I know, know……. every month should be Autism awareness month! In fairness, in our home and in all of our work, our day to day is proudly Autism focused as just part of the nature of what we do! However, Archie and I both agree that its super helpful to have an official celebration month because it encourages those people who are not directly linked with autism to have a slightly greater understanding of what life is like for families like ours. The great bits, the really sad bits, the scary bits, the medical worries BUT also the celebrations the personal successes!
This half term we decided to put our own spin on the awareness spreading.
We created a short illustrated poem (narrated by Awesome Archie himself) and have spent much of the Easter Break creating silly content just to get people talking.
We took our promotional banner on holiday with us to Center Parcs AND we left Awesome Archie badges with positive messages for other families to find 🙂
Living with a neurological difference can be heavy going, so we wanted to spread some joy 🙂 ANYTHING to get people talking about Autism!!!
These last few weeks have been a real test for me personally. Being a parent carer is tough, especially if you are neurodivergent yourself. I spend so much of my time trying to ensure my kids can regulate when I often need time to regulate myself! This is where my work helps me. Living my tough moments through a Camera lens and sharing these experiences is really helpful for my well being. I have no idea why, I can only assume its because the camera creates a ” buffer” between what’s actually happening and I then feel a lot more in control?. So thank you. Thank you to all of our followers, thanks for the shares, the thumbs ups, the views. We really appreciate it!
So we will continue to endlessly chat about Autism. We will share the good, the bad and the ugly in our continued effort to support the neurodivergent community because lets face it…… you’re AWESOME!!!
MASSIVE thanks to Center Parcs Longleat for a truly AWESOME holiday 🙂
This week sees the whole world ( hopefully ) celebrate people who have Autism.
As a family, Autism has shaped our entire lives. We of course spread Autism awareness and our message of acceptance and advocacy every single day, but its’s lovely to have an official week too 😉
Archie , who was diagnosed at 3 and Herbie , who is going through the diagnosis process now, have taught us so much. Neither my husband or I had any idea about the challenges that raising our epically unique children would bring. There are so many long and hard days. So many times that our marriage has been tested and multiple questions about whether we are ” fit ” to do the job. But here we are, still learning, still trying and most importantly still loving!
So please, join us in celebrating ALL the children ( and adults of course) that live their lives in this “neurotypical” world. For the daily challenges, the bravery and the AWESOMNESS!!!
We hope you enjoy out little message to you this AWESOME week 🙂 ⬇⬇⬇
At the start of the week Archie and I sit down and make a plan for the weeks content creation. As a team, we decide the direction we want to take and the topics we feel need to be covered. Today however, something happened that meant that this weeks blog has had to be entirely rewritten. If this happens, it’s because something has blown our awesome socks off and yes , they’re still off!!! 🧦🧦🧦
Archie and I were fortunate enough to be given a personal tour around Autism Unlimited’s BRAND NEW sixth form school in Christchurch, Dorset.
Our amazing tour guide, Donna, showed us the entire school and we got to meet not only the incredible staff, but the people who have helped fundraise, design and get this project off the ground.
The school has been designed BY THE STUDENTS! Each one has had their own views and considerations put at the very front of this schools conception and it shows. Each room is perfectly created for kids just like Archie. From a fully fledged gym space, a phenomenal music room – with a full on drumming sesh (Archie loved that!) and a professional kitchen that was used today by TV legend Lesley Waters. 🤩 This sixth form really does have it all.
(Apologies but photos of the inside were not permitted, for safeguarding purposes).
Archie and I were lucky enough to chat to Lesley and she explained that she had got the students cooking a whole range of INCREDIBLE dishes which were then served to todays visitors. This means that students can not only learn a valuable life skill but may even find a real passion for cooking… AMAZING! Thankyou Lesley for taking the time to talk to us, it was awesome to meet you 😊
This SEN setting is a beautiful school that has been specifically built to offer a safe and empathetic place for students to learn. That’s what EVERY child deserves!
It is very rare that I am lost for words, but I’ll simply say this… congratulations to Autism Unlimited!
