with those feelings in safe and healthy ways. Go through the coping skills checklist and have kids check off the skills that work for them, cross off the ones that don't and circle the ones they want to try.

Identify one coping skill your child would like to try. Take a few minutes during the week and have them practice a coping skill they may be able to use next time. For example, if they are going to try using shapes for deep breathing, have them practice before, so they know how it feels. The idea is to have them practice, so they know what it feels like to do it when they are calm.

Using coping skills to deal with big feelings will not go perfectly every time. Learning to manage anger is a work in progress. Little by little, with practice and time, kids will get better at it. Encourage them when they make safe and healthy choices. When they don't, continue to work with them to figure out better steps they can take the next time.

Use a Feelings Thermometer

Using a feelings thermometer can help kids make the connection between their feelings and their coping skills. Here's how you can make an anger thermometer.

How to Make an Anger Thermometer:

Have the child pick out three colors, one for each section of the thermometer and color it in. Then talk about each section.

Ask what it looks like when they are just a little angry, at the bottom of the thermometer. Do they sigh loudly, growl, etc.?

Then move on to the middle section of the thermometer. If they are medium-sized angry, what does that look like? Does their voice get louder? Do they stomp their feet, etc.?

Finally, talk about what it looks like when they are experiencing big anger at the top of the thermometer. What does that look like? Is it yelling, throwing things, etc.?

It isn't always easy for kids to do this. If they are having a hard time identifying what the behaviors were, I tell them what I noticed the last time I saw them get angry. Or, if I haven't seen them angry, I'll give them a prompt to help them, like "When some kids get angry, they yell, is that something you do?"

Once we go through and identify behaviors on the thermometer, then we work on identifying coping skills they can use to calm down. Some examples include getting a drink of water, taking deep breaths, shredding paper, or taking a break.

Make sure they have coping skills that will help them at each level of anger. It's essential to have a variety of coping skills for each level because not all coping skills will work all the time. For some kids, taking a drink of water can help calm them down when they are just slightly angry. However, when they are furious, getting a drink of water won't help. They need to do something different at that point, like take a break.

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang Poor Sophie has a hard time managing her anger when she has to share gorilla with her sister. It's a visually appealing book to show how big her feelings get and how it looks when she calms down again.

When I Feel Angry by Cornelia Maude Spelman This is part of "The Way I Feel" series. It explains how different things can make you angry, and that feeling angry is an expected part of life, but it's what you do when you're feeling that way that matters.

Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed. Another great book that talks about how anger affects your body and suggesting safe ways to express yourself.

Angry Octopus by Lori Lite and Max Stasuyk A great book that actually is a progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing script for kids. It's wonderful!

Don't Rant and Rave on Wednesdays by Adolph Moser It mentions the consequences of having unchecked anger, and acknowledges that adults struggle with this too. A large part of the book explains different strategies kids can use to express anger in a safe way, which I think is fantastic.

How to Take The Grrrr Out of Anger by Elizabeth Verdick and Marjorie Lisovskis I love using this book for kids who are having a hard time managing being angry. I typically read one chapter at a time with the kids and work on some of the strategies listed in the book.

What to Do When Your Temper Flares by Dawn Huebner This book has lovely illustrations and goes through "anger dousing" methods.

Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands by Tamara Levitt. This is a beautifully illustrated book all about growth mindset and resilience. Leela wants to do headstands and is getting frustrated, and believes the only way she can be happy is if she does headstands. With the help of a friend, she shifts her focus from what she can't do to what she can and focuses on the journey, not the singular goal is doing a headstand.

The Secret to Clara's Calm by Tamara Levitt. This is another beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates the power of mindfulness in managing big feelings. Clara has a bad temper and has big reactions to small problems, but then that leads to kids not wanting to be around her anymore. She works on learning how to be mindful and manage her big feelings with the help of a bird named Brodhi.

Chillax!: How Ernie Learns to Chill Out, Relax and Take Charge of His Anger by Marcella Marino Craver This is a graphic novel, perfect for the tween set.

It's common for parents to struggle with staying calm when their child is angry. As a mom, I know that's tough, especially when your child is having a difficult time. But it's important to learn to do it. You have to get yourself calm before you can help your child. One of the best ways to help your child is to make sure you stay calm yourself.

Use Self-Talk

Here are some phrases that may help you as you are working with your angry kid:

They're having a hard time, not giving me a hard time.

Share my calm, don't join their chaos.

I am in charge of staying calm, no matter how my child is acting and behaving.

All feelings are OK. My job is to help my kid manage them.

I can remain calm, and be a good example for my child.

Be the thermostat, not the thermometer.

TAKE Deep Breaths

If you're getting upset and about to blow up, try deep breathing. I know, it sounds hokey, but it makes a difference. When you are feeling overwhelmed, your body can go into fight, flight, or freeze mode, but in situations like these, you want to stay in rest and digest mode. By taking deep breaths, you're signaling your body to go back to rest and digest mode. Expand your belly as you inhale, and contract your belly as you exhale. Try taking several deep breaths before you take steps to intervene.

