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NHS guild to autism. Find out what autism is and what the common signs are.  Get help and advice if you or your child are autistic.

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NHS guide to autism. Find out what autism is and what the common signs are. Get help and advice if you or your child are autistic.

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Some autistic children find the demands of school, and the school environment, almost unbearable, leading to absence or 'school refusal'. It's a term that some people feel unfairly implies the child or young person has a choice, when in fact they may not be simply unwilling, but actually unable to tolerate school.

School absence or refusal can be ongoing until the reasons behind it have been identified and addressed. Here we look at reasons that could be behind this. We also suggest strategies to try at home and school to help maintain school attendance or reintegrate your child back into school.

What are the added pressures of the school environment?

Autistic children and young people can face additional pressure at school. For example, they may:

lack the complex social skills that come naturally to others, struggle to make and keep friends or might experience bullying

have difficulty coping with the curriculum. This could be because they have difficulty processing information and understanding questions and text

struggle to cope with the demands of a school timetable because they have difficulty organising and prioritising

experience sensory differences which can make it hard to tolerate some aspects of the school environment, like noises, smells and lighting

strive for perfection in their work and see anything less as a failure

get into trouble with teachers for unintentionally being rude, inappropriate or not respecting authority

take things literally, which might mean that they misunderstand a teacher's instructions, or aren't able to join in with classroom jokes

find sudden changes to their routine difficult

find transitions difficult, like moving classroom or changing teacher

find that unstructured time, like breaks and lunchtime, cause anxiety at school

experience difficulty with a particular subject or member of staff

struggle with anxiety and find it hard to be apart from family, or away from the familiar routines of home.

Parents have a legal duty to make sure that their children have a suitable education by regular attendance at school, or otherwise. If your child is unwell due to stress or any other condition that means they'll be absent for longer than a few days, you should get a medical certificate from a health professional. If your GP can't provide this, you may need to approach another health professional, like someone from  Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). You should also let the school and the local/education authority know and discuss arrangements for alternative education.

How can I find out why my child's refusing school?

Explore what your child thinks about their experiences at school. For example, rather than ask how their day has been, which could be answered by an ambiguous 'OK', ask what their favourite lesson was that day. You could also ask them to score parts of their day. For example, 'how much did you enjoy playtime today with a score of one of ten'. And follow up, 'that's a lower score than yesterday. What made you enjoy it less? Visual supports may help.

Consider whether there could be a pattern to their absences. Are they trying to avoid a particular situation, lesson or person that makes them anxious?

Speak to a member of staff at school who knows your child well, and ask for their help. Your child may be showing signs of anxiety in school at particular times.

Alternatively, your child may display different behaviour at home than in school. They might bottle up their emotions until the end of the school day and release them when they're at home, where they feel fully loved and accepted.

Understanding your child's behaviour may be difficult. You may find our information on behaviour helps.

Consider whether your child is being bullied, or if they could be misinterpreting the actions and intentions of others as hostile when they're not.

Consider gender issues. For example, autism may present differently in girls. For children who don't use verbal or written communication, schools should consider:

the views of parents, carers and others who know them well

a behaviour diary

a home/school communication book.

Strategies you could try at home

If your child becomes reluctant to go to school, it's important to take action early. Some of these strategies may help:

Encourage them to communicate with you about the problem. Using visual supports may help. Ask your child to rate events or places at school on a scale from 'not scary' to 'very scary'. This may help you to see when and where the problems occur and help build your child's resilience.

If you have an understanding of the reasons behind their reluctance, share it with school staff.

Create a 'worry book' for your child to record their anxiety during the school day. If appropriate, read the book together as part of their evening routine. You can then help them deal with any worries by suggesting how to cope with them in the future.

Identify strategies to regulate, reduce and monitor emotions and reduce stress, for example exercise, visual stress scales such as a stress thermometer or traffic light system.

Reward and praise any progress on specific tasks, like completing something they find difficult, putting on their school uniform or walking past school.

Provide structure at home by using visual supports.

Try to help them develop their social skills.

Help your child to understand the benefits of education.

Strategies to discuss with the school

The help your child needs will depend upon the causes of their anxiety. For example, there may be a specific problem which requires immediate action from school, like bullying.

Here are some other triggers and strategies to consider:

School environment. Many autistic children and young people have sensory differences. There are specific strategies that can help with this, like providing a calm and quiet place, a suitable workspace or wearing ear defenders. They may need support from an occupational therapist to help identify and manage sensory issues.

Does your child need more, or different support at school? They may need help with transitioning between lessons, or might benefit from specialist input from a speech and language therapist to help them understand social situations.

Use the understanding you have of your child to identify coping strategies that can be used in school. Discuss these with the person responsible for special educational needs (SEN) or additional support needs (ASN). This could be something like time out cards, stress scales or other interventions.

Ask the school to make reasonable adjustments at the start and end of the school day. For example, your child could be met at the school entrance by a member of staff they feel comfortable with, be given time to engage in hobbies/interests, or be allowed to leave before other pupils.

Ask the school to consider extra breaks for your child during the school day. Perhaps they could be redirected to a different activity, have a quick run outside, or retreat to a quieter area of the school.

Your child might like the opportunity to discuss their feelings at the end of each school day. Ask your child's teacher or support assistant to go through the timetable with them and ask them to mark each lesson out of ten. For those lessons they score low, ask them why.

Suggest to school that they use your child's interest to help them learn. For example, if your child is interested in dinosaurs perhaps a lesson to count could involve counting dinosaurs. Talking about their interest can help to bring them into conversations and build positive relationships with staff.

Ask the school if there are ways they can reward your child for small improvements in achievement.

When supporting your child in going back to school after a period of absence, it may help to start off on a part-time timetable and build up gradually. This can be better than your child feeling pressured to complete a whole day, and then not coping.

Increasing the school's autism awareness

Ask the school if they'll consider organising autism awareness training for all staff, including break and lunchtime support supervisors.

It could also help if the school creates opportunities for all pupils to develop an understanding of medical conditions, SEN or ASN and disabilities. This could be a school assembly where information on many additional needs, including autism, can be presented without highlighting any particular pupil. This will help others to view autism in a positive way and is likely to benefit everyone in the school community. It might help not only your child, but also other autistic children and young people at the school.

Teachers working with autistic children and young people may find it helpful to sign up for our Autism practice - education: a monthly newsletter for teachers and education professionals (both mainstream and specialist).

