Preparing autistic kids for medical appointments
A little preparation can make a big difference! When appointments feel predictable and calm, children are more able to engage, understand and feel safe. This can be particularly important for neurodivergent children.
Unpicking asthma vs panic vs exertion
Children who have experienced asthma, or other breathing difficulties, can sometimes confuse symptoms of panic, asthma and exertion (from exercise) because all three can cause breathlessness, chest tightness and a racing heart. This overlap can make it really tricky to know whether they need to calm their breathing, rest or use their rescue medication.
Managing with limited energy
With chronic conditions, people can often have a limited amount of daily energy. This can be represented by a set number of “spoons”.
The broken fire alarm analogy of chronic pain
Sometimes the body’s pain system acts like a smoke alarm that goes off for burnt toast - it’s meant otherwise protect, but has become too sensitive. In chronic pain, the “alarm” keeps sounding even though the body is safe.