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Autism Support and Advice for Parents and Carers

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Positive Behaviour Workshops - January 2022 

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Positive Behaviour Workshops - January 2022 

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Workshops and events coming up.

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Lincolnshire parent carer forum information

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Some activities to try whilst you are out and about.

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Our Mental Health Support Team (MHST) have launched a podcast to promote positive mental health for children and young people! It is now available on several platforms including Spotify and Google Podcasts! The #MHSTpodcast includes useful hints, tips and activities.​​​​​ Click here to listen now on Anchor.fm

Read the podcast descriptions for more information on what the team discuss in each episode. Some topics are aimed specifically at children, young people, parents or professionals.

Tell us your views!

Please fill in our survey so that we can improve our podcasts in the future! We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Complete the survey online.

MHST Episodes
24. Wellbeing and pets
There's a saying, "a dog is a man's best friend". Many people with a pet would agree with this wholeheartedly! In this episode, we wanted to look at how pets can support us in meeting the five steps to wellbeing. Kerry and Jasper also join us to talk about how animal assisted therapy is used in our own children and young people services.
Listen to this episode now 23. Winter wellbeing
Winter is a magical season, full of festivities, parties and for some people, gifts! Gift-giving can be great for our wellbeing. However, pressures associated with giving presents can negatively impact how we feel. In this podcast, we discuss the wonderful ways to treat your loved ones, boosting your wellbeing, whilst avoiding some of the worry.
Listen to this episode now
We also have several 'how to' guides, as well as videos to help you create your own festive treats!
Creative CAMHS playlist - YouTube How to guide - origami gift boxes How to make salt dough gift tags How to make pine cone bird feeders 22. Anti-Bullying Week 2022
This edition of the podcast is all about Anti-Bullying Week (14-18 November 2022)! We have been joined by the wonderful Mylie, Phoebie and Kai, who are all pupils from St George's Primary School in Gainsborough. The trio have taken part in our new anti-bullying workshop and have discussed how bullying and being unkind can impact on mental health. They also have some great advice on what you can do if you need support, or someone you know needs support with bullying.
Listen to this episode now 21. Cost of living
This edition of the MHST podcast is aimed at parents/carers and school staff.

We know that a large percentage of children are worried about how the cost of living crisis may impact them and their families. This podcast aims to support adults in having conversations with children and young people to help alleviate some of those worries.

Some credible sources of support are:
The Money Helper Citizens Advice Step Change National Debt Line
Please note, the information is up to date as of October 2022. LPFT does not promote or endorse the use of the organisations, companies and resources mentioned and may amend or update this information at any time. It is designed to highlight a range of support available.
Listen to this episode now 20. World Mental Health Day 2022
In this edition of the podcast, aimed at children and young people, we talk about World Mental Health Day, which takes place on 10 October. The theme of World Mental Health Day 2022 is 'making mental health and wellbeing a priory for all'. Within this podcast, we explore how we can prioritise our mental health, as well as how other countries and cultures prioritise their mental health.
Listen to this episode now 19. Masking
This edition of the podcast is aimed at parents and professionals. During the podcast we discuss masking, how this may look at home and in school, as well as what you can do to support the young person.

The link for additional resources and information discussed within the podcast is: Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Support.

During this podcast, we'll be using person focused and diagnostic focus language to discuss young people that might have a diagnosis of autism.
Listen to this episode now 18. Exam results
In this edition of the podcast, we discuss exam results and what you can do if you don't get the results you were expecting. We have teamed up with a careers advisor from a further education setting who has shared her advice on the next steps you can take.
Listen to this episode now 17. Maintaining friendships
This month's podcast is aimed at children and young people aged 5 - 18. We discuss healthy relationships, maintaining healthy boundaries within friendships and finding your crowd. We also discuss how friendships can impact your mental health in both positive and negative ways.
Listen to this episode now 16. Loneliness
This edition of the MHST (Mental Health Support Team) podcast is in collaboration with Mental Health Awareness week. Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 9 - 15 May and the theme this year is loneliness. In this podcast, we discuss how loneliness can feel for different people and the steps we can put into place to manage this.
Listen to this episode now 15. Stress Awareness
This episode of the MHST (Mental Health Support Team) podcast is all about stress awareness. Aimed at all ages, Lucy and James explore how stress feels and discuss how stress can actually be helpful!

You can also find some useful tips to manage stress in our MHST Stress Busting Booklet via the following links:
Listen to this episode now 14. Seasonal changes
In this podcast, we talk about the changes we might experience with the weather changing! Lighter and longer days are close by with the clocks going forward last weekend. Listen to our tips which might help this season.
Listen to this episode now 13. Transitioning to university
Moving away from home and starting university can be a big change for many people and it can take time to adjust. The Mental Health Support Team have a special guest in this podcast talking about transitioning to university, the challenges they have faced and the support they have accessed.
Listen to this episode now 12. LGBT+ History Month
The month of February celebrates LGBTQ+ History Month and to mark this important month, the MHST have created this podcast. The podcast is aimed at young people and adults and explores why we celebrate this awareness month and the connection between the LGBTQ+ communities and mental health. We are also joined by special guests, London Drag Queens, Flesh and Bones, who talk about their experiences of growing up within the LGBTQ+ community. They also share some top tips for looking after your mental health.
Listen to this episode now 11. Children's Mental Health Week - 5 steps to wellbeing
This episode of the MHST podcast is all about Children's Mental Health Week and the steps you can take to stay mentally healthy. Aimed at all ages, we discuss the 5 steps to wellbeing and how you can put them into practice in your daily life. This podcast is split into 5 segments so that you can focus on one step for each day of the week.
Listen to this episode now 10. Brew Monday and starting conversations
This is a podcast aimed at parents, carers and professionals to mark 'Brew Monday'. Brew Monday is day to remind us all about the importance of connection, whether that be checking in with ourselves, or those around us especially during these dark winter months. We also share hints and tips for starting conversations with children and young people and creating a safe space to talk about feelings, which we understand can often be a challenge in day to day life.
Listen to this episode now 9. Exploring mindfulness
In our first podcast of 2022, Lucy, Chris and Mel explore what mindfulness is, how it can help us and which ways we can practice this in our daily lives. This podcast is aimed at 10-18 year olds.