Returning to school

Schools should try to identify and address sources of stress and reduce anxiety levels. This will help your child re-engage with their education by feeling safe in the classroom and accepted by those who support them.

Any period of transition, including returning to school, can cause anxiety so careful preparation will be needed to help your child manage this change.

Involve them in the process and arrangements, including details that might seem trivial, such as:

which room they'll go to first

what time they'll go there

how long they'll be there

why they'll be there

what will happen next.

A visual timetable may help

Before your child can access learning, work may need to be done on their emotional wellbeing, reducing stress and increasing self-confidence.
What if this doesn't resolve the problem?
If you feel your child needs more support to help them return to school and progress, you should consider getting extra help for them in school.

If anxiety or other mental health conditions are contributing to your child's difficulty with attending school, ask your GP to make a referral to CAMHS. They have a team that can advise you on psychiatry, clinical psychology, counselling and other therapies.

The school could involve the Education Welfare Officer. It's their job to work with schools, pupils and families to support regular school attendance.

If your child continues to struggle to attend school, you may decide to choose a different school or consider home education.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

If your child has a profile of pathological demand avoidance (PDA) then talk to school about appropriate interventions. The standard ones used for autistic children and young people will need to be adapted to take your child's PDA into account.

The PDA Society has useful information (see our useful resources below). You could also suggest that school staff read more about helping children with PDA at school.

Useful resources

You might find this PDF, from the Autism Education Trust, useful:  School stress and anxiety - how it can lead to school refusal and impact on family life.

You may like to suggest to your child's school that to help other pupils learn about autism, the school could use the National Autistic Society's learning resources for schools and the Autism Education Trust's guide Promoting autism inclusive attitudes.

The PDA Society has useful information for  families and carers, along with educational and handling guidelines for  education settings.

If you need to find local autism services (schools, counsellors, local groups, diagnostic services) in your area, you can search on our Autism Services Directory - please browse by categories and refine by your local area.

Our online community is a place for autistic people and their families to meet like-minded people and share their thoughts and experiences.
Find your local branch
We have 117 local branches led by amazing volunteers. They are places to meet other autistic people and their families and to find out what's going on in your area

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A guide for parents or carers of autistic children with advice on how to help your child go to school.

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Helping you support autistic children and young people since 2007

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Some autistic children find the demands of school, and the school environment, almost unbearable, leading to absence or 'school refusal'. It's a term that some people feel unfairly implies the child or young person has a choice, when in fact they may not be simply unwilling, but actually unable to tolerate school.

School absence or refusal can be ongoing until the reasons behind it have been identified and addressed. Here we look at reasons that could be behind this. We also suggest strategies to try at home and school to help maintain school attendance or reintegrate your child back into school.

What are the added pressures of the school environment?

Autistic children and young people can face additional pressure at school. For example, they may:

lack the complex social skills that come naturally to others, struggle to make and keep friends or might experience bullying

have difficulty coping with the curriculum. This could be because they have difficulty processing information and understanding questions and text

struggle to cope with the demands of a school timetable because they have difficulty organising and prioritising

experience sensory differences which can make it hard to tolerate some aspects of the school environment, like noises, smells and lighting

strive for perfection in their work and see anything less as a failure

get into trouble with teachers for unintentionally being rude, inappropriate or not respecting authority

take things literally, which might mean that they misunderstand a teacher's instructions, or aren't able to join in with classroom jokes

find sudden changes to their routine difficult

find transitions difficult, like moving classroom or changing teacher

find that unstructured time, like breaks and lunchtime, cause anxiety at school

experience difficulty with a particular subject or member of staff

struggle with anxiety and find it hard to be apart from family, or away from the familiar routines of home.

Parents have a legal duty to make sure that their children have a suitable education by regular attendance at school, or otherwise. If your child is unwell due to stress or any other condition that means they'll be absent for longer than a few days, you should get a medical certificate from a health professional. If your GP can't provide this, you may need to approach another health professional, like someone from  Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). You should also let the school and the local/education authority know and discuss arrangements for alternative education.

How can I find out why my child's refusing school?

Explore what your child thinks about their experiences at school. For example, rather than ask how their day has been, which could be answered by an ambiguous 'OK', ask what their favourite lesson was that day. You could also ask them to score parts of their day. For example, 'how much did you enjoy playtime today with a score of one of ten'. And follow up, 'that's a lower score than yesterday. What made you enjoy it less? Visual supports may help.

Consider whether there could be a pattern to their absences. Are they trying to avoid a particular situation, lesson or person that makes them anxious?

Speak to a member of staff at school who knows your child well, and ask for their help. Your child may be showing signs of anxiety in school at particular times.

Alternatively, your child may display different behaviour at home than in school. They might bottle up their emotions until the end of the school day and release them when they're at home, where they feel fully loved and accepted.

Understanding your child's behaviour may be difficult. You may find our information on behaviour helps.

Consider whether your child is being bullied, or if they could be misinterpreting the actions and intentions of others as hostile when they're not.

Consider gender issues. For example, autism may present differently in girls. For children who don't use verbal or written communication, schools should consider:

the views of parents, carers and others who know them well

a behaviour diary

a home/school communication book.

Strategies you could try at home

If your child becomes reluctant to go to school, it's important to take action early. Some of these strategies may help:

Encourage them to communicate with you about the problem. Using visual supports may help. Ask your child to rate events or places at school on a scale from 'not scary' to 'very scary'. This may help you to see when and where the problems occur and help build your child's resilience.

If you have an understanding of the reasons behind their reluctance, share it with school staff.

Create a 'worry book' for your child to record their anxiety during the school day. If appropriate, read the book together as part of their evening routine. You can then help them deal with any worries by suggesting how to cope with them in the future.

Identify strategies to regulate, reduce and monitor emotions and reduce stress, for example exercise, visual stress scales such as a stress thermometer or traffic light system.

Reward and praise any progress on specific tasks, like completing something they find difficult, putting on their school uniform or walking past school.

Provide structure at home by using visual supports.

Try to help them develop their social skills.

Help your child to understand the benefits of education.

Strategies to discuss with the school

The help your child needs will depend upon the causes of their anxiety. For example, there may be a specific problem which requires immediate action from school, like bullying.

Here are some other triggers and strategies to consider:

School environment. Many autistic children and young people have sensory differences. There are specific strategies that can help with this, like providing a calm and quiet place, a suitable workspace or wearing ear defenders. They may need support from an occupational therapist to help identify and manage sensory issues.

Does your child need more, or different support at school? They may need help with transitioning between lessons, or might benefit from specialist input from a speech and language therapist to help them understand social situations.

