# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to Wolverhampton's Local Offer of support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs or who are Disabled (SEND). Find out more about our Local Offer.

UPDATE.
Here you will find the Outcome of inspection of SEND services in city published | City Of Wolverhampton Council .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wolverhampton Local Offer | Wolverhampton Information Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Wolverhampton's Local Offer of support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs or who are Disabled (SEND). Find out more about our Local Offer. UPDATE. Here you will find the Outcome of inspection of SEND services in city published | City Of Wolverhampton Council .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Child and Family Service (0-18 core CAMHS Team)

Inspire (0-18 Learning Disability CAMHS Team)

CAMHS Crisis Intervention and Home Treatment Team (CIHTT)

Click below to read more about each team.

A bit about us

The Child and Family Service is a service with lots of different professionals who assess, diagnosis and provide treatment for any child or adolescent 0-18 years of age who are experiencing complex, severe or enduring mental health difficulties.

We've got a large team of different professionals here to help you. They include Nurses, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Psychotherapists and Family Therapists.

How do we help?

The Child and Family Service promotes a strength based approach to assessment and treatment and recognises the importance of positive mental health of children, adolescents and their families.

The team has many different ideas and methods to help you through your difficult times. There is a broad range of help available to meet your level of need. We all aim to work in a culturally sensitive manner. Life is full of ups and downs. At times, we all struggle to cope with what life throws at us.

The help we offer is based on listening to children, young people and their families or carers and talking about what the problem might be. In our experience, most people have skills and abilities they do not recognise. By thinking and talking together, new solutions can be explored and changes made. All referrals and discussions are treated as confidential. Very occasionally, if you or someone else is at risk, we may need to inform other professionals, but we will discuss this with you at the time.

[Download full CaFS service information here]

A bit about us

At Inspire we provide specialist support and advice to children and young people with learning disabilities up to 18 years old who are registered with a Wolverhampton GP and to the people who support them. We work closely with other services and professionals involved in supporting children with a learning disability.

Inspire is a multi- professional team consisting of: Community Nurses, Clinical Psychologists, Early Years Practitioners, Occupational Therapists.

How do we help?

We help children and young people with a learning disability:

who feel sad or upset or unhappy.

who sometimes get very angry.

who need to learn how to do things for themselves - such as washing, dressing, going to the toilet.

who sometimes have difficult thoughts that are hard to ignore or that make them feel unhappy or scared.

to learn how to get on with other people.

We also help other people who look after children and young people with a learning disability - such as family, carers and other professionals.
If we are not able to help then we will put you in touch with other services that can.
[Download full Inspire service information here]

Wolverhampton CAMHS Crisis Intervention & Home Treatment Team (CIHTT)

Who is our service for?

The Wolverhampton Crisis Intervention & Home Treatment Team aims to provide a timely service, able to respond both quickly and intensively to children, young people and their families and/or carers. The service is for Children and young people up to age 18 years.

This means that we offer specialist services to those children and young people whose mental health is having an impact on their daily functioning (usually due to risk and / or severity of mental illness) and who require urgent intervention to help support the child or young person when experiencing mental health crisis. We operate 7 days a week, 08:00-20:00 hours, 365 days a year. The overall aim of the team is to reduce the frequency of admissions into a Child and Adolescent Inpatient Unit, keeping children and young people at home with their families, where they are able to receive a specialist intensive CAMHS support.

Confidentiality- The team will keep your details about your care confidential but do have a duty to share information related to your care with the CAMHS or CAMHS crisis team working with you and with your GP practice. Sometimes it is also helpful to speak to and share information with others involved such as school, another health worker or a social worker and we will always ask for your consent before sharing information with other agencies outside the NHS, unless there is a concern of risk of harm to yourself or others.

Concerns or Complaints- We aim to offer a quality service always. If you do need to raise a concern or wish to make a complaint about the care or treatment you have received from our service then please speak to a member of the team, the CAMHS CIHTT Service Manager or contact or Service Experience Desk on 0800 587 7720 or email bchft@nhs.net
https://www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk/contact-us/feedback-sed
How do we help?