As a parent to children with Neurological differences, it’s so common to feel that the world doesn’t understand you or your child. Today, Archie was just so comfortable. He was verbal, he was smiling and he was laughing. THAT SAYS IT ALL!
THANKYOU AUTISM UNLIMITED and to all who have supported the birth of this PHENOMENAL school!
Wowsers, what a BUSY week. I don’t mind admitting that I am completely worn out! 🤣
On Monday we were lucky to host an Awesome Archie assembly at the prestigious Twynham Senior school in Dorset. Thankyou for giving us such a warm reception 🙏
In this particular assembly we spoke about how respect is vital for us all. How respecting ourselves, others and respecting “difference” is key to being a decent human. Further more, we shared that many of the worlds most influential people are themselves neurodivergent and that it was THAT difference that aided their success.
All the year sevens listened beautifully and it was lovely to see and hear you all interacting with us…thanks. 💪
The National Autistic Societies Annual Professionals’ conference 2024
I attended my first ” Prof Conf” this time last year and the impact and teachings have genuinely spurred me on and supported us in the work we have done for this entire year! I couldn’t not WAIT for this years conference and yet again, it didn’t disappoint.
The conference itself was an all day event ( literally 9-5) with different sessions, vastly qualified speakers and passionate educators.
We heard from Shabnam Anam, Education Consultant (DewDrop Education) Carol Povey, Director of Autism Projects, National Autistic Society, Dr Alice Nicholls, Clinical Psychologist, Dr Kayleigh Brown, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Remie Colledge, Expert by Experience and autistic peer support worker, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust… the list goes on!!
My hand was genuinely sore from all the note taking I took and my brand new notepad is now overflowing AWESOME hints and tips and contacts ready to help you all! 🌈
Over the next few months I will be distilling and distributing as much of this INCREDIBLE information as I possibly can however , I would like to personally thanks some of the amazing speakers.
Shabnam Anam. Your ” Rewiring and rethinking the classroom for ” Neuroclusivity” was so inspiring. We will be adding much of your expert knowledge to our own teacher training events moving forward. I know that this will be so valuable to the mainstream schools that we are blessed to support! THANKYOU!
Dr Luke Beardon…..WOW!! I swear that I could listen to you teach ALL DAY LONG!
I genuinely didn’t want your segment to end! The truly shocking realisation for me, about the all to real links with Autism and anxiety helped me so much on a personal ” Mum ” level. I can now see some of the things that I have said to try and ease my own children’s anxiety have often potentially undermined their own thoughts and I am eternally grateful for this wake up call! I will be creating some snappy graphics to share based on this topic so others can be mindful of well-meaning but unhelpful responses. THANKYOU!!
Paul Micallif. Your Autism and executive functioning segment was simply wonderful. I managed to fill 5 A4 pages with all the brilliant advice you were giving. Again , this for me will be so useful for the wonderful neurodivergent children (in mainstream) that we proudly support through Awesome Archie non profit. THANKYOU!
Rebecca Duffus. Thanks so much for not only everything you said at the conference, but for creating such AWESOME workbooks and support books to help people like me 🙂 Needless to say, I have them on order and I CANNOT WAIT to put this brilliant new toolkit into action.
And last but by no means least… Clinical Psychologist Dr Naomi Fisher. I was stunned by so much of what you were saying. So informative, so helpful and so honest! I will leave this Blog with a quote from you…if you don’t mind?!
“Children do well IF THEY CAN! “
What a truly brilliant day with another CPD certificate on its way to boot 🙂
Anxiety and Autism – Toolkit, tips and online support links🧠🌈
At the start of this week I was able to attend a parent support anxiety workshop provided by BCP council to better support parents/carers in their local area. This prompted me to share our own view point on the tricky navigation of supporting a child with complex anxiety and autism (or any neurological difference).
Here are some useful autism-anxiety specific hints , tips and toolkit bits that we find useful in our home 🙂
Advice and tips
Below are some general tips and guidance from autistic people and professionals that you might want to try (taken from the National Autistic Society website.)
Understand the triggers
Keep a diary to help identify when you are anxious, and what might make it worse.
Monitor and manage your energy levels
Be aware of your energy levels after social interactions and other events/situations that you may find tiring or difficult. Recharge by taking time for yourself and doing things you enjoy.