Use the understanding you have of your child to identify coping strategies that can be used in school. Discuss these with the person responsible for special educational needs (SEN) or additional support needs (ASN). This could be something like time out cards, stress scales or other interventions.

Ask the school to make reasonable adjustments at the start and end of the school day. For example, your child could be met at the school entrance by a member of staff they feel comfortable with, be given time to engage in hobbies/interests, or be allowed to leave before other pupils.

Ask the school to consider extra breaks for your child during the school day. Perhaps they could be redirected to a different activity, have a quick run outside, or retreat to a quieter area of the school.

Your child might like the opportunity to discuss their feelings at the end of each school day. Ask your child's teacher or support assistant to go through the timetable with them and ask them to mark each lesson out of ten. For those lessons they score low, ask them why.

Suggest to school that they use your child's interest to help them learn. For example, if your child is interested in dinosaurs perhaps a lesson to count could involve counting dinosaurs. Talking about their interest can help to bring them into conversations and build positive relationships with staff.

Ask the school if there are ways they can reward your child for small improvements in achievement.

When supporting your child in going back to school after a period of absence, it may help to start off on a part-time timetable and build up gradually. This can be better than your child feeling pressured to complete a whole day, and then not coping.

Increasing the school's autism awareness

Ask the school if they'll consider organising autism awareness training for all staff, including break and lunchtime support supervisors.

It could also help if the school creates opportunities for all pupils to develop an understanding of medical conditions, SEN or ASN and disabilities. This could be a school assembly where information on many additional needs, including autism, can be presented without highlighting any particular pupil. This will help others to view autism in a positive way and is likely to benefit everyone in the school community. It might help not only your child, but also other autistic children and young people at the school.

Teachers working with autistic children and young people may find it helpful to sign up for our Autism practice - education: a monthly newsletter for teachers and education professionals (both mainstream and specialist).

Returning to school

Schools should try to identify and address sources of stress and reduce anxiety levels. This will help your child re-engage with their education by feeling safe in the classroom and accepted by those who support them.

Any period of transition, including returning to school, can cause anxiety so careful preparation will be needed to help your child manage this change.

Involve them in the process and arrangements, including details that might seem trivial, such as:

which room they'll go to first

what time they'll go there

how long they'll be there

why they'll be there

what will happen next.

A visual timetable may help

Before your child can access learning, work may need to be done on their emotional wellbeing, reducing stress and increasing self-confidence.
What if this doesn't resolve the problem?
If you feel your child needs more support to help them return to school and progress, you should consider getting extra help for them in school.

If anxiety or other mental health conditions are contributing to your child's difficulty with attending school, ask your GP to make a referral to CAMHS. They have a team that can advise you on psychiatry, clinical psychology, counselling and other therapies.

The school could involve the Education Welfare Officer. It's their job to work with schools, pupils and families to support regular school attendance.

If your child continues to struggle to attend school, you may decide to choose a different school or consider home education.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)

If your child has a profile of pathological demand avoidance (PDA) then talk to school about appropriate interventions. The standard ones used for autistic children and young people will need to be adapted to take your child's PDA into account.

The PDA Society has useful information (see our useful resources below). You could also suggest that school staff read more about helping children with PDA at school.

Useful resources

You might find this PDF, from the Autism Education Trust, useful:  School stress and anxiety - how it can lead to school refusal and impact on family life.

You may like to suggest to your child's school that to help other pupils learn about autism, the school could use the National Autistic Society's learning resources for schools and the Autism Education Trust's guide Promoting autism inclusive attitudes.

The PDA Society has useful information for  families and carers, along with educational and handling guidelines for  education settings.

If you need to find local autism services (schools, counsellors, local groups, diagnostic services) in your area, you can search on our Autism Services Directory - please browse by categories and refine by your local area.

Our online community is a place for autistic people and their families to meet like-minded people and share their thoughts and experiences.
Find your local branch
We have 117 local branches led by amazing volunteers. They are places to meet other autistic people and their families and to find out what's going on in your area

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A guide for parents or carers of autistic children with advice on how to help your child go to school.

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Advice for parents and carers on dealing with difficult behaviur in toddlers and young children, including toddler temper tantrums.

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If problem behaviour is causing you or your child distress, or upsetting the rest of the family, it's important to deal with it.

Do what feels right

What you do has to be right for your child, yourself and the family. If you do something you do not believe in or that you do not feel is right, it probably will not work. Children notice when you do not mean what you're saying.

Do not give up

Once you've decided to do something, continue to do it. Solutions take time to work. Get support from your partner, a friend, another parent or your health visitor. It's good to have someone to talk to about what you're doing.

Be consistent

Children need consistency. If you react to your child's behaviour in one way one day and a different way the next, it's confusing for them. It's also important that everyone close to your child deals with their behaviour in the same way.

Try not to overreact

This can be difficult. When your child does something annoying time after time, your anger and frustration can build up.

It's impossible not to show your irritation sometimes, but try to stay calm. Move on to other things you can both enjoy or feel good about as soon as possible.

Find other ways to cope with your frustration, like talking to other parents.

Talk to your child

Children do not have to be able to talk to understand. It can help if they understand why you want them to do something. For example, explain why you want them to hold your hand while crossing the road.

Once your child can talk, encourage them to explain why they're angry or upset. This will help them feel less frustrated.

Be positive about the good things

When a child's behaviour is difficult, the things they do well can be overlooked. Tell your child when you're pleased about something they've done. You can let your child know when you're pleased by giving them attention, a hug or a smile.

Offer rewards

You can help your child by rewarding them for good behaviour. For example, praise them or give them their favourite food for tea.

If your child behaves well, tell them how pleased you are. Be specific. Say something like, "Well done for putting your toys back in the box when I asked you to."

Do not give your child a reward before they've done what they were asked to do. That's a bribe, not a reward.

Avoid smacking

Smacking may stop a child doing what they're doing at that moment, but it does not have a lasting positive effect.

Children learn by example so, if you hit your child, you're telling them that hitting is OK. Children who are treated aggressively by their parents are more likely to be aggressive themselves. It's better to set a good example instead.

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Advice for parents and carers on dealing with difficult behaviour in toddlers and young children, including toddler temper tantrums.

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Many parents tell us they're not always confident in dealing with challenging aspects of their 4-8 year old's behaviour, so here is our guide to help with this.  Barnardo's Family Space.