The mindfulness 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise can be found at www.lpft.nhs.uk/grounding-activity
Listen to this episode now 8. MHST: Christmas wellbeing tips
This edition of the MHST podcast is all about Christmas and how to manage overwhelming feelings during the festive period. Aimed at 5-16 year olds, we discuss different tips and ideas of how to cope over the Christmas period. It also includes the 12 days of MHST Christmas Wellbeing tips! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the team!
Listen to this episode now 7. MHST: Body image and self-confidence
This podcast is about body image and self-confidence. We talk about the difficulties when using social media and how it can affect our mental health. This podcast is aimed for teenagers and young people.
Listen to this episode now 6. MHST: Dealing with uncertainty
We all face a lot of uncertainty and change as we go through life. However recently, we have probably had to deal with more uncertainty than normal! This podcast explores how uncertainty can make us feel and ways that we can help manage the uncertainties we may face.
Listen to this episode now 5. MHST: Men's Mental Health Month
November is Men's Mental Health Month. Here at MHST we have taken this opportunity to explore male mental health and the stigma surrounding it. In this podcast we have input from two of our male practitioners. We have also had some incredible and interesting conversations with a young man who is being supported by our service. This young man has also shared some poetry he has been writing.
Listen to this episode now 4. MHST: Seasonal changes
In this podcast we talk about the changes we might experience with the weather changing! Darker mornings and evenings can cause our motivation to lack, but listen to our tips that might help.
Listen to this episode now 3. MHST: World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day is on 10th October 2021. You might notice your school celebrating Hello Yellow on 8th October which is a campaign by Young Minds to promote mental health awareness. This year's theme is "Mental health in an unequal world" so in this podcast we are going to talk about mental health for all and how it can affect each and every one of us.
Listen to this episode now 2. MHST: International Day of Podcasts
In this MHST Podcast we are celebrating International Podcast Day! We are thinking about what we enjoy about podcasts and why we enjoy creating our own. We have learnt a lot about podcasts over the last year and share some of our outtakes and "bloopers"!
Listen to this episode now 1. MHST: Suicide Prevention Day - 10 September 2021
This week the Mental Health Support Team would like to raise awareness of World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday 10th September. Join us as we discuss this year's theme 'Creating Hope Through Action' and what we can do in order to create a sense of hope for ourselves and others. Whilst suicide can be a difficult topic to discuss, we want to highlight the importance of raising awareness and encouraging people to seek support if they are struggling. Please note that this podcast has been created for Secondary School age students and above.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Introduction podcast
We know last year has been extremely difficult for everyone, so we the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) have continued to work hard to find creative ways to reach out to the children and young people that we work with.

The MHST is part of Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust which is the mental health and learning disability trust in Lincolnshire. We have created an exciting new podcast for children and young people, which will include hints and tips on promoting positive mental health and different ways to get involved with our monthly awareness topics.

We hope you enjoy listening to our podcasts and we can't wait to hear what you think!

Listen to this episode now
MHST: Party podcast special
Join us to celebrate the launch of our new service!

MHST is now working as a live mental health service in schools to support children and young people with their mental health. Meet the team and hear about our party tricks!

Listen to this episode now
MHST: How to be smart about our New Year's resolutions
As January is coming to an end, how have you been doing with your New Year's resolutions? Join us as we chat about our own resolutions and how we have been keeping on top of them.

Listen to our top tips, like breaking your goals down into small manageable and measurable tasks!
Listen to this episode now MHST: Time to Talk
Join us to chat about the national campaign, Time to Talk, featuring our special guests from the peer support team.
Listen to this episode now MHST: How to show yourself some self-love
Do you need to show yourself some self-love? Join us to hear how we keep on top of managing our own wellbeing and see if you can take any tips to try at home.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Health and nutrition
Does health and nutrition seem to be an extra pressure in your daily life? It doesn't have to be that way! Check out this podcast for easy and fun ways to stay on top of your health and nutrition.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Top tips on getting extra Zzzz
Do you crave getting those eight hours a night? Check out our podcast for useful hints and tips, and say goodbye to counting those sheep at night.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Stress busters
Stress is a normal reaction to daily life pressures, however you are not on our own with dealing with stress. Join us to chat about ways that we 'deal' with stress!
Listen to this episode now MHST: World Book Night
Let's get lost in a story, join us to chat about this national event and how books can have a positive effect on our mental health and wellbeing. We will also discuss the benefits of journaling!
Listen to this episode now MHST: Mental Health Awareness Week
Join us to celebrate mental health awareness week! As this year's theme is nature and the environment, we thought we would talk about how we can use our environment to support with our mental health and wellbeing.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Walk to School Week 17-21 May
Walk to School Week is a really good time to start walking to school a bit more to help improve both our physical and mental health. Join us to talk about the benefits that walking can have on our mental health and helpful hints and tips on what you could do instead if walking isn't your thing.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Carers Week 7-13 June
Join us to talk about Carers Week with our special guests from Young Carers, sharing useful information and helpful hints. We will also discuss the support available for young carers in Lincolnshire.

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face, and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don't think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Loneliness Week 14-18 June
Join us to talk about Loneliness Awareness Week to raise awareness of feeling alone. Within this podcast we talk about how loneliness can be different for everyone and can influence our mental health. We will also include some useful hints and tips on how to combat loneliness.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Mental health over the summer
Join us to talk about how to keep ourselves well over the summer holidays. We know when schools and colleges break up, it is easy to get out of a routine! Listen to our podcast for tips and ideas to stay connected and look after our mental health.
Listen to this episode now MHST: International Day of Friendship (30 July)
Join us to talk about International Day of Friendship to celebrate, appreciate and promote friendships from all backgrounds. We know how much friendship can impact on our mental health both in a positive and negative way, and that the summer holidays can often impact our friendships whether we see our friends more or less.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Top tips for parents and carers to support child mental health and wellbeing over the summer
Join us to talk about supporting your child's mental health and wellbeing over the summer. The MHST invited two very special guests, parent peer support workers, Carla and Janet, to share useful hints and tips to support parents/carers over the summer break.
Listen to this episode now MHST: Getting back to school
Join us this week to talk about the return to school in September after the summer holidays. Returning to school may affect children and young people differently. In this podcast, we talk about how going back to school may feel and some of the changes we might experience. Listen out for our tips that may help you if you are feeling worried or anxious.
Listen to this episode now

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Our Mental Health Support Team (MHST) have launched a brand new podcast to promote positive mental health for children and young people! It is now available on several platforms including Spotify and Google Podcasts!