Use a grounding technique

If you're overwhelmed, sometimes it helps to do a grounding exercise to calm yourself down.

FIND your support system

Know that you are not alone. Read what this mom has to say about parenting an angry child. If you don't have a support system, then it's time to find one. Here are some ideas for both in person and online support groups to help you.
In Person Support:
There are lots of places you can get support in person. One resource I love is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They offer Family Support Groups, which meet regularly. They also offer a 12 week class for parents by parents, called Family to Family Support. Search for your local NAMI chapter here.

Having support for your child outside of your family can be a lifesaver. Talk to the school, teachers and coaches to help support your child during a difficult time. Sharing knowledge about what strategies work, and how you child responds in different environments is invaluable information.

You can also seek help from a licensed therapist to help support you. It's great to have someone to talk through the tough situations you are experiencing. If scheduling an in-person meeting is tough, you can see therapists online at sites like betterhelp.com. Some kids also benefit from seeing their own therapist. Read this to get a little more information about when you should seek outside help for your child.
Facebook Groups:
Did you know you can search for groups on Facebook to find others who are struggling with similar issues to yours? Here are some active Facebook Groups that have been helpful for families.
Note: You may need to apply to some of these groups in order to be added.
Support for Sensory Needs

Raising Poppies

Happy Sensitive Kids Community

Modern Parenting

The Neighborhood, Imperfect Families

The World's Okayest Parents
Coping Skills for Kids Group
As your son continues to stomp and growl, you take a few deep breaths and say to yourself "Be the thermostat, not the thermometer." Then, in a calm voice, you say to your son "I'm here to help. I love you."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more. It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus.

# data[].attributes.body
We all feel angry sometimes, and that's okay. Try some of these activities to help you calm down and get back to the green zone.

# data[].attributes.body
When you are in the yellow or red zone, try some of these ways to help you calm down. Which one worked for you?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Winston's Wish is the UK's childhood bereavement charity. We support children and their families after the death of someone important.

# data[].attributes.body
Folder of resources to support Zones of Regulation

# data[].attributes.body
A collection to encourage children to develop a positive mindset and to look for the positives in each day.

# data[].attributes.body
A folder of resources to help children discuss and process their worries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
panic attacks

Panic attacks, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia are common problems and respond well to psychological treatment.

​

One of the main treatments is graded exposure. This is a behavioural intervention that can be illustrated in an easy to understand way. Elements of this booklet may also be useful in the treatment of other anxiety disorders.

​

This booklet covers the main principles of graded exposure. It is designed to be used with a therapist explaining how to carry out the intervention, and the booklet illustrates the main concepts. Outside of sessions the illustrations will have enough information to act as a reminder to the client.

​

Instead of having a traditional "Exposure Diary", there is a graph where individuals can track their experience of exposure exercises. They can log their level of anxiety before, at the start, and at the end of each exposure exercise, and this will let them see the process of habituation.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

It's recommended that one graph sheet is used per step on their graded exposure hierarchy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
therapy resources | thrapycomics | panic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A workbook to treat panic attacks and panic disorder using graded exposure. Uses comics instead of text.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New guide for parents who are coping with their child's self-harm: 'You are not alone'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Young people's self-harm can leave families confused, anxious and feeling like there's nowhere to turn. Now, based on in-depth research with parents, a team from Oxford University's Centre for Suicide Research are launching a guide to help parents and carers who are trying to cope with this difficult situation.

# data[].attributes.body
Downloads

# data[].attributes.body
Strategies to help build resilience

# data[].attributes.body
Try some of these mindful activities

# data[].attributes.body
Simple plan to help you work through your worries

# data[].attributes.headline
Anxiety can present itself in many ways...

# data[].attributes.subject
Anxiety can present itself in many ways...

# data[].attributes.body
It’s ok to feel like this. If it becomes overwhelming, ask for help

# data[].attributes.headline
Supporting your child with school related anxiety 

# data[].attributes.subject
Supporting your child with school related anxiety 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's normal for children and young people to feel worried about something that's happening at school - for example, when starting a new school or during exams. Sometimes, however, school can become challenging, stressful or distressing over a much longer period of time.

If your child is feeling anxious about school, or not able to go, it can be exhausting for both of you. Mornings in particular can become really stressful for the whole family, as you try to juggle your child's feelings alongside the need to get them to school and get on with your other responsibilities such as work. Even if you manage to get your child to the school gate, you might know how difficult they're going to find the day - or know that you'll be facing the same problem tomorrow morning.

If you're in this situation, we've got advice to help you explore what's going on with your child, make changes at school that can help, and find the support you need if your child can't go to school.