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Many parents tell us they’re not always confident in dealing with challenging aspects of their 4-8 year old’s behaviour, so here’s our guide to help with this.

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Read about Dyslexia , a common type of learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

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Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling.
It's a specific learning difficulty, which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing.

Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn't affected.

It's estimated up to 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some degree of dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a lifelong problem that can present challenges on a daily basis, but support is available to improve reading and writing skills and help those with the problem be successful at school and work.

What are the signs of dyslexia?

Signs of dyslexia usually become apparent when a child starts school and begins to focus more on learning how to read and write.

A person with dyslexia may:

read and write very slowly

confuse the order of letters in words

be confused by letters that look similar and write letters the wrong way round (such as "b" and "d")

have poor or inconsistent spelling

understand information when told verbally, but have difficulty with information that's written down

find it hard to carry out a sequence of directions

struggle with planning and organisation

But people with dyslexia often have good skills in other areas, such as creative thinking and problem solving.

Read more about the symptoms of dyslexia.

Getting help

If you think your child may have dyslexia, the first step is to speak to their teacher or their school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about your concerns.

They may be able to offer additional support to help your child if necessary.

If your child continues to have problems despite extra support, you or the school may want to consider requesting an in-depth assessment from a specialist in assessing specific learning difficulties (SpLD), an educational psychologist or a speech and language therapist.

This can be arranged through the school, or you can request a private assessment by contacting:

Adults who wish to be assessed for dyslexia should contact a local or national dyslexia association for advice.

Read more about how dyslexia is diagnosed.

Support for people with dyslexia

If your child has dyslexia, they'll probably need extra educational support from their school.

With appropriate support, there's usually no reason your child can't go to a mainstream school, although a small number of children may benefit from attending a specialist school.

Techniques and support that may help your child include:

occasional 1-to-1 teaching or lessons in a small group with a specialist teacher

phonics (a way of teaching children to identify and process the smaller sounds that make up words) combined with other techniques

technology like computers and speech-recognition software that may make it easier for your child to read and write when they're a bit older

Schools and colleges must offer support to students with a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia, and have access to specialist staff who are trained in helping students with special education needs.

Assistive technologies such as speech-recognition software, word processors and electronic organisers can be useful for adults, too.

Employers are required to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to help people with dyslexia, such as allowing extra time for certain tasks.

Read more about how dyslexia is managed.

Support groups

As well as national dyslexia charities such as the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), there are several local dyslexia associations listed on the BDA website.

These are independently registered charities that run workshops and help to provide local support and access to information.

What causes dyslexia?

People with dyslexia find it difficult to recognise the different sounds that make up words and relate these to letters.

Dyslexia isn't related to a person's general level of intelligence. Children and adults of all intellectual abilities can be affected by dyslexia.

The exact cause of dyslexia is unknown, but it often appears to run in families.

It's thought certain genes inherited from your parents may act together in a way that affects how some parts of the brain develop during early life.

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Read about dyslexia, a common type of learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

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If your child is, or may be, dyslexic then we have information, resources and training available to help you to ensure that your child is able to reach their full potential.

You can also find information in our Supporting a Child or Young Person: A Guide for Parents booklet on how to support your child at home, working with your school to secure a diagnosis and support, and what support the law entitles a young person with dyslexia to and how to access it.

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Information, resources and training to help parents ensure their child can reach full potential.

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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 the kids and covers level 1,2,3,4.  BBC Bitesize

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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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Learning to read and spell the fun way!  nessy.com

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Dyslexia might be a learning disability, but it does not mean learning can't be fun and easy.  A list of 25 of the best dyslexia apps for adults, kids and students.+

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25 Best Dyslexia Apps & Tools - Reading, Writing, Note Taking, Math

Dyslexia is a disability that makes it difficult for those affected to read and learn in the same way most other people do. However, it doesn't mean learning cannot be fun and easy. Much research has been done on the topic, and there are numerous resources for people with dyslexia, much of it free. Here is a list of 25 dyslexia apps and tools that will be useful to children and students and their parents and teachers. Enjoy!

Dyslexia Apps - Literacy Skills

1. Blio

2. See Read Say

3. AppWriter

4. Lectio

5. NaturalReader

6. EyeReader

7. MeeGenius! Kid's Books

8. Learning Ally Audio

9. Aldiko Book Reader

10. Voice Dream Reader

11. Learn to Read, Write and Spell

12. Reading Trainer

13. OCR Instantly Pro

Tip: Those interested in online learning might also consider a speed reading course in order to tackle bad habits and to improve comprehension. It is recognized that dyslexic people respond well to this type of reading strategy.

Dyslexia Apps - Writing

14. Dragon Dictation

15. Ghotit Real Writer

16. The Writing Machine

17. iWriteWords

18. StoryBuilder

19. Storyrobe

Storyrobe is an app that allows students and teachers to create stories. It boasts an excellent spell checker, and you can even add images to your story. One interesting feature of this dyslexia app is that it offers full integration with e-mail and YouTube. This makes it easy to share your stories.
★★★★☆☆
$/€: $0.99 | iOS | Playstore

20. Ginger Page

21. SentenceBuilder

Dyslexia Apps - Note Taking & Mind Mapping

22. SoundNote

23. Explain Everything

Dyslexia Apps to Improve Your Math

24. ModMath

25. Rainbow Math

Best Dyslexia Apps 2022 - Conclusion, Summary

Wrapping up our review of the best dyslexia apps. Thanks for making it all the way down here. Based on my research and experience, the market for dyslexia apps is pretty versatile and many of them are not even labeled as such. This list is therefore not by any means complete, however, I hope to provide a good starting point.

Furthermore, modern research and technology reveal that those suffering from dyslexia are no longer excluded from the world of learning, reading and writing. Dyslexia is a disability, but it need not be a debilitating one. Parents and teachers dealing with dyslexic students should take the trouble to identify those dyslexia apps and tools that can make life easier and level the playing ground.

Best Dyslexia Apps 2022

1. Blio | ★★★★★☆

2. AppWriter | ★★★★★☆

3. Lectio | ★★★★★☆

4. NaturalReader | ★★★★☆☆

5. EyeReader | ★★★★★☆

6. MeeGenius! Kid's Books | ★★★★☆☆

7. Learning Ally Audio | ★★★★☆☆

8. Aldiko Book Reader | ★★★★☆☆

9. Voice Dream Reader | ★★★★★★

10. Learn to Read, Write and Spell | ★★★★☆☆

11. Reading Trainer | ★★★★★☆

12. OCR Instantly Pro | ★★★★★☆

13. Ghotit Real Writer | ★★★★★☆

14. iWrite Words | ★★★★★☆

15. SoundNote | ★★★★★★

16. Explain Everything | ★★★★★★

17. SentenceBuilder | ★★★★★☆

18. ModMath | ★★★★★☆

19. Rainbow Math | ★★★★★☆

What are the most popular and best dyslexia apps in your opinion? Please comment below and share your ideas and experiences.