The Crisis Intervention & Home Treatment Team responds to referrals received from The Royal Wolverhampton Trust, New Cross hospital, offering mental health assessments to children and young people who have been admitted following an act of self-harm, or who are presenting with significant mental health concerns. In addition the team offers Crisis Intervention & Home Treatment to children and young people who are already open to the CAMHS service but require an additional level of support. CIHTT also respond to urgent or emergency referrals from other professional agencies such as Police, local Authority, GP's or other Education or Health services where there is a clearly identified concern regarding acute mental illness or a high level of risk.

Interventions are tailored to meet your specific needs and will be evidence based interventions and will be agreed with you following the initial assessment. At the initial assessment you will be able to speak to a CAMHS crisis clinician alone and with your family member/carer. At the end of the initial assessment, together we will agree a plan and talk about next steps. It may be necessary to arrange a further appointment to complete the assessment and consider the right pathway for you. After agreeing an initial plan of care with you which will include taking about any risks to you, we will give you a written copy of this which will be reviewed regularly. We will also send of copy of the agreed plan to your GP and the person who referred you to our service. Part of the initial assessment will be considering if a referral to another team or service is the most helpful for you at this time, or to discuss what is available across the whole of CAMHS which includes emotional health/wellbeing and mental health pathways.

What about carers and families?

The CAMHS Crisis and Home Treatment team works with the family as a whole and will also provide support to families/carers. Once you are working with a team within CAMHS we can also signpost or refer you to the Trust Carers Service.

Who can refer into our service?

Crisis Intervention & Home Treatment Team accepts referrals from all professional agencies but is not able to take self- referral from families at present. Speak to your GP, teacher or other health worker or social worker about a referral to us. Referrals can be made through the CAMHS Single Point of Access between 09:00-17:00 hours on 01902 444021 or between 17:00 - 20:00 hours on 07900226390.
Address: Gem Centre, Neachells Lane, Wolverhampton WV11 3PG
What to do in an emergency

If your child's life or the life of another child is in immediate risk or danger call 999.

If it's not a 999 emergency you can call 111.

If the emergency is related to a young person's mental health then the CAMHS Crisis team can be contacted 08:00-20:00 hours on 07900226390.

Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust offer a 247 mental health telephone support line where children, young people and families/carers can access advice and support from a CAMHS healthcare professional. This can be accessed by calling 0800 008 6516
Useful Resources and Help lines:

BCHFT 247 Mental health telephone support 0800 0086516

Young Minds: 02073 368 445 or enquiries@youngminds.org.uk

Samaritans: 08457 909 090 or jo@samaritans.org.uk

MIND Information Line: 08457 660 163 (self-help books are also available)

Youth Access: 02087 729 900

BEAT: 08088010677 or www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Child and Family Service (0-18 core CAMHS Team) Inspire (0-18 Learning Disability CAMHS Team) CAMHS Crisis Intervention and Home Treatment Team (CIHTT) Click below to read more about each team. The Child and Family Service is a service with lots of different professionals who assess, diagnosis and provide treatment for any child or adolescent 0-18 years of age who are experiencing complex, severe or enduring mental health difficulties.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This website places cookies on your computer to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details, see our privacy policy. I agree

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Heath Park School is a fully inclusive mainstream school which is part of the Central Learning Partnership Trust serving the city of Wolverhampton.

At Heath Park, all pupils are valued equally, regardless of where their abilities lie, with the school being committed to developing 'the best in everyone'. All students are entitled to have access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum, which is differentiated to meet individual needs.