Make the environment work
Make adaptations to the environment where possible, for example lower unnatural light if too harsh. Try noise-cancelling headphones to reduce sensory overload.
Self-soothe
Use sensory tools and stimming to reduce anxiety levels, if that works for you.
Relaxation and calming activities
Try relaxation methods such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga and exercise.
Visual schedules
Visual schedules to help structure the day and reduce uncertainty within your day.
a system for tracking mood and identifying triggers
evidence-based tips on how to self-manage anxiety levels.
Counselling and therapy
You can go for counselling or therapy through your GP or privately. There are many types of therapy, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), that can be effective for some autistic people if adapted appropriately.
Search our Autism Services Directory for details of counsellors and therapists in your area with experience of working with autistic people.
Other approaches that might help to reduce stress and anxiety include:
mindfulness training
exposure therapy – working with a professional to gradually expose someone to the thing that makes them anxious
low arousal techniques – strategies that focus on the reduction of stress
sensory integration training – strategies to help with sensory differences
Ideally, all treatments should be delivered by a professional with a good understanding of autism. Most importantly, to be accessible and effective, support should be adapted to a person’s specific needs. Visit our Seeking help with mental health page for more advice.
Obviously only use eye contact if YOUR child is comfortable with that! I hope that this info will support us all on our parenting anxiety journey 🙂
Meeting Simon Chadwick and world book day 2024.
Well, what a brilliant way to end our week. I was fortunate enough to gatecrash a brilliant day with author/illustrator Simon Chadwick in my usual volunteering spot at WG 🙂
Simon worked in advertising for fifteen years before setting up Ceratopia, a business that aimed to combine his talents for graphic design and cartoon illustration. That was over ten years ago now and during that time, he’s worked with many high street brands, visitor attractions and other design agencies.
He has illustrated almost thirty children’s picture books, and written some of them too. He also regularly visits Hampshire schools to talk about the topics covered by some of the books and to run workshops.
Obviously I was DELIGHTED to meet him AND shared a little about what we do here at Awesome Archie non profit. I also forced the poor man to have a selfie, which he graciously gave 😉
For world book day this year, we decided to dress as our favourite book characters or a mythical creature. OBVIOUSLY I knew immediately that I was going to be. A unicorn in honour of one of my favourite quotes…
I want to say a HUGE thankyou to the team at William Gilpin for being so amazing and inclusive. Happy world book day 2024!
Along side Archie’s many other challenges, he was diagnosed with motor tics last year.
In years gone by, we had put his repetitive movements down to “stimming” (a self-stimulatory behaviour that is marked by a repetitive action or movement of the body such as repeatedly tapping on objects or the ears, snapping the fingers, blinking the eyes, rocking from side to side, or grunting. This is typically associated with certain conditions such as autism spectrum disorder), yet, this was not the case.
Archie still stims (his favourite being able to lay flat on the floor and repeatedly watch the wheels of a toy car move back and forth, or our fishy bubble tube) but his tics have become far more aggressive and regular.
With this in mind we thought we’d share some of the finer details of the signs, symptoms and how we can support people living with tics… no matter the cause 😊
Thanks to the Royal Children’s hospital Melbourne for this brilliant explanation!
Signs and symptoms of Motor tics
Motor tics are movements that can affect any part of the body, but particularly the face, eyes, head and shoulders. Any movement can be a tic and the movement is made without a clear reason or purpose.
Phonic tics, which make a sound, can include anything from throat clearing, sniffing, squeaking to words or even phrases. They can sound exaggerated and out of context.
Tics will come and go and can change over time and one tic can stop as another starts. Tics tend to increase during strong feelings, like stress, nervousness, excitement, or tiredness. They are ‘suggestible’, which means that talking about tics and drawing attention to them will increase their occurrence. This can increase stress and frequency of tics for the young person. Some people can suppress their tics for short periods even though they are involuntary. This can be hard to do for a long time and more tics may appear afterwards. In general, tics are reduced at times of active and focused concentration.
What causes tics?