About the term 'school refusal'

When anxiety builds up to the point that a young person cannot go to school, this is often called 'school refusal' - and you might hear the school or other professionals using this term. However, many young people and parents do not like this term because it implies that 'refusing' school is a choice, and you may prefer to use terms such as emotionally-based school avoidance (ESBA) or anxiety-related absence.

What makes young people feel anxious about school?

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school - such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer - can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school.

For some young people, the school environment isn't right for them, and trying to fit into it can create a huge amount of stress. This might be the case if they are struggling with their mental health, or have a neurodiverse condition or Special Educational Need (SEN) such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. This can make the school environment anxiety-provoking and exhausting, especially if their condition or need is undiagnosed or not being well supported.

Young people might show they're feeling anxious about school by:

not wanting to get up and get ready

saying they can't go

worrying a lot about small issues, such as having the right equipment for a lesson

feeling sick, or having stomach aches or headaches

not sleeping well

not doing schoolwork, or their grades dropping

being angry or upset, or acting out - at school or at home

withdrawing - seeming low, quiet or depressed

Finding out what's going on for your child

Sometimes it can be difficult to work out what's making your child feel anxious, and the first step is often helping them to identify exactly what's worrying them. Once you understand the problem, you'll be in a much better position to make changes that can help.

Young people can find it hard to explain what's causing their feelings, and might not be able to answer direct questions like 'what's going on?' Using an anxiety iceberg can help to open up the conversation - giving you a more relaxed way of exploring together what's causing their anxiety.

Watch our video to find out how to make an anxiety iceberg with your child.

If you're making an anxiety iceberg with younger children, you might want to draw images on the iceberg, or encourage them to write simple words. With older children and teenagers, you can ask them to write key words and phrases on the iceberg, or do this as a mind map, with 'school' in the middle and all the things they're finding difficult around the outside.

Through this exercise, you might identify worries such as arriving at school, finding the environment noisy or overwhelming, finding lessons confusing, feeling lonely through the day, or feeling uncomfortable during specific subjects.

Making changes at school

Once you understand what's going on for your child, you can use their anxiety iceberg or mind map to communicate with the school and ask for specific changes.

Follow these steps to start a conversation with the school:

Here are some examples of things you can ask the school for:

Remember that even though this situation can be really tough for you and your child, it's a good idea to maintain a positive relationship with the school. Recognise the support they're offering and any changes they're making. This will help you work together to make things better for your child.

Building a relationship with the attendance team at my son's school was hugely helpful, we were talking with them each day.

Strategies you can try at home

For more information and advice on managing anxiety, have a look at our guide for parents.

If your child isn't able to go to school at the moment

If your child isn't going to school at the moment, this can be incredibly stressful and exhausting for you - and really tough for your child. You might be worried about whether they will be able to get back to school or the impact on their education. Or, you might feel overwhelmed because you're juggling this alongside work and other family commitments.

If your child's anxiety about school has built up to the point where they can't go, it's a good idea to get them some professional mental health or SEN support - see our advice on this below.

Alongside requesting professional help, try to:

The school's SEN and attendance policies should be on their website. Knowing what these are can support you during meetings with the school.

This can help if your child is unable to go to school for a longer period of time and you need to ask for more support, including provision of alternative full-time education.

Encourage your child to get up, do some studying and stop for lunch at the same times they would if they were in school. This will make adapting back to school easier. Explain to your child that if they cannot go to school, they will need to study at home - at least until alternative arrangements are put in place. Ask the school to help you facilitate tasks and activities your child can do and use online resources such as BBC Bitesize.

Not going to school could leave your child feeling really isolated. Make sure they stay connected to the outside world by seeing friends and family, doing activities they enjoy and getting outside for walks and exercise.

Speaking to friends online can be really important if your child is feeling isolated at home. Sometimes, however, you might notice that your child is spending lots of time gaming or on their phone, and that this is getting in the way of important daily activities like spending quality time with family, learning, or sleeping and eating well. If this is becoming a problem, have a look at our guide to gaming or guide to social media for more information and advice.

Local authorities must provide alternative education if a child of compulsory school age is unable to attend school over a longer period of time. If your child cannot attend school because of a mental or physical health issue, the local authority should provide an alternative as soon as it is clear that they will be away from school for more than 15 days (either consecutively or over time). Find out how to request alternative education.

What will happen if my child doesn't go to school?

Parents often tell us they are worried about fines and prosecution, but schools generally consider this only if they feel there is no valid reason for the absence, or that parents aren't engaging with the problem.

If the absence is prolonged, the case may be referred to a local council Education Welfare Officer (EWO). They will arrange a home visit to find out more and discuss strategies. The school may also refer to other support, including from CAMHS.

Helping your child return to school after an absence

Getting back to school after weeks or months may feel extremely difficult for your child, but you and the school can help make it more manageable. Here are some things you can do to help:

Set small, achievable targets, such as visiting the building outside school hours or attending one lesson.

