Issue 39

Spring 2018

Ask the Experts: One reader's son is terrified of cats and dogs and she asks us for help.

Top Tip for Tablets: Jenny Laycock of Family Fund gives key advice on getting the most out of a tablet device.

The Inside Angle: Shutdowns - The Invisible Enemy. Tim Tuff talks about shutdowns, less talked about than meltdowns but just as distressing.

Time fo the Big Move: AuKids and the Wraparound Partnership give top tips for preparing for secondary school.

Living By the Rule of Thumb: Here's one technique to help children learn social skills without getting overload and anxiety.

Celebrating Super Siblings! Five siblings of different ages share their experiences of living with an autistic brother or sister.

Keywords; Issue 39: Fear of dogs; top tips for tablets; shutdowns; transitions; primary to secondary school; Wraparound Partnership; social skills; siblings; real life stories.

Issue 38

Winter 2017/8

Ask the Experts: My daughter bit her Teaching Assistant. What can I do?

What's So Great About Tony Attwood? Who’s he - and why do we like him a lot?

The Inside Angle: Those three little words: Maura Campbell, feature writer for Spectrum Women, discusses the agony of open ended questions.

The Autism Friendly Classroom: Lynn McGann of Reachout ASC, which supports pupils in mainstream schools, gives her ten top tips.

After the Storm: Clinical psychologist Dr Carla Innes talks about the effects of a meltdown on parents, and what to do about it.

Keywords Issue 38: Biting; biting teacher; aggression; Tony Attwood; Maura Campbell; autism friendly classroom; meltdowns; parent self-care; Pablo; Rosie King.

Issue 37

Autumn 2017

Ask the Experts: Why Doesn't My Daughter Make Eye Contact with People?

Have Yourself An Autism Friendly Christmas

The Inside Angle: The Confusing World of Metaphors, by Michael Barton: Author of It's Raining Cats and Dogs and A Different Kettle of Fish, Michael Barton explains how others can make the world an easier place for literal thinkers.

Lads and Dads: WHEN your son is autistic, life isn’t quite what you thought it would be. But the dads we know have found plenty of ways to bond in a blokey way, even if it’s not playing keepy uppies in the park!

Autism's Mystery Ingredient: When we learn the definition of autism, three key elements are mentioned, but only two of them are generally well explained. Problems with communication and social interaction are relatively easy to understand, but what exactly does ‘imagination’ refer to? Is it the same as Flexibility of Thought?

Keywords Issue 37: Eye contact; speech and language therapy; Christmas tips; Nanoleaf; Michael Barton; metaphors and idioms; Dads; My Son’s Not Rainman; John Williams; Autism sundae.

Issue 36

Summer 2017

Ask the Experts: What should I tell my child to comfort them when they hear about terrorist attacks?

Now That's Magic! Sparkling Strategies to Re-direct Behaviour: Sometimes it's not about taking away what your child loves doing if it's destructive or dangerous, but simply understanding WHY they like doing it and re-directing them to something better. Author Adele Devine shares some great examples of how she's done this with autistic pupils in the school where she works.

How to Build a Sense of Self: Our kids get lots of messages, often correcting them socially. It's easy to see why their self-esteem could take a dip. Trainer Tali Berman who is the founder of the Autism Empowerment Telesummit, a virtual conference for parents, looks at the Top 10 ways you can build an autistic child's sense of self, giving them the confidence that they need to develop into self-assured adults.

Tori's Interaction on the Go: Speech and Language therapy needn't be hard work, and co-editor Tori Houghton proves it with this lovely feature on how to make the most of a trip to the park.

The Inside Angle: Stimming and Me with Alex Lowery

Ask Aukids: Why Do I? Kids can be really confused about their own autism - why do they need speech therapy or help at school? Why do they worry so much? The co-editors explain in child-friendly terms why they have some difficulties and what to do about them.

Keywords Issue 36: The Play Doctors; dealing with bad news; terrorist attacks; re-directing behaviour; behaviour support; self-confidence; speech and langage therapy on the go; stimming; Alex Lowery; questions and answers for children.

Issue 35

Spring 2017

Ask the Experts: My Child Explodes at My Slightest Attempt to Correct Him. Why?

10 Tactics for Win-Win Schooling: Debby Elley, mum of twins with autism, gives advice on getting the best out of your child's school team when there's an issue to contend with.

Autism Through the Looking Glass: Reflecting on the Pros and Cons of Medication: Consultant Child Psychiatrist Dr Pru Allington-Smith guides readers through the range of options available and the advice regarding autistic children and medication.

Putting Parents Back in the Driving Seat: The PACT study won praise earlier this year for its superb results. But what is PACT? Fortunately Debby Elley and Tori Houghton, your co-editors, have first hand experience of the study.

Keywords Issue 35: Meltdowns; explosions; collaborating with school; school help; medication; speech and language therapy; PACT; religion; worship; religious services.

Issue 34

Winter 2017

Ask the Experts: My kid has no sense of danger.

Distant Relatives: Family feature to pass on
Our children can seem to family members as if they're from some other planet. But understanding what's behind their behaviour can be the key to getting more from your young relative...our questions and answers will help you through the puzzle of how to reach them.

How to save energy when you're on emergency rations
10 Top Tips from the AuKids editors, for your long-term mental health and well-being.