We do not fully understand the underlying cause of tics. There are complex genetic and neurobiological factors, and it is more common if another family member also has tics. It is important to remember tics are not harmful.
How are tics diagnosed?
Tics are diagnosed by a paediatrician or neurologist. No tests are required to diagnose tics. Your paediatrician or neurologist may ask you to describe or imitate the movements that your child makes. They will ask your child about their experience of the tics. Home videos can also be helpful for diagnosis. Some children with tics experience extra problems like difficulty concentrating, fidgeting, impulsivity, and anxiety. Your paediatrician or neurologist will also ask about your child’s development, learning and focus.
Management for tics
One of the challenges with having tics is the response from family, friends or other people around your child. It is a good idea for these individuals to not make a fuss about tics when they notice them (active ignoring). Asking the young person to stop the behaviour, or punishing them for the tics can make tics worse as the young person is not intentionally doing them. It can be helpful to discuss this with school teachers privately, so everyone at home and at school responds to the tics in the same way.
Some helpful general measures include:
Not drawing attention to the tics when they occur – do not react, actively ignore them.
Ensuring the young person has adequate sleep and follows a regular sleep routine to prevent fatigue.
Agreeing on basic strategies for the young person to release the tics in a way that they are comfortable with:
identifying a quiet and safe place for them to go to when they feel the need to release tics
taking quick short breaks from a stressful activity
Switching to a different activity when tics build up
Guiding the young person to build self-awareness of stress levels and use of mindfulness techniques. This may include deep breathing exercises, colouring in or listening to music.
Recognising and emphasising the young person’s strengths and building their self-confidence.
Most people with tics do not require any specific treatment. This is particularly the case when tics are not interfering with the young person’s daily life. Where tics are disruptive, psychological treatments and medicines can be considered.
Psychological treatments can be helpful in some well-motivated young persons, even though tics are not behavioural or voluntary. A psychologist can guide the young person to delay or change the tics if the young person can learn to recognise the urge leading to a tic. Effective treatments include habit reversal and comprehensive behavioural therapy for tics (CBIT). Relaxation training can also be helpful. These treatments require motivation and practice and can take some time, which is why they may not be suitable for all young people. Your child’s treating team will discuss if they believe this treatment will be suitable for your child.
Medications can reduce severity and frequency of tics but cannot stop or cure the tics. They are not effective for everyone and there can be side effects.
If your child has problems with difficulty concentrating, fidgeting, impulsivity or anxiety, discuss this with your paediatrician. These behaviours should be assessed and treated. This is an important aspect in managing your child’s overall health and well-being and can be helpful in reducing tics.
When to see a doctor
You should visit your GP or paediatrican if you are worried about your child’s movements or their learning, concentration or development. Your child’s doctor can evaluate your child and provide helpful resources, provide further advice for managing tics, or refer your child to a specialist if required.
Key points to remember
Tics are movements and sounds that people make involuntarily.
Tics are not harmful to your child, but some children with tics experience difficulty concentrating, fidgeting, impulsivity or anxiety.
Home videos can be helpful for diagnosis.
Active ignoring and not drawing attention to the movements are helpful strategies when tics do not bother your child.
Speak to your GP if you are worried about your child’s tics.
You may have noticed that I have been a little quieter online this week. This is because both Archie and I have been tussling with some of the challenges that come with our own neurological differences . For me, my ADHD has caused me to be hugely restless for a little while now ( possibly as I approach Mothers day, having lost Mum not so long ago) and my life long need for excitement. Some call this “dopermining!”
For me , this presents in the need for over eating, frantic home reorganisation or total exhaustion.
Medical research shows that heavier people ( like me) are five to ten times more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than members of the general population. The link between ADHD and obesity is very real — though not yet fully understood. Certainly impulsivity, poor planning, and high-intensity emotions don’t help in the fight to lose weight, as I know from experience! Since starting my weigh loss journey I have had to find healthier ways to fulfil my ADHD cravings. Usually my work hits the spot however, I have found myself in a slump and decided to try and get myself out of it!