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Pooky Knightsmith

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ANXIETY | Top phrases for calming anxious children

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Coronavirus Support Archives - Elsa Support for emotional literacy

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Coronavirus support provides free resources for teaching staff and parents to help children cope with the current viral outbreak.

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Support/resources for parents, teachers and children.

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We're a pioneering mental health charity transforming care for children and young people through science, collaboration and clinical innovation.

We focus on discovery, delivering compassionate support, and sharing our knowledge widely.

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We work with professionals to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Learn about our training, services, research and more.

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Support for parents

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Free and confidential live chat with a qualified parenting coach in the UK. We're here 12:30-19:30 Monday, 10:30-16:30 Tuesday, 09:30-16:30 Wednesday, 12:30-19:30 Thursday and 09:30-16:00 Friday.

We can talk about anything that supports family life, caring for children or managing your own wellbeing. Some parents get in touch to chat about their day or talk about things they can't tell anyone else.

Remember, we're hard to shock. Between us, we've seen and heard every kind of parenting question, concern or worry - nothing fazes us.

Need to talk to someone right away?

Parents and carers

The Give us a Shout text service is available 24/7 and is free on all major mobile networks. Text Shout to 85258.

If you're worried about a child's safety, call NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. If you're worried about a child's health, call 111. In an emergency, call 999.

Children

If you're under 18, call Childline on 0800 1111. You can also text Shout to 85258. Both services are free.

If you need urgent help from the police or a hospital, dial 999 from any phone.

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Free and confidential live chat with a qualified parenting coach in the UK. We're here 12:30-19:30 Monday, 10:30-16:30 Tuesday, 09:30-16:30 Wednesday, 12:30-19:30 Thursday and 09:30-16:00 Friday. We can talk about anything that supports family life, caring for children or managing your own wellbeing.

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A free online resource developed to support the inclusion of autistic learners in Scottish Early Learning and Childcare settings, Primary and Secondary schools.

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Special Education and Inclusive Learning

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Covid-19: Back To School Resources for SEND and EYFS

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A selection of free poster and visual resources to support children with SEND during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

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Below is a listing of various organisations that can provide services relating to POST COVID-19.

If any of the details below require updating or amending, let us know
Please be aware that the organisations listed on this page are provided for information purposes only, and are not endorsed or recommended by STLS. You should always ensure that any service, activity or therapy that you are considering for your child / young person is appropriate to their needs.

County Return

to School Project

Resources supporting Emotional Wellbeing for Highly Anxious Pupils during COVID - 19

Free Downloadable Resources

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families' have put together their 6 th sixth coronavirus toolkit in the series and it is full of resilience-building resources for children, school staff and parents and carers.

Managing unexpected endings & transitions' booklet that is a practical guide for school staff to support pupils to manage change during periods of disruption, such as change & disruption caused by #coronavirus.

A wonderful, empathetic, child-centred guidance document exploring the return to school by EYFS.

A beautifully Illustrated Social Story exploring protective bubbles in school and keeping safe.

Signposting

Big White Wall (BWW) offers safe, anonymous online support available 24/7.

It offers a range of therapeutic pathways, online courses, on topics including managing anxiety, positive thinking, smoking cessation, and weight management. Counsellors are always online to moderate the service and provide further support.

An online wellbeing hub at www.kent.gov.uk/wellbeing which provides self-help advice and links to local support services to help people's mental wellbeing during (Covid-19)

A text service for children, young people and adults needing immediate mental health support. This service can be accessed by texting the word "Kent" to 85258. This is a 24/7 text service.

This Social Story is useful for helping SEN children adjust to returning to school, especially as schools will look very different for a while.

Twinkl have put together several useful materials to help EYFS, year 1 and year 6 children to get ready for going back to the classroom following the recent lockdown due to COVID-19.

Media Links

Coronavirus, and helping children with autism - Episode 4 podcast

All ten episodes of the Recovery Curriculum are now available. There is also an additional podcast for mental health awareness week on the mental health of children and having conversations about mental health.

Recommended

Resources

Small Steps is a support guide for pre-school settings to help a child with their first steps in their grieving journey. This document is available either online or via hard copy. This is currently available as a free download if you are a member of Threads of Success.

WIDGIT have put together a back to school collection of tools and ready-made materials to help parents, teachers and carers who use symbols to support their children and young people.

Cookie Notice: We use cookies on this site to improve your user experience.

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Below is a listing of various organisations that can provide services relating to POST COVID-19. If any of the details below require updating or amending, let us know Please be aware that the organisations listed on this page are provided for information purposes only, and are not endorsed or recommended by STLS.

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1. Advice for staff in schools 2. Pupil activities - primary 3. Pupil activities - secondary 4. Resources for parents (and schools)5. Resources for schools 6. Support for children with autism returning to school

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Materials to support transition back to school following COVID-19 - Solihull local offer

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1. Advice for staff in schools 2. Pupil activities - primary 3. Pupil activities - secondary 4. Resources for parents (and schools) 5. Resources for schools 6. Support for children with autism returning to school

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March 2021

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Guidance for staff supporting autistic pupils attending secondary and post 16 settings during the Coronavirus outbreak here

Ideas for parents home educating their early years children with autism during the Coronavirus outbreak here

Ideas for parents home educating their school aged children and young people with autism during the Coronavirus outbreak here

Ideas for parents home educating their Post 16 young people with autism during the Coronavirus outbreak here

A guide to talking to children about Coronavirus by Dawn Huebner, PhD (suitable for use with cogitively able children and young people) here

Dr Ranj (CBBC) explains about Coronavirus here

Easy read government guidance on 'Looking after your feelings and your body during Coronavirus' here

Supporting children and adults with severe learning disabilities at home during the Coronavirus pandemic - a document by the Challenging Behaviour Foundation here

Maintaining wellbeing during Coronavirus; a guide by the National Autistic Society here

Relaxation techniques for autistic people; compiled by the National Autistic Society here

Information and Ideas for sensory circuits in the home here

Steps for Success here

Useful Teaching and Activity Resources National Autistic Society Accreditation Team here

Example home learning activities for Early Years here

Autism sport and physical activity; guidance from the National Autistic Society here

Home learning passport here

NHS advice on Coronavirus translated into 35 different languages here

Post 16 Staying from home plan with completed example here

Post 16 Weekly planner here

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Guidance for staff supporting autistic pupils attending secondary and post 16 settings during the Coronavirus outbreak here Ideas for parents home educating their early years children with autism during the Coronavirus outbreak here Ideas for parents home educating their school aged children and young people with autism during the Coronavirus

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Lincolnshire

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CAMHS Learning Disability Service- Easy Read Guide
CAMHS Learning Disability team is a community based specialist service offering support to children and young people, aged between 0-18 years, who are experiencing significant mental health problems and who are diagnosed with moderate to severe learning disability.