Request a home visit from a school staff member so your child can check in while feeling safe, see that the school cares and discuss any strategies that might help them.

Ask for a reduced timetable, with regular reviews to discuss building back up at a manageable rate.

Discuss changing classes or sets if your child thinks this would help.

Focus on qualifications needed for what your child wants to do next, perhaps dropping a less relevant GCSE to reduce stress.

My son wasn't questioned about his absence when he did feel able to pop in for favourite lessons, helping to ease him back into full days of education.

Getting mental health and SEN support

If your child is struggling with anxiety and it's affecting their day-to-day life, learning or relationships, it's a good idea to find some professional support. Speaking to the GP and finding them a counsellor or therapist are two good places to start. You can find more information about GPs, counsellors and other mental health services in our guide to getting help for your child.

If there is no other obvious reason for your child's inability to attend school, they may have an undiagnosed Special Educational Need (SEN) such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.

If you think this is the case:

Speak to the school's SENCO or your GP to ask for a referral for an assessment.

While you are waiting for an assessment, you can also ask the SENCO to refer your child for support from other professionals, such as an Educational Psychologist or Speech and Language Therapist. These professionals can identify specific needs and make recommendations for additional support the school can put in place - even if your child hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet.

SEN support at school
If your child is diagnosed with SEN, extra support and adjustments should be put in place at school to help them attend and learn. This is called SEN support, and should be available within the school's existing resources. Speak to the school's SENCO in the first instance about how the school will support your child.
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
If you do not think your child's needs can be met by the school's existing resources, you can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment). If the local authority decides your child needs additional support, they will then make an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). This outlines how the extra support they need will be provided. Find out more about EHC plans.
Your Local Offer
Your Local Offer is the information, support and services available for young people with SEN, and for their parents and families. You can find out what support is available in your area by going to your local authority's website and searching for their Local Offer.

If you need more information and advice about getting the right education for your child when they have been diagnosed with a Special Educational Need (SEN), IPSEA can help.

If you need to talk through a problem, their Advice Line can provide support with any educational issue resulting from your child's SEN. You can also find lots of information, including information on assessments and diagnosis, as well as getting support from the school and local authority, on their website.

Finding more information and advice

Useful helplines and websites

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

You might also find this helpful

We have more tips and advice on supporting your child with school, and information about how you can get in touch with our Parents Helpline.

This page was reviewed in December 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with school anxiety. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If your child is anxious about school, or refusing to go to school at all, read our tips and advice on how you can support their mental health.

# data[].attributes.body
Activities to try to make you feel good

# data[].attributes.headline
A parents guide to supporting grief and loss. 

# data[].attributes.subject
A parents guide to supporting grief and loss. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Losing someone or something we love and feel close to is extremely difficult and painful. Grief is our natural emotional response to this loss, and it is a process rather than an event.

Your child, as well as you and other family members, may be grieving because of:

the death of someone in the family, like a parent, grandparent or sibling

the death of a friend, or someone they knew at school

the death of someone by suicide

an illness, such as cancer or dementia, of someone they are close to

the loss of a relationship, like someone moving away or no longer being a regular part of their life

the loss or death of a pet

How do young people respond to loss?
Every child and young person will react to, feel and express loss differently, and this will change over time. There is no right or wrong way for a young person to grieve.

Children and young people who have gone through a significant loss can feel:

It's helpful to remember that it is normal for your child to feel and experience these things after a loss, particularly if they have lost someone they were close to.

How can I help my child?

Talking to your child about loss

Explain to your child in an age-appropriate way what's happened, using clear language. We can find it difficult to say 'died' or 'dead' and might want to use softer expressions such as 'gone to sleep' or 'passed on'. But these expressions can be confusing.

Let them know that it's okay to feel however they feel, whether that's sad, overwhelmed, angry, worried or something else - and that there's no right or wrong way to grieve.

Be curious, empathetic and non-judgmental about how they're feeling, focusing on listening and providing emotional support.

Reassure them that you love them, they're not alone and they can talk to you whenever they need to.

If you're worried your child may be blaming themselves, reassure them that guilt is a common thing to feel - but that it is in no way their fault or responsibility.

If your child finds it difficult to talk, it might help to start a conversation while doing an activity. You can find our ideas here.

Especially with older children and teenagers, it's also okay to give them some space when they need it. Sometimes it helps to just sit together quietly, or to offer a hand squeeze or gentle hug.

Here are some other things that can really help:

1. Try to keep normal routines going as much as possible to provide a sense of security.

2. Reach out to your child's school to let them know what has happened and ask them what support they can provide.

3. Support your child to say goodbye. This could be attending gatherings such as the funeral, or other things like lighting a candle, letting off balloons, saying a prayer or poem or planting a flower or tree.

4. Spend quality time with your child to help them feel safe and relaxed. This can give them a break from the grief, even if just for a little while.