Resources: Dyslexia Treatment Tips | Dyslexia Games | Dyslexia Books

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Dyslexia Apps for Students, Teachers | Speed Reading Lounge

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Dyslexia might be a learning disability, but it doesn't mean learning cannot be fun and easy. A list of 25 of the best dyslexia apps for adults, kids, students.

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How to help your child deal with anxiety about things such as going to school or socialising with friends. Also, how to tell when its time to get medical help.

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Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times.
But if your child's anxiety is starting to affect their wellbeing, they may need some help.

What makes children anxious?

Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.

From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to have separation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.

It's also common for preschool-age children to develop specific fears or phobias. Common fears in early childhood include animals, insects, storms, heights, water, blood and the dark. These fears usually go away gradually on their own.

There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.

When is anxiety a problem for children?

Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.

If you go into any school at exam time, all the children will be anxious, but some may be so anxious that they do not manage to get to school that morning.

Severe anxiety like this can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, affecting their self-esteem and confidence. They may become withdrawn and go to great lengths to avoid things or situations that make them feel anxious.

What are the signs of anxiety in children?

When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:

become irritable, tearful or clingy

have difficulty sleeping

wake in the night

start wetting the bed

have bad dreams

In older children you may notice that they:

lack confidence to try new things or seem unable to face simple, everyday challenges

find it hard to concentrate

have problems with sleeping or eating

have angry outbursts

have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen

start avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school

Find out more about the symptoms of anxiety on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

Why is my child anxious?

Some children are more likely to have worries and anxiety than others.

Children often find change difficult and may become anxious following a house move or when starting a new school.

Children who have had a distressing or traumatic experience, such as a car accident or house fire, may have anxiety afterwards.

Family arguments and conflict can also make children feel insecure and anxious.

Teenagers are more likely to have social anxiety than other age groups, avoiding social gatherings or making excuses to get out of them.

Find out more about social anxiety.

How to help an anxious child

If a child is experiencing anxiety, there are things that parents and carers can do to help.

First and foremost, it's important to talk to your child about their anxiety or worries. Reassure them and show them you understand how they feel.

If your child is old enough, it may help to explain what anxiety is and the physical effects it has on our bodies. It may be helpful to describe anxiety as being like a wave that builds up and then ebbs away again.

As well as talking to your child about their worries and anxiety, it's important to help them find solutions.

For example, if your child is worried about going to a sleepover, it is natural to want to tell them not to go. However, this could mean your child feels that their anxiety will stop them from doing things.

It's better to recognise their anxiety and suggest solutions to help them, so they can go to the sleepover with a plan in place.

Other ways to ease anxiety in children

teach your child to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves

encourage your child to manage their anxiety and ask for help when they need it

children of all ages find routines reassuring, so try to stick to regular daily routines where possible

if your child is anxious because of distressing events, such as a bereavement or separation, look for books or films that will help them to understand their feelings

if you know a change, such as a house move, is coming up, prepare your child by talking to them about what is going to happen and why

try not to become overprotective or anxious yourself

practise simple relaxation techniques with your child, such as taking 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3.

distraction can be helpful for young children. For example, if they are anxious about going to nursery, play games on the way there, such as seeing who can spot the most red cars

turn an empty tissue box into a "worry" box. Get your child to write about or draw their worries and "post" them into the box. Then you can sort through the box together at the end of the day or week

Find out more

When should we get help?

If your child's anxiety is severe, persists and interferes with their everyday life, it's a good idea to get some help.

A visit to a GP is a good place to start. If your child's anxiety is affecting their school life, it's a good idea to talk to their school as well.

Parents and carers can get help and advice about children's mental health from Young Minds' free parent helpline on 0808 802 5544, from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.

Find out more about treatments on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

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How to help your child deal with anxiety about things such as going to school or socialising with friends. Also, how to tell when it's time to get medical help.

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How to deal with anxiety in young children.

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Dealing with anxiety in young children | Family Lives

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How to deal with anxiety in young children

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anxiety can be difficult to comprehend as an adult, so trying to explain it to a child can be doubly as difficult. Without an explaination as to why they're feeling nervous, anxious or afraid about something, children will assume that the feelings are normal because they don't know any different.

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11 Books To Help Your Child Understand Anxiety

Anxiety can be difficult to comprehend as an adult, so trying to explain it to a child can be doubly as difficult. Without an explanation as to why they're feeling nervous, anxious, or afraid about something, children will assume that the feelings are normal, because they don't know any differently. Finding a way to help your child understand anxiety can help change the way they learn to combat and cope with their anxiety. And what better way to help your children learn than through books? By integrating books to help your child understand anxiety into the family bookshelf, you'll be helping everyone to better understand why anxiety happens, and how everyone around can help each other through.

Rather than writing off your child's anxiety as an irrational fear, or being a worrywart, why not explore the depths of their anxiety together? According to Worry Wise Kids, " children usually believe their level of fear is an accurate reflection of how dangerous a situation is, instead of knowing that their fear is a reaction to thinking scary thoughts about a situation." In order to help reshape your child's view of their anxiety, and help them cultivate an understanding of what is their anxiety talking to them, and what is a rational fear, you first need to help them understand what anxiety is. With the help of the following books, you and your child will be able to better comprehend what kind of anxiety your child may dealing with, and how you can work together to combat it.

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11 Books To Help Your Child Understand Anxiety

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Anxiety can be difficult to comprehend as an adult, so trying to explain it to a child can be doubly as difficult. Without an explanation as to why they're feeling nervous, anxious, or afraid about something, children will assume that the feelings...

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Read about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.

Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child's circumstances change, such as when they start school.

Most cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old, but sometimes it's diagnosed later in childhood.

Sometimes ADHD was not recognised when someone was a child, and they are diagnosed later as an adult.

The symptoms of ADHD may improve with age, but many adults who were diagnosed with the condition at a young age continue to experience problems.

People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders.

Getting help

Many children go through phases where they're restless or inattentive. This is often completely normal and does not necessarily mean they have ADHD.

