AUTISM NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2024 COMMENT

Immersed in the task Going with the flow Is there overlap between Autistic hyperfocus and flow? Take a look at this investigation of autistic people's flow-like or hyperfocus experiences. More

Dog decision Mike and Erin Doan wanted to adopt a dog from Kismutt Small Dog Rescue but were told by the owner that they would not adopt out a dog to a family with an autistic child. More

Accessible worship Parents sometimes find it difficult to attend the mosque themselves at prayer times, due to the fear that their child might not cope well in the mosque environment and disturb the prayers. Here are 7 simple, cost-effective ways that mosques can cater to the needs of the autistic community.  More

Mothers speak out Children out of education, careers cut short and crumbling mental health. These are some of the ways parents of children with special educational needs (SEND) say they are being impacted by a system struggling with demand. More

On pitch empathy A football player wore ear defenders to show support for a team mascot with autism. Slough Town FC's Josh Jackman, wore the ear guards while walking out for a match against Farnborough. Roseanne is a young fan with autism, who wears ear defenders during games to limit noise and help to keep her calm. More

Advocating for advocacy Gail Petty writes about the findings from a major new research report which reviews advocacy for people with learning disabilities and autistic people who are inpatients in mental health settings. More

In control Animation on how to improve quality of life at home by finding ways to enable your child to make free, healthy autonomous choices. This can also help ease some parenting stress levels. More

STOMP it out Medics need to “fully engage” with NHS England’s campaign to stop the overmedication of people with a learning disability, autism or both. That’s the view of campaigner Paula McGowan. She says medics should always seek a “non-pharmaceutical approach and work closely with their neurodivergent patients”. More