Sensory Help Now

Following last month's Neurodiversity Celebration Week, this month's Our Sensory Family Resources blog looks at understanding neurodiversity and includes lots of useful information and articles for us to better support neurodivergent family members with sensory sensitivities:-

Your Common Questions Answered about Neurodiversity - neurodiversity is a term used to describe differences in the way people process information and view the world. This article from BUPA looks at some of the common questions asked about neurodiversity including what does it mean to be neurodivergent, how do I know if I’m neurodivergent and how do I support someone who is neurodivergent.

30 Sensory Icks: A Checklist for Autistic and Neurodivergent People - for many neurodivergent people, a clothing tag can feel like a cactus or sandpaper rubbing against their skin. This is one example of the many ‘sensory icks’ that neurodivergent people experience regularly. Written by Shamiha Patel, a writer with a background in Psychology who focuses on neurodiversity, this article is her version of a checklist of ‘sensory icks’ categorised by the different senses.

What to Know About Raising Neurodivergent Kids - what is neurodivergence and what do parents of neurodivergent children need to know? This article from Verywell Mind explores what it means to be neurodivergent and describes how parents of neurodivergent children can support their kids and help them thrive.

Sensory Needs for Autism and ADHD: Managing a Neurodiverse Household – written by Dr. Neff, a late-in-life diagnosed Autistic-ADHD Psychologist, this article looks at how the convergence of neurodivergent traits often requires us to navigate the complexities of managing competing sensory needs in our homes. Balancing these diverse sensory preferences can be a demanding task and in this blog post, Dr Neff share some practical tips and strategies for effectively managing the competing sensory needs of neurodivergent families.

Understanding the Strengths and Difficulties of Neurodivergent Children: A Guide for Parents - this comprehensive booklet which was created by Edinburgh Psychoeducation Intervention for Children and Young People (EPIC) has been designed to facilitate understanding of neurodivergent family members. It looks at the facts about neurodivergent children, how neurodivergent children can have lots of different strengths and why it is important to think of your child in relation to areas of strength as well as their areas of difficulties and needs.

7 Autism Awareness Activities That Will Help You Make a Difference - as April is Autism Acceptance Month, this useful article from Autism Parenting Magazine looks at some autism awareness activities communities can participate in to encourage more awareness and acceptance and help make a difference for the autism community.

Three Things I Wish My Parents Had Known, From an Autistic Adult - this article from Your Kids Table is written by Lauren who, as a late-diagnosed autistic adult, is learning how to manage an array of sensory issues much later than she might have liked. In this article, Lauren offers up 3 things she wishes her parents knew on how to support kids with sensory issues as they grow and change.

This Is What It's Like to Travel as an Autistic Person and How to Manage Your Next Trip – this Conde Nast Traveller article written by Ellie Middleton, an autistic and ADHD creator, speaker and writer, takes a look at what it’s like to travel with autism and shares the things she packs to help prepare for a journey.

Are You Noise Sensitive? Here's How to Tell - according to a 2023 study conducted in the UK, nearly one in five adults have some level of noise sensitivity. Every person has a different idea of what makes noise 'loud' but, as this article from WIRED explains, there are some things we all can do to turn the volume down a little.

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