5. Encourage them to keep doing activities they enjoy. Reassure them that it's okay to feel happy, and that this does not take away from how much they care about the person they've lost.

6. Talk about the person who has died or been lost and share your memories together. You might want to create a memory box full of pictures and items that remind them of the person.

7. Encourage your child to express how they're feeling, by writing a letter to you, or to the person they have lost telling them all the things they want to say. They could also keep a diary, draw pictures or write songs or poems.

Young people's advice for other young people who are grieving

Take the next step, the next minute, the next day, one at a time

There is no one way to grieve

It's okay to be angry and to express your anger

There's no shame in having a big reaction

It's okay to feel nothing

It's okay not to be okay

It's okay to reach out for help

Don't feel guilty for having fun

You're not alone

Finding professional help

Grief has no set timescale, and it is normal to feel a whole range of emotions after a loss. Sometimes, however, a young person may feel they are struggling to cope over a much longer period of time.

Your child may need professional support if, over a prolonged period, they are:

feeling depressed or anxious

withdrawing from family, friends and activities

struggling to sleep

refusing to go to school

turning to less healthy coping mechanisms such as self-harming

talking regularly about wanting to join the person who has died

experiencing suicidal thoughts

acting like a much younger child

not believing that the person has died

Here are some ways you can find help for you and your child:
Pre-bereavement counselling
If you know that someone close to your child is going to die, pre-bereavement counselling can help them to think and talk about their feelings and worries. Some hospices and other charities offer this service, so speak to the professionals supporting your family to see what's available.
Emotional support services
Let your child know about the helplines, textlines and online chat services that are available to them, which are listed at the bottom of this page. Speak to your child's school about what they can provide, such as a teacher they can speak to or a buddying service.
Counselling and therapy
A counsellor or therapist can provide emotional support and help your child to make sense of their feelings. You can access free or subsidised counselling or therapy for your child through a bereavement charity (suggestions at the end of this page), your GP, your child's school and other local services you might be able to find online. If it's an affordable option for you, you can also find a private counsellor or therapist using the directories listed at the end of this guide.

Speaking to your GP
If you're worried about your child's mental health or wellbeing, you can speak to your GP (with or without your child) about next steps. Together you can discuss whether referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and/or an assessment by a mental health specialist is needed.

If you need support with your own grief, or you feel you're struggling to cope, it's really important that you get the help you need so you can be there for your child. You can speak to your GP about accessing free counselling or mental health support, or you can find counsellors, bereavement services and support groups listed below.

Where can I find support?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Parents Guide To Support - Grief and Loss

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Losing someone or something we love and feel close to is extremely difficult and painful. Grief is our natural emotional response to this loss, and it is a process rather than an event.

# data[].attributes.body
Try the free headspace app

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Unlock hundreds of mood-boosting meditations, relaxing sleep exercises, focus music, and more with our biggest offer of the year.

It's the healthiest, happiest deal you'll find this Black Friday, and it won't last long.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meditation and Sleep Made Simple - Headspace

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life in just a few minutes a day with the Headspace app.

# data[].attributes.body
Support for young people

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

# data[].attributes.body
Mental health support

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Kooth is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous

# data[].attributes.body
A collection of resources based on the idea of sleep hygiene
Suitable for settings working with all ages (age suitability marked on each resource within this collection)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
therapy resources | therapy comics | sleep

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A workbook on sleep hygiene using comics instead of text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Getting your little ones to sleep can be tricky. Here are 10 tips that may help your kids settle into bed.

Sleep is an important part of maintaining good health, but issues with falling asleep aren't just problems that come with adulthood. Kids can have trouble getting enough rest, and when they can't sleep... you can't sleep.

Bedtime can become a battle zone when little ones won't settle in and fall asleep. But there are ways to even the odds of victory. Try using these 10 tips to learn how to fight the battle... and win!

School-age children need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. But there's a lot of variability in sleep needs and patterns. Most kids have patterns that don't change much, no matter what you do.

Early risers will still rise early even if you put them to bed later, and night owls won't fall asleep until their bodies are ready.

That's why it's important for parents to work with their children in setting a responsible bedtime that allows them to get plenty of sleep and awake on time, says Ashanti Woods, MD, a pediatrician in Baltimore, Maryland.

Set a wake-up time based on how much sleep your child needs and what time they go to bed. Woods recommends creating a wake-up routine as early as the preschool years to help prevent stress for parents down the road.

And remember to be consistent with the schedule. Allowing your child to sleep later on weekends is generous, but could backfire in the long run.

Those extra hours of sleep will make it hard for their body to feel tired at bedtime. But if you can try to make bedtime and wake-up time the same, within an hour or so every day, you'll be making everyone's lives sooooo much easier.

Routines are especially important for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Woods recommends that after dinner the remainder of the evening should include light playtime, bath, brushing teeth, a bedtime story, and then bed.