Mental health and/ or associated complex needs

Challenging behaviour

The team will work with you, your parents/carers, schools, and health professionals and social care to offer individual tailored advice and strategies to support you. This might include:

Conducting a comprehensive holistic assessment to include psychological, emotional and behavioural health as well as looking at physical issues which could be affecting mental health well-being (e.g. sleep)

Conducting a psychiatric assessment and medication consultation / review (if required)

Offering behaviour management advice and interventions

1:1 time with the young person and their family

Offering telephone consultations and advice

Teaching and consultation to agencies (such as schools, respite services, children's homes)

Offering a parent support program

Signposting to other appropriate agencies

This is not an exhaustive list and most importantly, following any assessments, you and your family will be invited to be involved in deciding the best course of action.

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Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

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CAMHS Learning Disability Service- Easy Read Guide CAMHS Learning Disability team is a community based specialist service offering support to children and young people, aged between 0-18 years, who are experiencing significant mental health problems and who are diagnosed with moderate to severe learning disability.

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Suitable for settings working with all ages (age suitability marked on each resource within this collection)

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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!

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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.

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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/

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Sleep Strategies for Children | Sleep Foundation

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Wondering about sleep aids for kids? These proven sleep tips will help children learn to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.

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Each child is unique and individual, and will develop skills at different rates. If your child is having difficulty developing certain skills they may benefit from specialist assessment, support and advice from our service.

The Children's Therapy Service is an integrated team made up of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and therapy assistants. We provide specialist therapy services for children and young people, between the ages of 0 -19, to support them to achieve their potential. We work all across the county of Lincolnshire in a variety of locations.

If your child is referred to us, you will have contact with a qualified occupational therapist, physiotherapist, or speech and language therapist. All our therapists are registered with the Health Care Professions Council (www.hcpc-uk.org) as well as their relevant professional bodies. Our therapists are supported by therapy assistants and assistant practitioners who often work alongside the therapists to provide support to children and their families. All members of our team are DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) checked to an extended level.

If you have any further questions or need to get in touch with us, our contact details are:

Children's Therapy Services
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust
Beech House
Waterside South
Lincoln
LN5 7JH

Telephone: 01522 309025

Email: LHNT.lincschildrenstherapyservice@nhs.net

Making a referral

Please click on the relevant therapy link below to access information about how your child can be referred to us. If the referral is accepted, you will receive an appointment within 18 weeks. This may be on the telephone or face-to-face depending on the type of referral and the needs of your child.

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Each child is unique and individual, and will develop skills at different rates. If your child is having difficulty developing certain skills they may benefit from specialist assessment, support and advice from our service. The Children's Therapy Service is an integrated team made up of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and therapy assistants.

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Speech and Language Therapy is part of Lincolnshire Community Health Services (LCHS) Children's Therapy team. This team also includes Children's Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. The team work across the county in a variety of settings with children and young people aged 0-19 years who have identified Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and / or motor difficulties with eating, drinking or swallowing.

The Speech and Language Therapy team consists of Speech and Language Therapists and assistants.

The aim of the team is to help the child/young person reach their full potential through providing appropriate intervention, advice and support.
They do this by carrying out highly specialist assessments to identify the need and, in partnership with the child or young person; parents, schools or nurseries, goals are set and management options agreed upon.

The service works closely with parents, children's centre staff and school staff to implement the strategies and targeted therapy that a child will need.
The service advises on and supports the introduction of augmentative forms of communication such as Makaton / voice output communication aids (VOCAS).

Interventions may be in the form of time - limited specific targeted work, programmed support or advice and strategies integrated into the child's daily routines. The therapists do not work with the child or young person indefinitely but aim to empower them and their parents to become the experts in their own care seeking advice from the therapists when necessary. In working very closely with other professionals in health, education and social care such as teachers, pre school staff, specialist nurses and parents / carers the therapists can advise on ways to improve communication and language development.

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my child is about to be kicked out of school

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my child is about to be kicked out of school

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specialist speech and language therapist

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specialist speech and language therapist

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Speech and Language Therapy, Lincolnshire Community Health Services

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Speech and Language Therapy is part of Lincolnshire Community Health Services (LCHS) Children's Therapy team. This team also includes Children's Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. The team work across the county in a variety of settings with children and young people aged 0-19 years who have identified Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and / or motor difficulties with eating, drinking or swallowing.

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Activities to Develop Receptive Language

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Activities to Develop Receptive Language

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Activities to Develop Receptive Language

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Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics to help us improve it. We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our Cookies page

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Parents and Carers | Advice and Guidance | Anna Freud Centre

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Advice and guidance for parents and carers to help them support a child or a young person experiencing poor mental health or wellbeing.

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Fine Motor Skills Activities for Older Kids

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These fine motor skills activities could work with older kids who find other tasks too childish.

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Sensory Processing Information for Parents

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Sensory Processing Information for Parents

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What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects behaviour and concentration.

Children and young people with ADHD often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go. Some people with ADHD do not experience hyperactivity though, and this is sometimes called attention deficit disorder (ADD).

ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems.

Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for children and young people as well as for their parents and carers. But the right diagnosis, treatment and support can make a big difference to a child's learning, life skills and relationships, as well as making family life easier. There is also lots you can do as a parent/carer to help your child manage the things they find difficult.

What are the most common symptoms of ADHD?