Within its aims, Heath Park is committed to equal opportunities, with students being encouraged to achieve their full potential, whatever their academic or physical ability, through the provision of a balanced and challenging curriculum in both content and styles of learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Heath Park School is a fully inclusive mainstream school which is part of the Central Learning Partnership Trust serving the city of Wolverhampton. At Heath Park, all pupils are valued equally, regardless of where their abilities lie, with the school being committed to developing 'the best in everyone'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When your child is diagnosed as having developmental dyspraxia you may feel many emotions: shock, relief, isolation. You will want to know how best to help your child and how to plan for the years ahead. You may also wonder how your family is going to cope with the child who has dyspraxia - especially his or her brothers and sisters.

Many parents feel guilt and anger about their child's condition. It is important to recognise that dyspraxia is not anyone's fault. Although there is no cure there are many things that you can do to give practical help and support to your child.

This website explains What is dyspraxia? and gives some suggestions on what to do as a parent of a child with dyspraxia.

In 1997 the Dyspraxia Foundation conducted a survey of its members. It distributed a questionnaire to find out about the age at which dyspraxia was diagnosed in their children; their school's response to the child's dyspraxia; and the severity of the child's dyspraxia.

Having a child who has dyspraxia affects the whole family. You may find that you gear all family life around the needs of that child. It is possible that brothers and sisters feel neglected.

To help everyone, you could

Try activities which involve the whole family equally

Encourage each child to develop their own hobbies and interests so that comparisons are irrelevant

Talk to your partner about the problems and be open about how you both feel

Try to arrange time each week to concentrate on each child, and your partner

Take time for yourself and keep in touch with friends

Join a local support group. Some groups run events which include siblings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When your child is diagnosed as having developmental dyspraxia you may feel many emotions: shock, relief, isolation. You will want to know how best to help your child and how to plan for the years ahead. You may also wonder how your family is going to cope with the child who has dyspraxia - especially his or her brothers and sisters.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

CAMHS is the name for the NHS services that assess and treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.

CAMHS support covers depression, problems with food and eating, self-harm, abuse, violence or anger, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety, among other difficulties.

There are local NHS CAMHS services around the UK, with teams made up of nurses, therapists, psychologists, child and adolescent psychiatrists (medical doctors specialising in mental health), support workers and social workers, as well as other professionals.

The first step to getting help from CAMHS is usually that you will be referred for a CAMHS assessment. This referral can come from your parents/carers, a teacher, GP, or yourself if you are old enough (depending on where you live).

If you're being supported by social care, a youth offending team, or a service at your school, they might also be able to refer you.

It's important to tell the person referring you as much as you can so you can get the help you need.

Most local CAMHS teams have a website where you can look up how to get access to their service.

After you have been referred, you will be put on a waiting list for an initial appointment (often known as an 'assessment'). This may sound scary, but it's normally just a chat so the CAMHS team can get to know you a bit and see how they can help.

At this appointment, you will normally meet one or two members of the CAMHS team. If you're under 16 years old, your parent(s) or carer(s) will usually be invited to join for part of this meeting.

This appointment will generally take place at a CAMHS clinic. But, in some circumstances, they may meet with you at your school or home. They will discuss with you the best place to meet before your appointment.

When you meet, the team will ask you questions to understand what you are struggling with and to get a better idea of what support you need.

Here are some common questions the CAMHS team may ask in an assessment:

What has brought you to CAMHS?

How long have you experienced the problem that has brought you to CAMHS?

What would you like to change in your life?

What might help tackle the problems you are experiencing?

How have you been feeling recently?

Try to be as open and honest as possible at your first appointment. These people are not mind readers and if you lie, you will not receive the best treatment plan for you to get better.

Hannah

At the end of the session, the team will talk to you about what happens next and what support they think you might need. You can also ask any questions you may have.

They may talk about your 'treatment' - this just means what you'll do together to help you get better.

If you would feel more comfortable having a parent or carer in the room with you during your assessment, that's fine. You can also see the team by yourself if you would prefer, though staff may expect a parent to be present for part of the meeting.

Also, if you or your parent/carer is not confident speaking English, CAMHS can provide an interpreter to help. Just let them know if this is the case.

It's important at your CAMHS assessment to try and be as honest as possible, as this will help the team assessing you understand how to support you.