But you should discuss your concerns with your child's teacher, their school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) or a GP if you think their behaviour may be different from most children their age.

It's also a good idea to speak to a GP if you're an adult and think you may have ADHD, but were not diagnosed with the condition as a child.

What causes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

The exact cause of ADHD is unknown, but the condition has been shown to run in families.

Research has also identified a number of possible differences in the brains of people with ADHD when compared with those without the condition.

Other factors suggested as potentially having a role in ADHD include:

being born prematurely (before the 37th week of pregnancy)

having a low birthweight

smoking or alcohol or drug abuse during pregnancy

ADHD can occur in people of any intellectual ability, although it's more common in people with learning difficulties.

How attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is treated

For children with ADHD, although there's no cure, it can be managed with appropriate educational support, advice and support for parents and affected children, alongside medicine, if necessary.

For adults with ADHD, medicine is often the first treatment offered, although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may also help.

Living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Parents of children with ADHD

Looking after a child with ADHD can be challenging, but it's important to remember that they cannot help their behaviour.

Some day-to-day activities might be more difficult for you and your child, including:

getting your child to sleep at night

getting ready for school on time

listening to and carrying out instructions

being organised

social occasions

shopping

Adults with ADHD

Adults with ADHD may find they have problems with:

organisation and time management

following instructions

focusing and completing tasks

coping with stress

feeling restless or impatient

impulsiveness and risk taking

Some adults may also have issues with relationships or social interaction.

Page last reviewed: 24 December 2021
Next review due: 24 December 2024

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

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Read about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition that affects people's behaviour.

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About Us  ADHD Solutions CIC is an independent not for profit community-based initiative set up to support children, young people and adults who have ADHD and co-existing neurodiverse traits, their families and the professionals that support or work alongside them.

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About Us

ADHD Solutions CIC is an independent not for profit community-based initiative set up to support children, young people and adults who have ADHD and other co-existing neurodiverse traits, their families, and the professionals that support or work alongside them.

Our Services

We deliver a range of high-quality client centred holistic services. We work collaboratively with family members, professionals and practitioners to reduce the stigma and promote an appreciation of the positive aspects of ADHD. We teach practical strategies and interventions that can be adapted for use in all settings and throughout life. All our programmes build knowledge, understanding and confidence allowing individuals to take back control and with support, achieve their full potential. Vist the pages below to find out more information about the services we offer.

​

Please note, whilst we try and maintain our services as free access to families, depending on our funding at the time of your referral to us, some may require payment or a contribution to access.

Upcoming Events

The following events and activities are available to our Members.

Visit our Members for page more information about our membership schemes or to sign into your account.

Already signed into your account, visit our Upcoming Events page to register your place!

Working with the best funders and supportors

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About Us ADHD Solutions CIC is an independent not for profit community-based initiative set up to support children, young people and adults who have ADHD and other co-existing neurodiverse traits, their families, and the professionals that support or work alongside them. Our Services We deliver a range of high-quality client centred holistic services.

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Books about ADHD for children and parents.

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Books about ADHD for children and parents.

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Cheshire West and Chester Information, Advice, and Support Service.

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The Special Educational and Disabilities, Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIAS) for the Cheshire West and Chester area.

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Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, is a condition affecting physical co-ordination. It causes a child to perform less well than expected in daily activities for their age, and appear to move clumsily.
This topic is about DCD in children, although the condition often causes continued problems into adulthood.

Find out more about DCD in adults.

Symptoms of DCD

Early developmental milestones of crawling, walking, self-feeding and dressing may be delayed in young children with DCD. Drawing, writing and performance in sports are also usually behind what is expected for their age.

Although signs of the condition are present from an early age, children vary widely in their rate of development. This means a definite diagnosis of DCD does not usually happen until a child with the condition is 5 years old or more.

Find out more about symptoms of DCD in children.

When to seek medical advice

If you're concerned about your child's health or development, talk to a GP or health visitor, or speak to a nurse, doctor or special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) at your child's school.

They may refer your child to an occupational therapist, paediatrician, or another health professional who can assess them and try to identify any developmental problems.

Find out more about diagnosing DCD in children.

Causes of DCD

Doing co-ordinated movements is a complex process that involves many different nerves and parts of the brain.

Any problem in this process could potentially lead to difficulties with movement and co-ordination.

It's not usually clear why co-ordination doesn't develop as well as other abilities in children with DCD.

However, a number of risk factors that can increase a child's likelihood of developing DCD have been identified.

These include:

being born prematurely, before the 37th week of pregnancy

being born with a low birth weight

having a family history of DCD, although it is not clear exactly which genes may be involved in the condition

the mother drinking alcohol or taking illegal drugs while pregnant

Treating DCD

There's no cure for DCD, but a number of therapies can help children to manage their problems.

These include:

being taught ways of do activities they find difficult, such as breaking down difficult movements into smaller parts and practicing them regularly

adapting tasks to make them easier, such as using special grips on pens and pencils so they are easier to hold

Although DCD does not affect how intelligent a child is, it can make it more difficult for them to learn and they may need extra help to keep up at school.

Treatment for DCD will be tailored to your child and usually involves a number of different healthcare professionals working together.

Although the physical co-ordination of a child with DCD will remain below average, this may be less of a problem as they get older and develop coping strategies. Some children may continue to have problems.

However, difficulties in school - particularly producing written work - can become much more prominent and require extra help from parents and teachers.

Find out more about treating DCD in children.

Dyspraxia or DCD?

While many people in the UK use the term dyspraxia to refer to the difficulties with movement and co-ordination that first develop in young children, this term is used less often by healthcare professionals.

Instead, most healthcare professionals use the term developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) to describe the condition.

This term is generally preferred by healthcare professionals because dyspraxia can have several meanings.

For example, dyspraxia can be used to describe movement difficulties that happen later in life because of damage to the brain, such as from a stroke or head injury.

Some healthcare professionals may also use the term specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) to refer to DCD.

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Developmental co-ordination disorder (dyspraxia) in children

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Read about developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD), also known as dyspraxia, a condition that affects physical co-ordination.

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Download our guide to dyspraxia in children.  Children with dyspraxia appear clumsy and unco-ordinated compared to other children their age.  Dyspraxia is also know as developmental co-ordination disorder.

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Also known as developmental coordination disorder, dyspraxia is a condition that causes children to appear clumsy and uncoordinated compared to other kids their age. They frequently drop things, break things, or bump into things.