Aim for a routine that is comforting and relaxing, setting the ideal bedtime atmosphere. Before long, your child's body may automatically start to become sleepy at the beginning of the routine.

Melatonin is an important piece of sleep-wake cycles. When melatonin levels are at their highest, most people are sleepy and ready for bed.

Research from 2011 found that blue light from a television screen, phone, or computer monitor can interfere with the production of the hormone melatonin.

Watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling web pages on a phone or computer right before bed keep your child up an extra 30 to 60 minutes, according to this 2017 study.

Make the bedroom a screen-free zone or at least make sure all screens are dark at bedtime. And keep your phone on silent when you're in your child's room - or don't carry it in there at all.

Instead of screen time, Abhinav Singh, MD, director of the Indiana Sleep Center, recommends reading to your child in the evening to allow their brain to rest.

Another hormone that plays a role in sleep is cortisol, also known as the "stress hormone." When cortisol levels are high, your child's body won't be able to shut down and go to sleep.

Keep pre-bedtime activities calm. This can help avoid excess amounts of cortisol in your child's system. "You need to reduce stress to make it easier to fall asleep," says Dr. Sarah Mitchell, chiropractor and sleep consultant.

Soft sheets, room darkening shades, and relative quiet can help your child differentiate between day and night, making it easier to fall asleep.

"Creating a sleep-inducing environment is important because it sets the stage for sleep by reducing distractions," says Mitchell. "When you're calm you are not distracted, and can fall asleep more quickly and with less help."

Your child's sleep cycle isn't just dependent on light (or the lack thereof). It's also sensitive to temperature. Melatonin levels help to regulate the drop of internal body temperature needed to sleep.

However, you can help regulate the external temperature. Don't bundle your child up too much or set the heat too high.

Whitney Roban, PhD, clinical psychologist and sleep specialist, recommends dressing your child in breathable cotton pajamas and keeping the bedroom temperature around 65 to 70°F (18.3 to 21.1°C) at night.

Ghosts and other scary creatures may not actually roam around at night, but instead of dismissing bedtime fears, address them with your child.

If simple reassurance doesn't work, try using a special toy to stand guard at night or spray the room with "monster spray" before bed.

Roban recommends scheduling time during the day to address any fears and avoiding using bedtime for these type of conversations.

"Children are very smart and will quickly learn that they can stall bedtime if they use the time to express their bedtime fears," she says.

Kids can have trouble shutting their brains off for the night. So, instead of increasing that anxiety by insisting that it's time to go to bed ("now!"), consider focusing more on relaxation and keeping your child calm.

Tryteaching your child a deep breathing technique to calm their body. "Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds," says Roban.

Younger children can just practice taking long, deep breaths in and out, she says.

Sometimes, your best-laid plans just don't yield the results that you want. (Hello, welcome to parenthood!)

If your child has trouble falling asleep, has persistent nightmares, snores, or breathes through their mouth, they might have a sleep disorder, says Mitchell.

Always talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's sleeping habits. They may recommend a sleep consultant or have other suggestions for you to try so the entire family can get a good night's sleep!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bedtime can become a battle when little bodies don't abide by the clock. Here are 10 tips to learn how to win the fight.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fortunately, specific behavioral changes and adjustments to the sleep environment will help most children with insomnia. We've compiled the top tips that are proven to help kids sleep. The recommendations outlined here are best suited for toddlers through early adolescence. Both babies and teens will have specific considerations of their own.

These lists may seem long, but you don't need to implement them all at once. It's better to focus on trying a few small changes, giving them time to work, and then adjusting your approach based on how your child responds.

Keep in mind that every child's sleep needs will vary based on their age, genetics, and cultural differences. Therefore, not all approaches will work equally well for all children, and there can be an element of trial and error. However, your patience will be rewarded in time as your little one learns to fall asleep quickly on their own and keep sleeping soundly through the night.

Sleep hygiene - a collection of habits and behaviors that promote good sleep - is vital for children. Many sleep struggles are caused or made worse by poor sleep hygiene. When practicing sleep hygiene, remember that consistency is key. Sleep strategies take time and repetition to be effective.

Create a Routine: Humans are creatures of habit. A lets your child's body and mind know that it's time to settle down and prepare for sleep. The actual routine can be specific to your child, but it should last around 20 minutes and consist of three to four quiet, soothing activities such as putting on PJs, brushing teeth, a warm bath, and reading. Bedtime routines provide children with a sense of familiarity and comfort, which acts in direct opposition to the uncertainty of insomnia.

Set a Bedtime: A sleep schedule works with your child's natural biological clock to promote dozing off with regularity. Bedtimes are most useful when they're consistent, so try to keep the same bedtime on weekends as on school nights. Altering bedtimes during the weekend will make it more difficult for kids to maintain their normal weekday schedules.