Here are some things that are helpful for you to tell them:

when your problems started

what you'd like to change

if there's a pattern in the problems (keeping a diary or log book before your assessment can be really helpful to show this)

any difficulties in school or with friends

any general health problems, either now or in the past

any big family events or issues like divorce or bereavement

any recent or past trauma, e.g. emotional, sexual or physical abuse

other services you've had help from, like social care, hospital or private treatments

Going to CAMHS is a massive step and you should be so proud of yourself in acknowledging you need support.

Have a look at our medication pages for more information.

I was convinced that moving to adult services was the end of the world. BUT here I am, two years down the line, and I can tell you that I survived and that it was okay.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guide to CAMHS | Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. CAMHS is the name for the NHS services that assess and treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. CAMHS support covers depression, problems with food and eating, self-harm, abuse, violence or anger, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety, among other difficulties.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This website places cookies on your computer to improve your experience. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. For more details, see our privacy policy. I agree

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

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

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

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wolverhampton Information, Advice & Support Service

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means that it impacts how a child develops. Autism begins in utero, although children with ASD might not be diagnosed until they are preschool- or even school-aged (or older), when signs of the disorder become more apparent.

Children with ASD have a combination of two kinds of behaviors: deficits in communication and social skills, and the presence of restricted or repetitive behaviors. It's called a spectrum because individuals with the disorder may have a wide range of symptoms, cognitive abilities, language skills and behaviors.
Criteria for autism spectrum disorder
Signs of a deficit in communication and social skills may include, but are not limited to, a combination of the following:

In younger kids (under 3 years)

Failure to respond to their own name

Disinterest in giving, sharing or showing objects of interest

Aversion to displays of affection

Preference for solitary play

In older children

Difficulty carrying on a reciprocal or back-and-forth conversation

Lack of eye contact

Difficulty using and reading body language in others

Difficulty recognizing others' emotions, responding appropriately to different social situations and understanding social relationships

Aversion to displays of affection

Preference for solitary play

Children with restricted or repetitive behaviors perform repetitive actions and rituals and can become fixated on minute details to the point of distraction. In addition, they may:

Become upset by minor changes in daily routine

Line, sort or organize toys or objects instead of playing with them

Show a consuming interest in a specific topic or object

Have unusual sensory sensitivities

To meet the criteria for ASD, a child's symptoms in these two areas must be present in early childhood, though they may not become fully clear until later, when social demands exceed limited capacities. Alternatively, they may be clear early on and then masked later by learned strategies.
These symptoms must also cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, academic or other important areas of functioning.

In addition to the two required criteria to meet the diagnosis, children with autism spectrum disorder often have sensory issues and varying cognitive and verbal abilities.

Sensory problems: Many children with autism are unusually sensitive to sounds, lights, textures or smells. They may be overwhelmed by too much sensory input, avoiding, fleeing or melting down over things like bright lights, loud noises or commotion. Alternatively, they may seek more sensory input, which they may try to get by bumping into things and excessively touching and smelling things.

Verbal ability: Some children with autism don't talk at all. Others talk in a stilted tone, or in an exaggerated "sing-song" or high-pitched voice. Highly verbal children with autism may monopolize conversations while showing little capacity for reciprocity or understanding what the other person wants or feels.

Autistic children may also repeat certain phrases without appearing to understand their significance, or possess what experts call "non-functional knowledge"- information they can recite, but not use to solve problems or carry on a conversation.

Children on the spectrum can also have medical problems and other mental health disorders, including anxiety, ADHD and depression, with symptoms that can be confused with autism.

Terminology: "Autistic," "With Autism" and "Asperger's"

People use different language when talking about autism. Some prefer to say "a child with autism" because it emphasizes the child's identity outside of their diagnosis. This is commonly called "person-first" language and is often recommended as a respectful way to talk about disabilities and other health issues.

However, other people, including many autism activists, prefer to use the term "autistic."