With the help of my oldest Son, I went and had my Septum pierced.💪 Yes, I realise that for some this sounds like a hellish idea but for me, the nerves, the excitement and thrill of a new hole in my face hits that dopamine spot 🤣
I’m sharing this because I think that its important to recognise that we are all different and need cope with things in the only way WE know how. Some people procrastinate during overwhelm, some spend, some eat, some pierce….none of which requires judgement.
For me, living with ADHD is about taking things one day at a time and excepting that I cant rest/ recoup in the same way as a neurotypical person can and that’s OK!
ASD overwhelm
Archie has had a bit of time of it too! Sadly, this week he had to come home from school after just 2 hours as he was just so overwhelmed and upset. There were no issues at school, no drama, no illness just complete, debilitating overwhelm. I also must stress that the team at his specialist school are INCREDIBLE and we are so thankful for their support!
His overwhelm, known as Autistic burnout’ is the intense physical, mental or emotional exhaustion, often accompanied by a loss of skills, that many people with autism experience. Archie is usually great at communicating but in these moments he is often very withdrawn and non- verbal. Its seems clear to me that this results mainly from the cumulative effect of having to navigate a world that is designed for neurotypical people. THIS IS SO TOUGH! Like many aspects of autism, burnout varies from person to person. Some people experience it as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. They may have more difficulty managing their emotions than usual and be prone to outbursts of sadness or anger. Burnout may manifest as intense anxiety or contribute to depression or worryingly, suicidal thoughts. It may involve an increase in stimming, increased sensitivity to sensory input or difficulty with change.
So we hope that by sharing the information in this post we will encourage you to recognise the REAL seriousness and impact of overwhelm from both the ADHD and ASD perspective. If a day off is needed then THATS OK!!! Do whatever you need to do for yourself as a parent / carer or your loved ones!
As Temple Grandin often says, ” we are different, not less!”
One of the most common characteristics of children with Autism is a real difficulty with socialising and forming meaningful connections with other people, as a result, so many children with ASD, like our Awesome Archie, often face social isolation and occasional loneliness. Research suggests that a connection with a companion animal can both reduce loneliness and provide needed companionship in children like him. It also suggests that lots of neurodivergent kids have strong human-animal bonds due to the fundamentally non-judgmental nature of animals / pets and their unconditional love 🙂
Its surely no surprise then that Archie is of course a lover of ALL animals, his first love being Mickey , The Fedora wearing superpuss of course! This love has prompted us to explore family days out with animal’s at the core and today it was the turn of Monkey World in Dorset.
What a truly amazing place to visit, particularly if you are a neurodivergent family. Firstly the price. We managed to get a family ticket ( 2 adults and 2 kids) plus Archie who was permitted to bring me for FREE as his carer! This is such a brilliant idea and a really impressive and inclusive gesture. We are so impressed.
Not only that , the toilets were all clean, the shop was not over priced and the coffee was fantastic! Furthermore, their were ample picnic tables dotted around and there was no question AT ALL of the permission to bring your own packed lunches, which for us with all of our brood is a must. Check out some of our Monkey world highlights below and know that we highly recommend this as a great and inclusive day out for all the family!
This half term holidays has been a beautiful one for us. Aside from our monkey adventure, we have done NOTHING! We as a family have spent almost all week watching Marvel movies, playing games (some board, some computer) and eating well. It has been a time to reflect, recalibrate and reconnect.
Rest is a VITAL part of protecting our mental health and what we all NEED to feel our best. While doing my research for this post I discovered that there are 7 types of rest…who knew?!
Physical: Physical rest is about resting your body. In addition to sleep, physical rest can include anything that restores your body, like getting a massage or attending a yoga class.
Mental: Mental rest is about giving your brain a break. People need mental rest when they’re overwhelmed and struggle to shut off their thoughts. This may might include things like stepping away from a busy work day to take a walk
Emotional: Emotional rest is about being authentic and honest with your feelings. People need emotional rest when they get stuck in people-pleasing (saying yes to a commitment, even though they want to say no) or feel like they have to project a certain image (responding with “I’m great!” when someone asks how they’re doing—even though they’re actually struggling).
Social: Social rest is about pursuing positive, energizing, and supportive social connections, or simply taking a break from socialization altogether. This is my biggest issue!