A child with ADHD may be:

easily distracted, finding it difficult to start or finish tasks

often unable to concentrate

often restless or fidgety

very talkative, often interrupting or blurting things out

impulsive, acting before considering consequences, prone to taking risks

easily angry or frustrated, struggling to deal with emotions

finding making or maintaining friendships difficult

disorganised, for instance often losing things or being late

lacking awareness of time

Every child or young person with ADHD is individual and they may not display all of these behaviours. And many of these traits and behaviours are typical in younger children, or can follow a traumatic experience - they don't necessarily mean your child has ADHD.

Age and gender can also affect how someone with ADHD behaves. This can make it harder to spot signs of ADHD, particularly in girls, who are more likely to be undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed with other conditions(i).

Typically the symptoms of ADHD develop in early childhood and they may become particularly noticeable at times of significant change, such as starting or changing school.

What to do if you think your child might have ADHD

If your child frequently experiences some of these symptoms; this is affecting their day- to- day life; and it's happening in more than one setting (for instance at home and school), discuss your concerns with your child's GP. Before doing this, talk to your child's teacher and the school special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about what they have noticed.

The GP may want to refer your child for assessment, as ADHD can only be diagnosed by a specialist such as a child and adolescent psychiatrist or paediatrician.

Sometimes parents are reluctant to pursue assessment. They may be worried about 'labelling' their child or about stigma, or they may prefer to watch and wait. These feelings are normal. But parents and young people who do seek diagnosis can find it helps them access the right support; understand and manage challenges; and identify individual strengths.

We have more information about getting support from the GP, CAMHS or school in our guide.

ADHD diagnosis, support and treatment

ADHD assessment is usually done through the specialist Children and Young People's Mental Health Services, commonly referred to as CAMHS.

Diagnosis is most commonly made in childhood, and in the majority of cases, symptoms affecting daily life continue into adulthood(ii).

There is no single, definitive test for ADHD. Specialists will base clinical diagnosis on a combination of observations of your child; discussions and questionnaires (with you and your child); and information from your child's school.

They will consider how long the symptoms have been present; their impact on your child's daily life; and whether they might be due to another condition. Approximately 60-80% of children with ADHD have at least one other condition,(iii) (such as autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety or behaviour problems) and your child may be given more than one diagnosis.

Support and treatment options

You and your child should be offered support and advice to help manage ADHD in their day-to-day life.

ADHD can also be treated with medication and/or therapies. These should be discussed with you when your child is diagnosed, and are set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on ADHD.

ADHD can be treated with therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For more information about therapy, see our parent guide to counselling and therapy.

There are a number of types of medication. These are not a cure for ADHD, and many children do not take them, but they can help manage some of the symptoms. Medication must be prescribed and overseen by a specialist.

You may also be offered ADHD -focussed parent training. This does not mean your parenting is somehow wrong. It is designed to provide support and specific strategies and skills to help you and your child thrive.

Jack is still perennially late, disorganised and impulsive; but he's also energetic, original and creative. The medication is helping him make the most of all of that.

How can I help my child with ADHD?

Be explicit and consistent about unacceptable behaviour, such as violence. Set appropriate consequences and follow them through, but try to stay calm in the moment to avoid escalation. Dealing with challenging behaviour can be very hard, and our parent guide has helpful advice.

Plan the day so your child knows what to expect. Maintaining regular sleep patterns, physical activity and mealtimes can help your child. Some people find dietary change and/or certain supplements helpful, but there is no clinical evidence for this and medical advice should be sought first(iv). Our young person's guide has helpful advice on sleep problems.

ADHD and your child's mental health

Any child or young person can struggle with their mental health and wellbeing, whether or not they have ADHD. This might be caused by things like family change, bullying, exam stress or a traumatic event.

But having ADHD may also mean your child has extra challenges - such as social difficulties, struggling to manage their emotions or getting into trouble at school - that leave them more vulnerable to low self-esteem, anxiety or depression.

Children and young people with ADHD frequently have other developmental or mental health conditions and it is important to ensure they have the appropriate support for these.

As a parent there is a lot you can do to support your child with their wellbeing and mental health:

encourage your child to talk about how they are feeling with you. Our starting a conversation guide has ideas for keeping communication open

if you feel your child may have a mental health problem or another condition alongside ADHD, discuss your concerns with their GP or ADHD specialist.

Working with school if your child has ADHD

ADHD is a special education need (SEN), and it may be referred to as a specific learning difference (SpLD). Your child is entitled to appropriate support to help them thrive socially and educationally. This could include potential adjustments in certain situations, such as extra time or rest breaks for exams, movement breaks in lessons, written instructions for tasks and a seating plan that minimises distractions.

Discuss the diagnosis and needs with the school's SENCO, taking a list of your concerns and background information to the meeting.

Your child may be entitled to an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) which details the support they need and how it will be provided. (The National Autistic Society has helpful information about EHC plans.)

Good communication between you and school can be really helpful in ensuring your child thrives in education and meets their potential. Our parent guide to support has more advice on talking to school or college.

ADHD in teenagers and beyond

If your child is a teenager or young person, their needs and the support you give may well be different from when they were younger. They may like to read our young person's guide to ADHD and mental health. But there are still many ways you can help.

Looking after your own wellbeing

Parenting a child with ADHD can sometimes be isolating, upsetting or exhausting. Sometimes parents feel judged or blamed by others (unjustifiably as parenting does not cause ADHD). It is entirely understandable if you are finding things difficult.

It's important to recognise the impact the situation is having on you, and think about ways you can take care of yourself - including getting support from other people so that you can take some time off. It's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust. We have advice on looking after yourself as well as your child.

Our son's challenging behaviour with ADHD had an enormous impact on the whole family, as we and his brothers bore the brunt of his anger.

Where to get further support

If you would to speak to a professional adviser or find out more about how you can support your child, these organisations can help.

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Help Your Child With ADHD | Parents Guide to Support

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What is ADHD? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects behaviour and concentration. Children and young people with ADHD often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go.

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Many children struggle with learning disabilities that can hinder their ability to process and understand information. Dyscalculia is a developmental disorder that involves difficulty conceptualizing and performing mathematics. The following are several practical ways that parents can help a child who struggles with dyscalculia.