Some kids with dyspraxia have trouble with fine motor skills, like using a pencil or eating with a spoon. Others struggle with gross motor skills, like catching a ball or riding a bike. Some have issues with both kinds of motor skills.

In kids with dyspraxia, there's nothing wrong with their muscles. Instead, their problems with coordination happen because their brains have a hard time telling their bodies what to do.

What are the symptoms of dyspraxia?

In young children, signs of dyspraxia include being slow to develop abilities including:

Dyspraxia can also be diagnosed in older children. Signs that a school-age child might have dyspraxia include:

Trouble with fine motor skills like holding a pencil, using a zipper, or fastening buttons

Difficulty balancing

Trouble with physical activities like running and jumping

Frequently stumbling or tripping

Avoiding activities like drawing, writing by hand, or playing sports

Getting teased by peers for being clumsy

How is dyspraxia diagnosed?

It's normal for kids to be clumsy sometimes. Dyspraxia is diagnosed when a child's issues with coordination get in the way of daily activities like schoolwork, play and getting dressed.

Dyspraxia can be diagnosed by professionals including pediatricians, psychologists and learning specialists. More severe cases may be diagnosed by a neurologist, who can determine if a neurological problem is causing the child's challenges.

How is dyspraxia treated?

Dyspraxia is often treated by an occupational therapist. The goal is to help kids build stronger motor skills.

Treatment involves identifying the skills that the child is struggling with and breaking them down into small steps. Then, the therapist helps the child practice each step and slowly build up to more complicated coordination. For example, a child who struggles with handwriting might start by practicing tracing letters and work up to writing words. Finding and encouraging the child's strengths is also an important part of treatment.

Treatment can include accommodations in school as well, like being allowed to type instead of hand write.

Finally, the therapist can help the child's family identify skills that the child might not need to master. For example, a child who has a very hard time tying shoelaces could wear Velcro shoes instead.

This guide was last reviewed or updated on February 23, 2023.

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Quick Guide to Dyspraxia - Child Mind Institute

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Download our guide to dyspraxia in children. Children with dyspraxia appear clumsy and uncoordinated compared to other kids their age. Dyspraxia is also known as developmental coordination disorder.

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Fine motor skills activities for kids:
explore fun games and everyday life activities / child's fine motor skills development activities.

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75 Fun Fine Motor Skills Activities for Kids (Free PDF Activity Included)

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Fine motor skills activities for kids: explore fun games and everyday life activities / Child’s fine motor skills development activities

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5 Calming Yoga Poses For Kids ✨  | Cosmic Kids

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Read about when hearing tests are routinely offered to children, what they involve and why they are important.

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Why hearing tests are important

Hearing tests carried out soon after birth can help identify most babies with significant hearing loss, and testing later in childhood can pick up any problems that have been missed or have been slowly getting worse.

Without routine hearing tests, there's a chance that a hearing problem could go undiagnosed for many months or even years.

It's important to identify hearing problems as early as possible because they can affect your child's speech and language development, social skills and education.

Treatment is more effective if any problems are detected and managed accordingly early on. An early diagnosis will also help ensure you and your child have access to any special support services you may need.

Hearing tests for older babies and children

A number of different hearing tests may be used to check for hearing problems in older babies and young children. These are usually undertaken at an audiology department.

Some of the main tests that may be carried out are described on this page.

Visual reinforcement audiometry

Visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) is usually used to test hearing in children from approximately 6 months of age up to 2.5 years old.

During the test, your child will sit on your lap or a chair while sounds are presented. Your baby will be taught to link the sound to a visual reward such as a toy or computer screen lighting up.

Once your child is able to associate the sound and the visual reward the volume and pitch of the sound will be varied to determine the quietest sounds your child is able to hear.

Play audiometry

Young children between 1.5 and 5 years old may have a play audiometry test.

During the test, sounds will be played through headphones or speakers and your child will be asked to perform a simple task when they hear the sound. This may vary from putting a ball in a bucket to completing a puzzle.

As with VRA, the volume and pitch of the sound will be varied to determine the quietest sounds your child is able to hear.

Pure tone audiometry

Older children may have a test called pure tone audiometry. This is the test often used to screen a child's hearing before they start school, when it is sometimes referred to as the "sweep test". It's similar to a hearing test an adult might have.

During pure tone audiometry, a machine generates sounds at different volumes and frequencies. The sounds are played through headphones and your child is asked to respond when they hear them by pressing a button.

By changing the level of the sound, the tester can work out the quietest sounds your child can hear.

Bone conduction test

In addition to using speakers or headphones, most of the tests above can also be carried out using a small vibrating device placed behind the ear.

This device passes sound directly to the inner ear through the bones in the head, which can help identify which part of the ear is not working properly if your child is having hearing problems.

Tympanometry

Tympanometry is a test to assess how flexible the eardrum is.

For good hearing, your eardrum needs to be flexible to allow sound to pass through it. If the eardrum is too rigid - for example, because there is fluid behind it ( glue ear) - sounds will bounce back off the eardrum instead of passing through it.

During the test, a soft rubber tube will be placed at the entrance of your child's ear. Air is gently blown down the tube and a sound is played through a small speaker inside it. The tube then measures the sound that's bounced back from the ear.

Spotting signs of a hearing problem

Although your child will be offered routine hearing tests as they grow up, it's still important for you to look out for signs of any problems and seek advice if you have any concerns.

For babies, the checklist in your baby's personal child health record (red book) can be used to help you check your child's hearing as they grow up.

In older children, signs of a possible hearing problem can include:

inattentiveness or poor concentration

not responding when their name is called

talking loudly and listening to the television at a high volume

difficulty pinpointing where a sound is coming from

mispronouncing words

a change in their progress at school

Speak to a GP or health visitor if you're concerned about your child's hearing. Your child can have a hearing test at any age.

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Read about when hearing tests are routinely offered to children, what they involve and why they're important.

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We are a busy outpatient department providing a comprehensive range of diagnostic and

rehabilitation services for hearing and balance for both adult and paediatric patients.
Where are we based?
The department of Clinical Audiology is situated in the Countess of Chester Hospital and is located on the first floor of the CARE building in Outpatients 4 (Waypoint F19).

We also offer Audiology appointments at the following clinics in the Community:

Ellesmere Port Hospital

Princeway Health Centre, Frodsham

Neston Clinic (Mellock Lane)

How do I access Audiology services?
All Audiology appointments (including hearing aid repairs) are by BOOKED APPOINTMENT ONLY. Please do not attend the Audiology Department if you do not have a booked appointment.