This is known as "identity-first" language. Autistic self-advocates assert that being autistic is in fact part of who they are - just like other labels like Catholic, African-American, gifted, and so on. They argue that saying "with autism" implies that autism is a negative thing that has happened to a person, rather than an integral part of their identity.

In this guide we use both "autistic" and "with autism" to acknowledge the diversity of people's opinions.

Some people also refer to their child having "Asperger's disorder." That diagnosis is technically outdated, because in 2013 the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) combined Asperger's disorder into autism spectrum disorder. However, many people do continue to use the term Asperger's to describe autistic children who are typically without language or intellectual impairment.

How Is Autism Diagnosed?

The diversity of autism spectrum disorder can make it difficult to correctly diagnose. Sometimes children with ASD are mistakenly diagnosed with a different disorder, like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), or they are told that nothing is wrong. Other times kids are diagnosed with autism when they actually aren't on the spectrum.

First Steps: There are a variety of screeners that pediatricians or other practitioners might employ as a first step to learning if a child might have autism, before beginning a formal evaluation. Some are questionnaires that parents fill out and others are assessments done by clinicians.

If a screener indicates that a child may have autism spectrum disorder, the child should receive a comprehensive evaluation with someone trained in diagnosing autism. This evaluation should include assessment of a child's behaviors in different settings and within the context of their overall development, and it should incorporate both clinician observation and parent/caregiver interviews. Evaluations will often include autism-symptom specific measures such as:

The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, or the ADOS-2. This is a test with different modules to accommodate a range of children. The purpose of the ADOS is to evaluate the social skills and repetitive behaviors the child displays during the test.

The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, or the ADI-R. This is a parent interview that gathers information about both current and past behaviors related to autism.

Evaluations should also include information about other areas of a child's functioning across contexts. Assessing a child's cognitive, motor, language and adaptive functioning can provide information on the most appropriate treatments and the impact their symptoms are having on their overall functioning. This includes using measures like:

The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (VABS-3). This is a parent interview that provides information about a child's day-to-day functioning in areas of communication, socialization and daily living skills.

Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition (DAS-II) or Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). These can be used to evaluate cognitive, language and motor functioning.

Even with these tools it is important to be working with a mental health professional who has experience diagnosing people on the autism spectrum.
Read more about diagnosis here.

Why Autism Diagnoses Are Often Delayed

For children on the autism spectrum, the earlier they receive specialized support, the better outcome they are likely to have. Such early intervention can start in toddlerhood. But children sometimes miss out on that crucial intervention for a variety of reasons.

In many cases kids initially receive a diagnosis of speech-language impairments, ADHD or sensory issues, and it's not until the social and academic challenges of school increase- around the age of 5 or 6 - that the child receives an autism diagnosis.

It's not that these other diagnoses are necessarily wrong. It is estimated that 30 to 40 percent of children on the autism spectrum do also have ADHD, and sensory challenges are so common in kids with autism they are considered a symptom of the disorder.

But all too often, once a diagnosis is reached, parents and clinicians stop looking carefully at symptoms that would also indicate an autism diagnosis, which would change the treatment significantly.

While these children are getting treatment for ADHD or sensory issues, they're missing out on therapy that can have a much more important impact on their lives.
Read more about delayed diagnosis here. Why girls with autism are often overlooked
Boys are diagnosed with autism at more than four times the rate of girls. The disorder is more common in boys, but because girls often don't fit the stereotyped image of someone with autism, many girls go undiagnosed and suffer as a result. Some reasons for the missed diagnosis include:

Girls' symptoms are often less obvious. Unlike boys with autism, who may express frustration by being disruptive or aggressive, girls are trained to be cooperative, so they're not as likely to be referred for an evaluation.

While boys on the spectrum may be intensely focused on things like trains or computer games, girls often have special interests that seem typical for girls their age, like Disney movies or animals, so they don't stand out.

Good at imitating what they see around them, girls tend to have better eye contact or social interaction than autistic boys. So even though they're struggling with social communication and relationships, they're more likely to "pass" as neurotypical until as late as middle school.

