When School Becomes a Battle: How Children’s Non-Attendance Reverberates Through Parents’ Minds and Homes
When School Stops, Life Doesn’t: The Hidden Toll on UK Parents Every school day missed by a child sends a ripple through family life. For many UK parents, those ripples turn into waves that are hard to manage. The research paper Exploring the experiences of having a child who regularly does not attend school on […]
When Movement Meets Focus What Brain Signals Reveal About Attention and Repetitive Behaviors
Why Small Repetitive Movements Could Matter for Big Moments of Focus What helps you lock onto the right thing at the right time? In daily life, this might look like quickly noticing a friend waving across a busy café or catching a hazard in traffic just in time. Psychologists call this ability spatial attention—shifting your […]
Brains, Noise, and the Hidden Cost of Conversation for Neurodivergent People
When Hearing Isn’t the Problem but Listening Still Hurts Most of us take for granted the ability to follow a friend’s voice at a busy restaurant or catch a colleague’s comment during a lively meeting. Yet for many neurodivergent people—those with conditions like autism or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder—these moments are exhausting, frustrating, and sometimes […]
Parents on the Frontline of Autism and Mental Health in the UK
When the Helpers Need Help Too Across the United Kingdom, many autistic children experience anxiety, depression, and distress that can spill into daily life—sleep struggles, school refusal, panic, meltdowns, self-injury, or shutdowns. In those moments, parents become the first responders. The research paper “Constantly overwhelmed and desperate for help”: Parents’ experiences of supporting their autistic […]
Unseen Connections: Visual Perception and Participation in Children with Autism**
Introduction Picture this: a bustling playground filled with the joyous sounds of children running, climbing, and playing. Now, zoom in on a child with autism trying to navigate this vibrant scene. To most, this environment is engaging and inviting, but for a child with autism, it can be a maze of challenges. This is where […]
Bridging the Communication Gap: Understanding Rapport in Mixed Neurotype Interactions
Introduction Imagine attending a lively dinner party with friends and strangers, and while you’re engaging in conversation, you find yourself wondering why you connect effortlessly with some people but struggle with others. Communication is a dance of words, gestures, and emotions, often influenced by underlying factors we may not immediately recognize. One such factor is […]
Bridging the Worlds: Visual Communication in Autistic and Non-Autistic Interactions
Introduction Imagine trying to solve a complex puzzle alongside someone you’re meeting for the first time. Now, inject an added layer of challenge: you both have different brain wiring, influencing how you perceive and process the puzzle’s pieces and each other’s cues. This vivid scenario isn’t just an exercise in patience—it’s at the heart of […]
Understanding Health Gaps: Diagnosing Disparities in Transgender Populations
Introduction: Bridging the Divide Imagine visiting a doctor and knowing that your identity could influence the treatment you receive. For many transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals, this is a daily reality. The paper “Unveiling health disparities: Diagnostic prevalences in a transgender cohort versus matched controls” embarks on an eye-opening journey to understand the wide-ranging health […]
Bridging Distances with Telehealth: Families’ and Clinicians’ Experiences with Autism Assessments
Introduction: Navigating the Digital Age of Autism Diagnosis Imagine trying to identify a standout piece in a puzzle of a thousand pieces, but instead of working at a puzzle table, you’re on a virtual video call. This is what autism assessments via telehealth might feel like for families and clinicians alike. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated […]
Embracing the Unseen: Exploring Neurodiversity in Higher Education
Introduction Imagine sitting in a crowded lecture hall, eagerly waiting for a class to begin, only to be engulfed by an overwhelming sense of alienation. This experience is not uncommon for many students who identify as neurodivergent, a term that describes individuals whose cognitive functioning varies from the societal norm, encompassing conditions such as autism, […]