Play With Dominoes
Playing games that use dominoes can help a child more easily understand simple math concepts. Specialist Ronit Bird states that a child should learn to recognize the number patterns on the dominoes and dice instead of counting the individual dots each time. Start by using dominoes and dice by themselves so your child feels comfortable with these objects. Next, find a game your child enjoys that uses these items.

Resist Using Worksheets
Whenever possible, parents should play games with their children to reinforce math facts instead of relying on worksheets. Games are almost always more interesting for kids. They present math as fun challenges to solve instead of boring concepts to memorize. If worksheets are used, it may be necessary to highlight important numbers in the instructions and throughout various problems. Allow your child to use a variety of colored pencils when completing worksheets, as it may help them more easily organize their work.

Use Manipulatives
Seeing and handling a tangible object will help a child better understand the abstract principles of mathematics. Legos and simple blocks can be used to teach addition and subtraction. TheSchoolRun.com suggests using a counter when working with children. Actually covering a certain number of counters with your hands will enable your child to more easily visualize different groups of numbers.

Learn the Language of Math
Parents should encourage their child to talk out loud as they work through a problem or new math concept. Children who struggle with math may have good language skills that could help make the mathematical process easier. It's a good idea for children to learn several synonyms for a variety of math terms. For example, when discussing addition problems they could use terms such as "plus," "increase" and "more than." Explain basic terms to your child and allow them to talk about each definition, describing what it means in their own words.

Create Visual Models
While this is similar to using manipulatives, creating visual models can expand beyond working with basic handheld objects. Understood.org advises moving around large objects in a room or drawing pictures to vividly explain aspects of math problems. Even simple household objects such as different colored socks or pairs of shoes can be used to teach addition and subtraction.

Use Accommodations
Accommodations can include everything from circling keywords in math sentences to giving your child extra paper to work out math problems. You should also discuss with your child's teacher accommodations that can be implemented at school. A few include extra time given for tests and access to a math resource room if one is available. The school may also allow a child with dyscalculia to use a calculator when working on daily math problems as well as tests.

Teach Toward Understanding
While learning math can be broken into sections, it's always a good idea to have the end goal in mind. Memorizing facts -- such as multiplication tables -- is a good idea, but simply memorizing facts won't always lead to real understanding of a math concept or process. Start by instructing your child to reason through a problem using logic instead of rote memorization. It's also a good idea to memorize a few basic strategies that have wide application.

While each one of these strategies may not work with every child, finding even a few that do will likely go a long way in helping a child build their math skills. It's important for parents to acknowledge the struggles and praise the progress that's achieved with each new skill that their child masters.

Contact us today to schedule an assessment. You can also view the research and results of the program on the website.

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7 Practical Ways Parents Can Help a Child with Dyscalculia

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Many children struggle to process and understand information. Dyscalculia is the difficulty of conceptualizing & performing math. Here are 7 ways to help!

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iPad apps for Learners with Dyscalculia 

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iPad apps for Learners with Dyscalculia 

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Welcome to ictgames. Here you'll find free to play educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old; written by a UK teacher with 20 years experience. The games are linked to the UK KS 1 and 2 curricula. Here are some help videos to get you started.

&nbsp Number - number and place value

&nbsp Number - addition & subtraction

&nbsp Number - multiplication & division

&nbsp Geometry - properties of shapes

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Free educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old. Made by a UK teacher with 20 years of experience in education.

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Use bricks to help you add amounts.

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Practise counting along or back using a hundred square. Use the hundred square for addition or subtraction.

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Fun ways to learn spellings

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Tricks and Tips

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Letter Reversals...they are a major cause for handwriting concern by most parent's standards. Here we are covering information about writing letters backwards and what is normal for letter reversals in development. We also have some great tips for addressing common letter reversal struggles and even reversal activities that can help with visual perception handwriting struggles. Read on!

Letter b and d reversals: These specific strategies cover letter b and d reversals.

Letter p and q reversals: You'll find more specific letter reversal information in this post on reversing letter p and q.

Also check out these activities to work on backwards letters.

Writing Letters in Reverse

Do letter reversals mean dyslexia? Not exactly! Dyslexia means problems learning to read, spell, and write. However, there is much more to reversals than what meets the eye, and should be assessed before jumping straight to the conclusion of dyslexia. Be sure to read our resource on Dyslexia and occupational therapy for more information.

One creative tool to support the skills needed for this area of development is our new color by letter worksheet. Just print and go and work on letter identification and matching skills.

Check out all of our letter formation worksheets for more free printables to target letter forming.

Letter Reversals Normal Development

Reversals are age appropriate up until 7-8 years of age!

That's right! Letter reversals are normal up to a certain age range. And when kids write letters backwards it is actually typical development in handwriting skills. Working on letter reversals in occupational therapy (and other visual perceptual areas) can be a common occurrence for school-based OTs...but just because kids are writing letters backwards, it doesn't mean there is a true problem indicating a need for intervention.

It takes our brains that long to integrate all the skills needed to form a letter correctly and automatically during written expression. Skills needed range from phonetic awareness, ability to imitate pre-writing strokes, automation of letter formation, and higher level cognitive skills for multi-tasking.

Some kiddo's develop these skills faster than others. Some kiddo's struggle with these skills and may receive support services such as occupational therapy or pull out services with their school's reading specialist before age 7.

Services provided before age 7 are typically preventative and because the child has shown struggles in the foundation skills needed for reading and writing, such as phonemic awareness, challenges with pre-writing strokes and shape formation (visual motor integration), poor fine motor skills, dominance concerns or underlying vision concerns.

What is a letter reversal

The term Letter reversals refers to several things related to reversing letters in reading or writing:

Writing a specific letter backwards, when they replace a letter with another such as forming a letter b as a d or a letter p as a letter q

Writing a letter upside down or flipped, such as forming a u as an n

Reading a letter backwards, as when kids replace a d with a b

Writing letters backwards as when kids write letters h, n, s, z, etc. in a mirror image

Transposing letters or switching the order of letters when writing

Reversing or writing numbers backwards

Common Letter and Number Reversals

So, knowing that it is quite common developmentally, to reverse letters and numbers up until age 7 or 8, it can also help to know which letters are commonly reversed in writing.

Letter Reversals List

These letters and numbers are often times transposed for one another:

It's easy to see why the letters and numbers listed above are often reversed. They all contain similar pencil strokes. For children that are just learning to write, spatial integration can be still developing. Kids are getting the muscle memory in place can replace one letter or number for another.