Girls struggling with undiagnosed autism often develop depression, anxietyor poor self-esteem, and clinicians may not look beyond these symptoms.

Read more about how girls are undiagnosed here.

How to Talk to Family and Friends About Your Child's Diagnosis

If your child has been newly diagnosed with autism, one thing that can be a challenge is telling your parents and extended family. Autism is something that more and more people are aware of, but there's still a lot of misinformation. The problems your child is having may not be visible to everyone in your family. But you need the people you are close to as allies in helping your child, so getting them on your team is important.

Focus on behaviors Using behaviors others might have noticed - such as lack of eye contact, frequent meltdowns or inability to connect with other kids - is one way to start explaining what autism is, and why your child was diagnosed.
Explain autism basics Don't overwhelm them with information but make sure to tell them that:

Your child has difficulty with social skills.

Part of autism means your child has restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability.

It is lifelong.

We know it starts in utero.

We know it is not produced by vaccines.

It's not caused by bad parenting.

Explain that autism is a spectrum of behaviors, and every autistic person is different

Explain that having a diagnosis also means that your family is eligible for therapies and services, which can be transformative.

Read more about talking with family and friends here.

Medical Causes for Autism-Related Behaviors

It's not unusual for medical problems to be overlooked in kids with autism, especially those who are nonverbal. When evaluating your child's behaviors, it's crucial to consider that some may actually be reactions to pain or discomfort from treatable medical or dental conditions that may have gone unrecognized. Kids with ASD may not be able identify or articulate the source of the pain or discomfort they are experiencing effectively.

Here are some commonly misinterpreted behaviors that may have medical causes:

Gulping or grimacing

Tapping the chest or stomach

Pressing on the abdomen

Refusing to sleep

Repetitive motions

Self-injury like head-banging or hitting yourself

Meltdowns

Aggression

If you notice any of these behaviors in your child, visiting your physician is a good idea to identify or rule out different medical problems, including:

Painful acid reflux

Constipation

Allergies

Eczema

Tonsillitis

Menstrual cramps

Ear infections

Urinary tract infections

Bone fractures

Read more about possible medical causes here.

Sensory issues are often first recognized during the toddler years, when parents notice that a child has an unusual aversion to noise, light, shoes that are deemed too tight and clothes that are irritating. They may also notice clumsiness and trouble climbing stairs, and difficulty with fine motor skills like wielding a pencil and fastening buttons. More baffling - and alarming - to parents are children who exhibit extreme behaviors, such as:

Screaming if their faces get wet

Throwing tantrums when you try to get them dressed

Having an unusually high or low pain threshold

Crashing into walls and even people

Putting inedible things, including rocks and paint, into their mouths

These and other atypical behaviors may reflect sensory issues - difficulty integrating information from the senses. Children with sensory issues may be overwhelmed by too much sensory input (i.e., hyper-sensitivity), or receive too little (i.e., hypo-sensitivity), which causes them to bump into and rub against things, in order to feel more. Sensory problems are now considered a symptom of autism because the majority of children and adults on the spectrum also have sensory issues.

When the brain struggles to deal with sensory input like sound, light and smell, kids can become overwhelmed and may have a tendency to flee to a more calming environment, become aggressive, or experience a severe meltdown.

In the majority of cases, sensory issues become significantly milder and less interfering as kids get older. Skills learned in occupational therapy and environmental accommodations can help limit the impact of sensory issues as kids get older.
Read more about sensory issues here.

Rigid Eating Habits in Children on the Spectrum

Children on the autism spectrum are often very picky eaters. When mealtime issues arise, your first stop should be a pediatric gastroenterologist who has experience with kids on the spectrum, to make sure there are no medical issues. Other sources of mealtime problems include:

Sensory issues: Autistic kids often express a strong preference for foods that feel a certain way in their mouths. Some prefer soft or creamy foods like yogurt, soup or ice cream; others need the stimulation that crunchy foods like Cheetos or - if a parent is lucky, carrots - provide. In either case, that can put significant limitations on the different foods kids are willing to eat.

