All behaviour is communication

All behaviour is communication.  This statement is always true.

Click on the image below to go to the website I found this on.  The post is worth reading.

Crossing the Midline

This site below has a great list of activities that cross the midline.  Using these as activities before learning or to give learners a break between learning could be really useful.  
Click on the image below for the link

Bilateral coordination

This site below has a great list of activities for developing bilateral coordination.  Using these as activities to give learners a break between learning could be really useful.  
Click on the image below for the link

 

Sensory Pathways

I would love to see sensory pathways in every school.  The video below is one plathway that I particularly enjoy and feel this is possible for many schools to create.  Hey we could ask our learners to design and make it!   Click the image below to go to the video.

 

More strategies for anxiety

Here are some more strategies for coping with anxiety.

Click on the images to explore a range of different strategies for dealing with anxiety.

Anxiety behaviours and strategies to support

Anxiety is such a big part of a diagnosis. Recognising anxiety and finding strategies to help are a journey parents, teachers and childrens travel.  The images below link to the websites that provide helpful information.

 This article explains how anxiety can look like agression.

This website shares some strategies to support young children to calm the anxiety.

This website has a range of strategies to support children when words do not work.

This page shares phrases that may help to calm an anxious child.

Executive Function

I often have discussions with teachers about the difficulties learners have and the relationship with executive function.  I find Understood.org a great website for accessible information to support teachers and parents to grow their understadning of executive function issues and strategies to help.

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/understanding-executive-functioning-issues

Heavy work - Proprioception sensory activities

This site is great for ideas.  Heavy work is what my son often needs and I love some of these ideas.  Click the picture and find practical ideas to give your child the sensory input they crave.

A poem to express a day in the life of my son.

Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes

I woke up this morning and the world felt wrong
My socks attacked my feet - I threw them across the room.  My brother breathed on my toast - I couldn’t eat it
Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes

I went to school this morning and the world was noisy
Voices exploded in my ears - I hid under the table
The teacher was different - I stayed in the corner
Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes

I went to play at lunchtime and the world felt lonely
Kids played around me - I sat and watched
Kids talked to me - I looked at my feet
Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes

I went back to class and the world smelt yucky   
Somebody’s lunch stank - I blocked my nose
Other smells collided -I gaged and retched.
Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes



I went to the car after school and the world was overwhelming

<a href="https://clipartxtras.com/">clipartxtras.com</a>

My brother sat in my seat - I screamed and screamed
Daddy sounded mad - I cried and cried
Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes

I went to have dinner and the world looked different
The chicken looked wrong- I did not eat it
The potatoes felt old - I spat them out
Please do not stare at me with judgement in your eyes

I went to bed and the world kept spinning
I woke up this morning and the world felt wrong

<a href="https://clipartxtras.com/">clipartxtras.com</a>

My socks attacked my feet
My brother breathed on my toast
Somebody’s lunch stank
I gaged and retched.
My brother sat in my seat
Somebody’s lunch stank
Daddy sounded mad
My brother breathed on my toast   
My brother breathed on my toast
My brother breathed on my toast

Podcast Interview for Connect Inform Support

Hi I had the privilege of being interviewed for the Connect Inform Support programme on Free FM.

The blurb says
"A show created and hosted by Parent to Parent – the not-for-profit organisation supporting families and whanau of babies, children, teens and adults with any type of disability or health impairment. The show focuses on services and help available and also discusses issues and news of interest and importance to those families."

This is the link to listen online or to download the file to listen later.