These letters are often written backwards:

Each of these letters has a starting point at the top and pencil strokes that then go into a different direction. Children that are still developing handwriting skills are establishing the motor plan for direction changes with the pencil. The can sometimes "guess" the correct direction which results in letters being written backwards.

Numbers that are commonly written backwards include:

Each of these numbers also have a direction change which could easily be confused.

In many cases, working on letter and number formation so the muscle memory is established with fix reversal issues. Using multisensory formation activities helps to establish that motor plan.

Phonetic Awareness and Letter Reversals

The current theory among the educational community is that reversals start with phonemic awareness. If a child is lacking phonemic awareness, they may struggle with letter identification and spelling needed for fluent written expression. Similar struggles may also be seen with numbers, resulting in a negative impact on math skills.

In my clinical experience, I have found that children with high rates of ear infections and PE tubes (ear tubes) struggle with sound awareness. If the kiddo is unable to hear the sound of the letter clearly and consistently, it leads to poor sound awareness.

I have also found that children with difficulties with attention and auditory filtering often pair the wrong letter sound with wrong letter. This is important to note in sessions as it may require remediation by a speech therapist or reading specialist if available. Here is more information and activities for auditory processing.

While phonetics play a large role in reversals, many other foundational skills may influence whether a child will struggle with reversals or not.

Hand Dominance and Letter Reversals

Hand dominance is typically fully developed by five years of age. Right at the same time most children are learning and mastering the formation of letters and numbers. It also coincides with the start of kindergarten, or formal education where children who are struggling may be noticed for the first time. Writing with both hands can be a common struggle and an indicator of hand dominance challenges.

Children with handedness issues, whether it's mixed dominance or delayed development of dominance, are more likely to struggle with left versus right tasks.

This plays into reversal concerns as many of these children cannot consistently discriminate left from right, leading to b's and d's, p's and q's being flipped. Often times, they are unable to recognize that they have made the mistake as their brain is registering the letter as they meant it to be.

Letter Reversals and Visual Processing

Vision is can be one of the biggest challenges facing children who struggle with reversals. Chances are, they have had an underlying vision concern that goes unaddressed or unrecognized during the critical learning period of letters and their sounds.

You will find much more information on visual perception in our free visual perception lab series.

(Children in the U.S. typically begin to learn letters and sounds between 3 and 4 years of age when they enter preschool programs. Curriculums now expect children to know their letters, sounds and how to write them upon entering kindergarten.)

Due to their vision deficit, the child may not consistently see the same image of the letter each time, or may not see the letter that is being taught due to "wandering" eyes or poor abilities to focus on the letter. The kiddo now has a poor foundation from which to build on, due to difficulties with recalling from their visual memory what the letter looks like, and pairing it with the correct sound.

To add to vision deficits, vision is not just what we see, or how the eye's work together. It is also a motor task of taking information in with the eyes and reproducing an image, or in this case, letters on paper. This skill is known as visual motor integration and also plays a role in reversals.

Here are free visual perception worksheets that can address a variety of visual skills.

Visual Motor Integration and Letter Reversals

Visual motor integration allows us to write, draw and paint freely. To do all of these things, we go through a set development of producing pre-writing strokes and basic shapes in imitation to freely producing them from our memories and eventually becoming automatic. Here is more information and activities related to visual motor skills.

Most children learn to imitate these strokes and shapes at a young age from top to bottom and left to right. However, some children do not learn it this way or their brains are not "wired" to follow this pattern of development.

Children who deviate from this pattern may have difficulties with reversals as they struggle to learn and integrate letter stroke combinations in the correct order. When this happens, they struggle to write fluently and reversals may begin to appear.

Signs of poor visual motor integration skills that could lead to reversals include:

Segmental Drawing-drawing a shape one stroke at a time instead of integrated

Bottom to top orientation when drawing

Right to left orientation when drawing

Difficulties crossing the midline during drawing tasks

Rotation of the paper to adjust for angle execution

Failed attempts to imitate basic shapes after the child has stated what the shape is

Executive Functioning and Letter Reversals

Executive functioning skills refer to our higher level thinking that includes attention, multi-tasking and memory, among many other skills. Writing requires all of these skills to be working at their best. If a child is struggling with any of these skills, they may demonstrate reversals and poor overall handwriting.

Reversals and poor handwriting may be the result of the child being unable to recall the strokes of the letter, the sequence of the strokes, what the letter looks like, where to start the letter, how big to make the letter, what each letter sound is, how to spell a word and complete their thought.

Oh, and lets add in that they have to remember how to hold their pencil correctly. For a kiddo who is struggling, this is a CHALLENGE.

There are so many more things that go into writing that may lead to reversals then what I have listed, but are too many to list out.

The main concept of executive functioning is that if the child cannot make it all work together, from fine motor to phonemic awareness to visual motor, they are more likely to struggle with reversals in their work.

Letter Reversal INterventions

It is important to recognize that reversals may be the sign of underlying deficits with foundational skills and should be addressed when they are noticed. The sooner that these underlying deficits are addressed the better off the kiddo will be. Once a child has had a long enough time period to practice incorrectly, it will be that much harder to break the "bad habits" and correct the reversals.

You will find many letter reversal interventions in this blog post.

This resource on letter b and d reversals is a helpful read on how specifically to work on these commonly reversed letters. You'll find multi-sensory writing strategies to address b-d letter reversals.

2. Try "building" letters to establish the motor plan needed to create muscle memory. Use different colors to help children see the ways that the pencil moves when writing letters and numbers. This letter construction activity explains more about this process. This letter building strategy, paired with other forms of multi-sensory handwriting and teaching letters in groups based on the ways the pencil moves can make a big impact.

Addressing some of the other co-existing issues discussed in this article can be a start.

3. Address the motor planning in handwriting necessary for letter and number formation. Strategies that develop motor planning skills utilizing multi-sensory approaches can help with letter reversal.

With handwriting practice of letters with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic sensory channels at the same time, the weaker channel may be reinforced (Berninger, 2000).

Multi-sensory letter reversal strategies include:

4. Work on visual perception with toys and games, and activities to address specific visual perceptual skills or visual motor skills.