Underdeveloped oral motor musculature: Kids who eat almost exclusively soft foods may actually lack the muscle development that it takes to chew foods like steak or hamburger. Parents who don't know this is the cause of their child's distress will respond by allowing them to forgo the foods that would strengthen those muscles, so it becomes a vicious cycle.

Time and behavior at the table: Lots of parents experience the frustration of trying to get their children to sit at the table long enough to finish a meal. But with autistic kids the challenge can be magnified. And there is also the issue of safety. Unsafe behaviors might include throwing utensils or repeatedly getting up and running from the table.

For children and families who are struggling with an autistic child's rigid eating habits, consulting a feeding specialist -this could be a child psychologist, speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist - can be helpful.
Read more about autism and picky eating here.

Wandering in Children on the Spectrum

The tendency of children on the spectrum to wander off impulsively is a huge safety issue. Wandering off without warning - also known as elopement or bolting - can have tragic results, as children attracted to water have drowned. The behavior is in part attributed to an impaired sense of danger, which might inhibit a neurotypical child from leaving caregivers. Other explanations for bolting range from goal-directed (heading to a favorite place, pursuing something of interest) to escaping a stressor (an anxious situation or uncomfortable sensory stimuli).

In a survey, more than 800 parents reported that roughly 50 percent of children between the ages of 4 and 10 with an ASD wander at some point, four times more than their unaffected siblings. The behavior peaks at 4, but almost 30 percent of kids with an ASD between the ages of 7 and 10 are still eloping, eight times more than their unaffected brothers and sisters.

The Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts Response and Education (AWAARE) Collaboration site has advice for families about making the home safe and other measures to guard against wandering.
Read more about autism and wandering here.

Repetitive movements associated with autism are sometimes called stimming. The word stim is short for self-stimulation. It means repetitive movements that don't appear to be purposeful, including hand flapping, rocking, blinking, pacing and repeating noises or words.

Among the criteria for an ASD diagnosis is "stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects or speech." Some children engage in these repetitive movements to either block or increase sensory input, or as a means of alleviating distress. Children on the spectrum may stim both when they're excited and when they're frustrated or angry.

But these movements are only problematic if they interfere with a child's functioning, including social interaction, daily activities and learning. Families worried about them are encouraged not to try to eradicate or draw undue attention to them, but instead to help children build communication skills and activities that may reduce time spent stimming.
Read more about autism and repetitive motions here.

Autism-Related Problems With Transitions

Transitions are particularly challenging for kids with autism, and their reactions can be extreme. They may feel the need for sameness and routine is a way of adapting to a world that can be overwhelming and confusing. Deviation from the routine can feel very uncomfortable, even distressing, and they may refuse to transition, or engage in disruptive behavior such as having a tantrum.

Maintaining structured routines may help children with autism, especially for everyday transitions that are challenging, like bedtime or school mornings. It may also be helpful to provide children visual schedules of their routines as well as provide warnings (countdowns to the next activity) before upcoming transitions. It's important to note that these general strategies, while helpful, may not be sufficient for all children with autism.

Rewarding kids when they handle a transition particularly well can also be an effective strategy. A reward could be as simple as labeled praise (for example, saying, "I really like how you stopped playing on the iPad when I told you it was time to get dressed. Good job!" Children can also be motivated by rewards like stickers or points that work up to bigger rewards, like more screen time or a favorite food. Access to a child's special interests can also be a reward.
Read more about transitions here.

Applied Behavior Analysis: Types of ABA: Read more about ABA here. The Verbal Behavior Approach (VB):
Facing Your Fears (FYF):
Occupational Therapy:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means that it impacts how a child develops. Autism begins in utero, although children with ASD might not be diagnosed until they are preschool- or even school-aged (or older), when signs of the disorder become more apparent.