Blogdashina: What's the big idea? Olga Bogdashina, researcher and author, remembers how one perplexing pupil helped her to think about the differences in autistic learning.

A Life Lesson They'll Never Forget Outreach manager Greg Loynes of the Together Trust talks you through his peer awareness training and the positive effects it creates when it comes to inclusion in mainstream schools. 

Conversation without Words: Dr Barry Prizant's latest book, Uniquely Human, has gone down a storm. Here the US-based speech and language pathologist urges people to look more closely at what non-verbal children are actually trying to communicate in other ways.

Keywords Issue 34: Screen time; sense of danger; relatives; parent self-care; Olga Bogdashina column; peer training; Greg Loynes; non-verbal conversation; Barry Prizant; Uniquely Human.

Issue 33

Autumn 2016

Cast Your Own Spell for An Autism-Friendly Hallowe'en
Top tips on a Hallowe'en with no nasty surprises, from autism expert Elizabeth Sautter

When the World Shares Your Special Interest: Autistic teenager Adam Barkworth's life has been transformed by Pokemon Go.

Don't Go Crackers At Christmas! Our supplement kicks off with top tips for Christmas Day.

Pull Out Shopping Guide for Friends and Family Ten ideas and tips for buying gifts for youngsters who have autism.

Blogdashina: Incoming Sensory Missiles: Renowned autism expert Olga Bogdashina talks about hypersensitivity

From a Black & White World to Thinking in Colour - How to improve flexibilty of thought: Lauren Kerstein, author of A Week of Switching, Shifting and Stretching: How to make my thinking more flexible, shares some great practical advice for improving flexibility of thought. 

The Sixth Sense: Proprioception is no longer a mystery!

Ask the Experts: Removing clothes in public

Keywords Issue 33: Techcamp; Hallowe’en; Pokemon Go; Christmas tips; Christmas shopping guide; Christmas gifts; Pedibal bikes; cycling; Olga Bogdashina; sensory issues; flexibility of thought; rigid thinking; proprioception; proprioceptive sense; removing clothes.

Issue 32

Summer 2016

Ask the Experts: 'I worry about my son spending too much time doing the same thing again and again’. 

Do You Run A Five Star Hotel?
You've just been given a host of helpful strategies to encourage your child's independence by someone whose enthusiasm demonstrates that they've probably had more sleep than you. Then 8am on Monday morning happens...We all want our kids to gain independence skills. The question is, how do you do it without driving yourself batty?

The Way to the Land of Nod: Chris Hoyle is the Autism Sleep Clinic Co-ordinator at the Together Trust charity. Here we share three families' success stories where parents used simple strategies to help combat their children's sleep difficulties in very different scenarios.

Blogdashina - A Paper Blog by Olga Bogdashina
Expert Olga Bogdashina explains how cross-sensory perception affects her son Alyosha, whilst sharing what she discovered about the condition known as synaesthesia along the way.

How Smart Schools Stop Bullying
We all know that autistic kids are vulnerable to bullying. But what can we all do about it? AuKids looks at some of the best practice and advises parents what else can be done to help prevent it.

Keywords Issue 32: Tech Camp; repetitive behaviour; repetition; independence skills; sleep problems; sleep issues; blogs; Olga Bogdashina; Bullying; schools

Issue 31

Spring 2016

Ask the Experts: My son thinks his willy is the centre of the universe

Cause for Alarm? What to do when anxiety gets out of hand
Step by step guide to tackling fear by Jed Baker, director of the Social Skills Training Project in the USA

Homework: How to win the battle without making enemies
To understand the problem that autistic children have with homework we only need to look at the word itself. It requires a child to take a task that they are used to doing it at school and perform it in an unrelated setting. Combined with that is a deadline. Oh good. What can you do? Here's our advice...

Virtual World Becomes Autism Friendly Thanks to Dad's Minecraft Makeover: Dad Stuart Duncan, himself on the spectrum, noticed that parents of autistic Minecraft players were craving a safe haven for their kids. So he created one - Autcraft was the result.

Oops I did it again...
We all shout at our kids sometimes. But when you're wrong do you ever admit it? How mistakes can become a great learning ground for you and your child.

Blogdashina by Olga Bogdashina
The international speaker and author recalls a very personal journey coming to terms with her son's fragmented perception.

Keywords Issue 31: Masturbation; privacy; private; privates; anxiety; homework; Minecraft; parent mistakes; Olga Bogdashina.

Issue 30

Winter 2015/6

Ask the Experts - 'I struggle taking my son to the supermarket. He has a meltdown every time. What can I do?'

Blogdashina - A Paper Blog by Autism Expert Olga Bogdashina
Aisle be Back - How Alyosha and I Tackled Operation Supermarket!

The Great Pretenders: How Autistic Girls Fooled the World
Three-page feature on spotting the signs of autism in girls and some tips and advice on caring for them. Plus, a review of Jennifer Cook O'Toole's groundbreaking book 'Sisterhood of the Spectrum'. 

If You're Happy and You Know it Draw A Face!
Our guide to writing a Mood Diary with your child, with some help from 007!

Keywords Issue 30: Autism and girls; Sesame Street; Supermarket; Olga Bogdashina; Sharon King; Rosie King.