Implement a Screen Curfew: The ubiquity of screens makes this rule hard to implement, but it's well worth it. Mobile devices, TVs, and tablets emit a type of blue light that suppresses melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Children may be to the effects of light from screens. Screen time also stimulates the brain, making it harder to wind down for sleep. Electronic devices should be kept out of the bedroom and ideally not used within one hour of bedtime. Consider using the created by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Get Exercise: Physical activity is proven to help people of all ages . Most children need at least of exercise per day. Just make sure to avoid vigorous activity within two hours of bedtime. Otherwise, your child may feel wound-up and find it harder to fall asleep.

Avoid Scary or Violent Content: Feeling scared or worried is a common reason kids can't sleep. So it's no wonder that scary or violent movies, TV, video games, and even books in the evening are in children. If your kiddo likes the gory or spooky stuff, save it for the daytime.

Nix Caffeine: This is a no brainer. Caffeine is a stimulant that can both make it harder to fall asleep and reduce the quality of sleep. In addition to the usual suspects like soda, coffee, and energy drinks, watch out for more discreet sources like tea, decaf coffee (which still has trace amounts of caffeine) and chocolate. Even small amounts of caffeine can have a in a little body. Don't let your child consume caffeine , or preferably, avoid it all together.

Don't Sleep With a Pet: While it's tempting for tots to snuggle Fido in bed, a pet's movements and noises during the night can awaken them from a peaceful slumber. Try having your furry family member sleep outside of your child's bedroom for a few nights to see if that helps. To make the transition easier, include saying goodnight to pets in the bedtime routine.

Optimizing your child's bedroom is an integral part of inducing quick and seamless shuteye. People with insomnia are more likely to be distracted by an uncomfortable bedroom National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , which makes sleep even harder. These tips can help you create the perfect sleep setup for your little one:

Room Temperature: The body and brain both in preparation for sleep, and this can be disrupted by a stuffy bedroom. To avoid this, try to keep the thermostat around 65 degrees.

Noise: Research suggests that even mild sound disturbances can , even if the sleeper never awakens. Consider noise-blocking curtains to cut down on street noise. You can also use a fan or white noise machine to drown out unpredictable or distracting sounds.

Light Level: Start dimming indoor lights as bedtime approaches, and keep your child's bedroom as dark as possible. This and . If your child is afraid of the dark, a small nightlight is okay.

Soothing smells: Calming scents like can have mild sedative effects. You might try using essential oils, a room diffuser, or dried potpourri sachet to provide a soothing, sleep-inducing smell.

Unfortunately, childhood anxiety is steadily rising Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) As the nation's health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. known to disrupt sleep Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) ADAA's mission focuses on improving quality of life for those with anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders through education, practice, and research. View Source . Stress is View Source in all ages, so anything that can reduce worrying before bed is helpful. Help your child learn to manage their concerns with these tactics:

Write In a Journal: Encourage your child to get their anxious thoughts out of their head and onto paper. It can also help for them to write about the good things that happened in the day. Focusing on the positive will help children feel more secure.

Mindfulness Exercises: Mindfulness exercises like meditation are proven to . There are many kid-friendly meditations that parents and children can do together. These often consist of simple breathing techniques, body awareness, or guided imagery. Look to books, tapes, and even smartphone apps for ideas.

Create a Worry Time: It's okay to discuss worries, just not at bedtime. Set aside a specific time during the day for your children to discuss their concerns and how to cope with them. This can free children of the need to dwell on worries before bed.

It's normal for even the best little sleepers to awaken from slumber and ask for a parent. When your child cries out for you, it's okay to tend to them. However, you should do so with intention. This is not the time to give in to demands, as doing so can increase stimulation and make it harder to fall asleep. Fulfilling your child's every request can also reinforce an unhelpful pattern of relying on parental assistance for sleep.

Instead, keep the checks short and simple. The point is to provide your child with reassurance that they're safe and cared for, while still fostering their ability to self-soothe and sleep on their own. Some parents may even wait a few seconds before answering a call so that their child has the opportunity to fall back asleep on their own.

If you have any doubt over whether your child's nighttime checks are appropriate, consult your child's doctor for guidance.

If your child continues to have trouble sleeping despite your best efforts, it may be time to check in with their pediatrician. Although uncommon, there can be more serious causes of childhood insomnia, such as childhood sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.

Any of these reasons are cause to involve a doctor:

Significant daytime sleepiness

Frequent or severe snoring or other abnormal breathing during sleep

Suspected psychological or developmental condition

Considering medications or supplements to aid in sleep

For a couple of weeks before the doctor appointment, it can help to keep a sleep diary. This is a nightly recording of your child's bed time, nap times, sleep length, and activities. A sleep diary helps to identify patterns and possible problems to address.