5. Use cursive writing in some cases. Here are creative ways to teach cursive and our entire cursive writing series.

6. Gain a better understanding of visual processing and all of the "pieces" of the vision puzzle that play into letter reversal and other concerns by joining thousands of other therapists, teachers, and professionals in the Visual Processing Lab.

7. Use this Vision Screening Tool to identify and address specific vision concerns such as letter reversals.

8. Try some of these activities to address visual motor integration and eye-hand coordination.

9. Try rainbow writing.

Have concerns? Talk to your child's teacher or occupational therapist to address your concerns.

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Letter Reversals and How to Fix Them - The OT Toolbox

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Try these letter reversal strategies to help kids who write letters backwards. Understand what's really going on behind letter reversals in writing.

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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

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2. Select More options , and then Immersive Reader .

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Select Close to exit Immersive Reader.

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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.

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Our parent-facing site Words for Life provides milestones, tips, fun resources and advice to help parents support their children’s literacy development.

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Free eBook library | Oxford Owl from Oxford University Press

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Browse our library of free children’s eBooks to read with your child including Oxford Reading Tree adventures with Biff, Chip and Kipper.

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Typing skills

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Learn how to touch type with the BBC Dance Mat Typing game. It’s a fun introduction to touch typing game for kids and covers levels 1, 2, 3, 4.

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January 2021

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Guidance for referrals to Community Paediatrics FINAL (2)

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To be completed before a referral can be made.

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Our Wellbeing characters are ready to teach pupils all over the country. Each day has a focus to help pupil's wellbeing.

The focus is on bravery and confidence. Pupils will focus on that strength of character and will find ways to increase their confidence and bravery.

Tuesdays we look at being 'thoughtful'

The focus is on being thoughtful and kind. How they can help others and think about other people's feelings.

The focus is on goals and wishes. How they can set a goal and reach that goal. How that will make them feel.

Thursdays we look at 'thankfulness'

The focus is on gratitude and looking for those little things we appreciate. This will help their positive outlook on life.

The focus is on friendship and how connecting with friends is important for their wellbeing. It will also look at qualities of friendship.

The focus is on looking after minds and bodies by doing things that make them feel good.

The focus is on celebrating their achievements that week. If you look hard enough there is always something to be proud of.

Each PowerPoint has a few slides which you can share remotely from home using screen share, on a whiteboard in the classroom, on an IPAD (install the free PowerPoint app), on a laptop with PowerPoint installed.

Should you want to print this out you could do that by saving the PowerPoint as a PDF and then printing it.

For week one the PowerPoint starts with the character, moves onto vocabulary, then activities which only need paper and pencils. It ends with affirmations. This will change slightly each week. There are plans for 3 weeks worth of PowerPoints and that will be reviewed and extended if needed. You could add other activities or parents you could really focus the whole day on the PowerPoint and find other activities to do to compliment it. Check our free resources for additional resources.

We also have a printable pack with posters and worksheets and you will find the link within each PowerPoint.
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3
If you want to share these resources with parents you MUST ensure our terms and conditions remain on the resource. We use some licensed clipart and it is important that clipart artist is credited. The easiest way is to link to this post for parents to download.

If you want some activities for FEBRUARY please download our FREE Calendar which is linked to Children's Mental Health week. There are 28 activities in PowerPoint and Printable format. Please go to this link 'ELSA Support February Calendar'

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Wellbeing Week Daily Resources - Elsa Support

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Our Wellbeing week daily characters are ready to teach pupils all over the country. Each day has a focus to help pupil's wellbeing.

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On Thursday 30 November from 2:30am - 7:30am, you won't be able to contact Childline whilst we do some important maintenance to our systems. This means that 1-2-1 chats, calling and messages to Childline will be unavailable. You'll still be able to use the Childline website for advice and information.

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Safeguarding Children during School Closure

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Something for everyone.

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Looking for printable social stories for kids? Here you'll find lots of free social stories examples and even some social story templates to help you write your own.

Social stories were a total game changer for us. They have helped my son get through things like attending a funeral for the first time and managing the sensory overload that comes along with filling up the bathtub.

However, searching for the perfect social story is time consuming.

And sometimes, you never find the right social story you need. Things like using clipart instead of real photos, missing steps, and not giving my son the right language and vocabulary are some of the issues we have run into when searching for social stories.

So I'm slowly trying to fill the gap by creating beautiful and comprehensive social stories that use real photos with pictures of diverse children so that every child feels represented.

Below you will find tons of printable social stories for kids, including free social story templates and lots of free printable social stories.

This post contains affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you.

What is a social story?

Social stories are a great way to teach autistic children a variety of skills and behaviors, as well as outline special events and social situations. Basically, a story that teaches about one specific topic, event, or social skill.

For a more detailed description, as well as tips for writing your own social stories, read more here.

But save yourself some time by using one of the printable social stories examples from below instead (some are free and some are paid).

Free Printable Social Stories for Kids

You're going to love these free printable social stories examples for kids! There's always more being added so save this page and check back frequently.

Free Templates for Writing Your Own Social Stories

Looking to create your own social stories? Well, there's a template for that...

Even More Printable Social Stories for Kids (aka The Not Free Section)

Didn't find what you were looking for yet? Then maybe one these printable social stories will be what you need.

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Printable social stories for kids and social story templates

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What can the school offer your child?

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Keep your routine going, use the visual timetable to support you.

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If your child needs a coloured overlay you can download one from this link for free!

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ColorVeil: Reduce eye strain, help with Dyslexia and Visual Stress

A screen color filter over any application you are using

Helps users with Dyslexia and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome

Reduce eye strain along with screen brightness

Easily customize the color and opacity of the filter

Match the prescription from the optometrist

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Dim screen brightness, reduce eye strain, and save energy. It helps with eye strain, Dyslexia, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, or Visual Stress.

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Useful ideas to help support pupils with homework tasks.

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Helpful websites for parents, teachers and pupils.

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Here is a document about our reasonable adjustments here at Chapel St Leonards Primary School.

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September 2020 update

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Introduction

This is our very own SEND Padlet page. It contains all our SEND information and support.

Our SENDCO is Mrs S Pruhs-Borrell
Our school SEND team can be contacted on
SENDTeam@chapel-cit.co.uk

If you need any support then please do not hesitate to contact us.