Sensory: Sensory rest is about giving your senses a break. People need sensory rest when they overwhelm their senses with constant stimuli, a common challenge for our kids with Autism!
Creative: Creative rest is about exposing yourself to artistic, nature-based, and innovative environments, without feeling the need to produce a creation—and feeling the sense of inspiration that comes along with them.
Spiritual: Spiritual rest is about connecting with something larger than yourself. People need spiritual rest when they find themselves so caught up in their issues that they can’t see or connect with the bigger picture.
Paying attention to rest deficits is a critical part of our mental stability , If you’re exhausted, you can’t do your best —and if you’re not getting the right type of rest, you’re not going to be able to get past that seemingly endless exhaustion.
Something that sadly I have learned the hard way!
So we at Awesome Archie encourage you to rest, find peace in a movie or book and don’t be afraid to say no to that café invite. Your REST IS VITAL!
As we have done in previous years, Archie and I have been proudly supporting Place2Be this children’s mental health week. The theme this year is ” express yourself”. Archie expressed his loves and all the things that help his mental health by dressing me in those things!
Place2Be do so much for kids who need support and we are so proud to shout about them! I’ve grabbed this from there website…
Every day, children and young people across the UK struggle with their mental health.
We are committed to helping children and young people with their mental health, and the need for our services grows daily. 1 in 5 children and young people experience mental health difficulties. Half of all mental health problems are established by age 14.
Our approach to children’s and young people’s mental health is to intervene early to prevent life-long mental health issues. We do this by:providing support early, spotting mental health problems before they develop and helping children and young people cope with challenges throughout their lives
offering a range of mental health support services, including advice and support for families and school staff, to build resilience and raise awareness of mental health across the whole school community.
You can see why we are keen to help in any way we can!
So, to support their amazing work this week I have been… Pikachu ( Pokémon) , A Lego man, an XBOX controller ( that was awkward!) and Marshmallow ( Fortnite character) . As promised, I wore these things to my everyday appointments Even supporting in school ( thanks team WG!) , weigh day at slimming club and a lunch date with the hubby at a Garden centre 🤣
Trying to read and respond to over 50 emails this morning, tricky 😉
I agreed to do this because it makes me understand a little of what Archie feels like on a day to day basis. Arch, like lots of children with Autism, often feels self conscious, embarrassed, like everyone’s looking etc. It also meant we were encouraged to speak to lots of people about the importance of caring for yours and your children’s mental health!
I don’t mind admitting that it has been a really fun but tiring week (trying to stay up beat, trying to look like I wasn’t embarrassed etc) but I only have to do this for 1 week of the year. Our Awesome Archie does this EVERY DAY!!! What a brave and awesome kid he is 🙂
Please take a look at the Place2Be website for all your children’s mental health support and donate by scanning this link if you can 🙏
And finally THANKYOU to the team at BBC Radio Solent for having us on again. It was a total pleasure to chat on two different regions about the incredible ” make a Difference” awards that Archie and I were were honoured to be finalists last year.
.We also spoke a little about why we do what we do and how we plan to expand moving forward. Link to the interview below 🙂
Well…..what a week it’s been here at Awesome Archie HQ!
Archie has had a tremendous week, he even experienced his first ever “interview” with the help of his support team at the Link. The purpose of this was to try and support Archie when it comes to making a decision about college and or career options. Unsurprisingly he explained that he adores animals, with a particular interest in cats and feline behaviour. The team are now looking at options to support him moving forward into adulthood. THANKYOU Link team!
Knowing this then , you may not be surprised to hear that Archie has real admiration for anyone who is knowledgeable and empathetic towards all animals. ENTER CHRIS PACKHAM!
Christopher Gary Packham CBE is an English naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author, best known for his television work including the children’s nature series ” The Really Wild Show”. He has also presented the BBC nature series Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch since 2009.
Can you imagine then our sheer JOY when we received a personalised message from the man himself?! Link here ⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇
Chris, from the bottom of our hearts… THANKYOU!!! We are humbled, proud and even more driven to continue spreading knowledge, awareness and expectance for ALL living with the challenges of Autism.