A postal repair service is also available for hearing aids and batteries.

Please contact Audiology on 01244 363020 or email outpat.audiology@nhs.net
Drop-in repair service
We no longer offer a drop-in repair service. All hearing aid repairs are by BOOKED APPOINTMENT ONLY. Please do not attend the Audiology Department if you do not have a booked appointment.

A postal hearing aid repair service is available.

Please contact Audiology on 01244 363020 or email outpat.audiology@nhs.net
How do I contact Audiology?
Department of Clinical Audiology
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool Road,Chester,CH2 1UL
Tel: 01244 363020
Fax: 01244 366668
Text Phone: 07970 603292 (text only)

E-Mail: outpat.audiology@nhs.net
Where can I obtain batteries for my NHS hearing aid(s)?
We are advising all patients to obtain their batteries through post - battery collections at all hospital sites have been suspended at this time.

For battery and consumable requests, please contact Audiology on 01244 363020 and choose Option 1 or email outpat.audiology@nhs.net
What do I do if I have lost my NHS hearing aid(s)?
Hearing aids issued to patients from the Audiology Department are on long-term loan to patients and remain the property of the NHS. Should a hearing aid be lost, stolen, or damaged through neglect the patient may be liable to a charge to replace the loan hearing aid. Please contact the department using the contact details above in the first instance.
Useful Links

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This is the web site of the Countess of Chester Hospital.

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Joint hypermobility syndrome is when you have very flexible joints (you may think of yourself as being double-jointed). It usually affects children and young people and often gets better as you get older.

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Joint hypermobility syndrome is where you get pain and stiffness from having very flexible joints. Read more about how it’s diagnosed and managed.

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Play games, watch videos and read articles all about how you can stay healthy, from doing the jungle boogie dance to looking after your teeth, washing your hands and eating healthily.

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The Starting Well Service offers advice and support on a range of health and wellbeing issues.

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The Starting Well Service offers advice and support on a range of health and wellbeing issues from pre-natal up to 19 years, extending to 25 years for young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

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Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Support Service (SPOTSS) | Live Well Cheshire West

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Sensory Processing Occupational Therapy Support Service (SPOTSS) is a small group of specialist occupational therapists that work across Cheshire West and Chester, and Cheshire East, funded by NHS and LA. We offer support to the adults around the autistic child who has sensory processing differences that are impacting on daily life. This support starts with free universal training either online or in person, for school staff to be understand more around sensory processing, then to be able to consider and review a range of sensory strategies to support the child by creating a sensory support plan.

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This tool has been designed to support education staff and parents take a fresh look at behaviours that may have a sensory function.

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This tool has been designed to support education staff and parents take a fresh look at behaviours that may have a sensory function.

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Find out about auditory processing disorder, a condition where you have difficulty understanding sounds including spoken words.nhs.uk

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Find out about auditory processing disorder, a condition where you have difficulty understanding sounds including spoken words.

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Cheshire and Mersey Partnership Integrated Network Group (Education) APD Policy and Practice Group | Live Well Cheshire West

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This position statement is based on the most recent research evidence and has been agreed by the following regional Sensory Services:

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Free Speech and Language Resources - Speech And Language Kids

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Welcome to My Home!! I’m so glad you found my site! I have a ton of great free content for just about every different speech and language problem you may encounter. Feel free to browse around and don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions! Subscribe to My Mailing List

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On this site you will find information and help on common mental health issues including: depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders. childhood trauma .... www.thelilyjoproject.com

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The Lily Jo Project | Your Online Mental Health Resource

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this site you will find information and help on common mental health issues including: depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, childhood trauma...

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It can be easy to feel other people’s lives are better than our own, especially when we’re bombarded with perfect images on social media.  We can get stuck thinking others are more beautiful, have more money and fun, or simply ‘have more’.

And children are just as susceptible as adults to this comparison trap. So how can we help them (and ourselves)?

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It can be easy to feel other people's lives are better than our own, especially when we're bombarded with perfect images on social media. We can get stuck thinking others are more beautiful, have more money and fun, or simply 'have more'.

And children are just as susceptible as adults to this comparison trap. So how can we help them (and ourselves)?

One idea is to bring attention to what's working well in your/their life by developing gratitude skills. To develop these skills, you can use techniques such as starting a gratitude jar, writing a gratitude journal or having a gratitude conversation.

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Five steps to help with children's wellbeing

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It can be easy to feel other people's lives are better than our own, especially when we're bombarded with perfect images on social media. We can get stuck thinking others are more beautiful, have more money and fun, or simply 'have more'. And children are just as susceptible as adults to this comparison trap.

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A short guide for parents and caregivers on Working Memory.

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 Our group is made up of people with ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent experiences who meet regularly. Whether it's offering practical advice, sharing lived experiences, or just having a space to unwind with like-minded people, we are here for each other.  

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You’re Never Alone -
Supporting SEND families through connection, understanding and community.

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Beacon House is passionate about developing freely available resources so that knowledge about the repair of trauma and adversity is in the hands of those who need it. Please feel free to use our resources in your home or work setting.
All we ask is that you credit our team for the information and design using this credit: Image or information courtesy of Beacon House Therapeutic Services & Trauma Team | 2022 | www.beaconhouse.org.uk
As a specialist trauma service, our resources are written using a 'trauma lens' and offer information, ideas and strategies from this perspective. We know that there are other perspectives and overlapping experiences, meaning that 'one size doesn't fit all'. We are working to be as inclusive as possible and alongside this acknowledge that not everything we produce will be relevant for everyone.

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Beacon House is passionate about developing freely available resources so that knowledge about the repair of trauma and adversity is in the hands of those who need it. Please feel free to use our resources in your home or work setting.

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Neurodiversity Hub - SELF | Live Well Cheshire West

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Search for what you’re looking for or browse our most popular pages.

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Masking is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or unconsciously, to appear non-autistic in order to blend in and be more accepted in society. Masking can happen in formal situations such as at school or work and in informal situations such as at home with family or socialising with friends.

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A strategy used by some autistic people to appear non-autistic. This can have a devastating impact on mental health, sense of self and access to an autism diagnosis.

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Masking is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or unconsciously, to appear non-autistic in order to blend in and be more accepted in society. Masking can happen in formal situations such as at school or work and in informal situations such as at home with family or socialising with friends.

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A strategy used by some autistic people to appear non-autistic. This can have a devastating impact on mental health, sense of self and access to an autism diagnosis.