Learn more about our Editorial Team

References

1. Esparham, A. (2020, January 2). Melatonin and Children's Sleep. HealthyChildren.Org.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/sleep/Pages/Melatonin-and-Childrens-Sleep.aspx

2. Mindell, J. A., Li, A. M., Sadeh, A., Kwon, R., & Goh, D. Y. (2015). Bedtime routines for young children: a dose-dependent association with sleep outcomes. Sleep, 38(5), 717-722.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25325483/

3. LeBourgeois, M. K., Hale, L., Chang, A. M., Akacem, L. D., Montgomery-Downs, H. E., & Buxton, O. M. (2017). Digital media and sleep in childhood and adolescence. Pediatrics, 140(Suppl 2), S92-S96.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29093040/

4. Family Media Use Plan. (n.d.)., Retrieved September 23, 2020, from
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/media/Pages/default.aspx

5. A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. (2017, August 30). Benefits of Exercise., Retrieved August 30, 2020, from
https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html

6. A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. (2017, August 30). How Much Exercise Do I Need?., Retrieved August 30, 2020, from
https://medlineplus.gov/howmuchexercisedoineed.html

7. Garrison, M. M., Liekweg, K., & Christakis, D. A. (2011). Media use and child sleep: the impact of content, timing, and environment. Pediatrics, 128(1), 29-35.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21708803/

8. Temple J. L. (2019). Review: Trends, Safety, and Recommendations for Caffeine Use in Children and Adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(1), 36-45.
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0890856718318847

9. Drake, C., Roehrs, T., Shambroom, J., & Roth, T. (2013). Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 9(11), 1195-1200.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24235903/

10. Narisawa H. (2013). Anxiety and its related factors at bedtime are associated with difficulty in falling asleep. The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine, 231(1), 37-43.
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/tjem/231/1/231_37/_article

11. Harding, E. C., Franks, N. P., & Wisden, W. (2019). The temperature dependence of sleep. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13, 336.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105512/

12. Van Der Werf, Y. D., Altena, E., Schoonheim, M. M., Sanz-Arigita, E. J., Vis, J. C., De Rijke, W., & Van Someren, E. J. (2009). Sleep benefits subsequent hippocampal functioning. Nature neuroscience, 12(2), 122-123.
http://www.nature.com/articles/nn.2253

13. Burgess, H. J., & Molina, T. A. (2014). Home lighting before usual bedtime impacts circadian timing: a field study. Photochemistry and photobiology, 90(3), 723-726.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24918238/

14. Gooley, J. J., Chamberlain, K., Smith, K. A., Khalsa, S. B., Rajaratnam, S. M., Van Reen, E., Zeitzer, J. M., Czeisler, C. A., & Lockley, S. W. (2011). Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 96(3), E463-E472.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21193540/

15. Koulivand, P. H., Khaleghi Ghadiri, M., & Gorji, A. (2013). Lavender and the nervous system. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2013, 681304.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2013/681304/

16. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. (2020, June 15). Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html

17. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (n.d.). Sleep Disorders., Retrieved August 31, 2020, from
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders

18. Ong, J. C., Manber, R., Segal, Z., Xia, Y., Shapiro, S., & Wyatt, J. K. (2014). A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for chronic insomnia. Sleep, 37(9), 1553-1563.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25142566/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sleep Strategies for Children | Sleep Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wondering about sleep aids for kids? These proven sleep tips will help children learn to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sensory diet to support children with ADHD

# data[].attributes.subject
Sensory diet to support children with ADHD

# data[].attributes.body
Try some of these ideas to help ADHD students

# data[].attributes.headline
12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD 

# data[].attributes.subject
12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The positives of ADHD are numerous and mighty - creativity, empathy, and tenacity, just to name a few. Here, readers share their amazing superpowers.

Thinking positive to find the plus sides of adhd.

1 of 13

Problem solving skills are a positive about ADHD.

2 of 13

Children use their creativity to build a fort.

3 of 13

A teenager consoles a friend, using her gift of compassion.

4 of 13

Girl with snorkel by family unpacking van shows her sense of humor.

5 of 13

The word impossible is written on a chalkboard, with the "im" crossed out, because those with ADHD have perseverance.

6 of 13

A woman is very observant and employs her keen sense of observation.

7 of 13

A mom holds her child while also ironing - multitasking is a strength for those with ADHD.

8 of 13

A man is very focused on writing in his notebook. Hyperfocus is a positive trait of ADHD.

9 of 13

A group of young children are running with endless energy, another positive trait of ADHD.

10 of 13

A father and son play airplane together. Their seal for life is an ADHD superpower.

11 of 13

A green apple in a group of oranges illustrates differences. Kids and adults with ADHD are very accepting.

12 of 13

A road sign has an arrow pointing to Right and another toward wrong. Those with ADHD have a strong moral compass.

13 of 13

More Articles Recommended For You

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Faster than a speeding bike! Able to leap stereotypes in a single bound! We asked readers what made them a notch above the rest. These are their answers.

# data[].attributes.body
Make sure your child is in the right space to start learning.