Autism Matters

It sometimes seemed to me that from the moment my child was diagnosed with autism, a ‘race’ was on to prepare him to be able to go to school.  Of course, developing the ability to communicate, sit at a table, look at people, and the many other areas needing development would be useful for life in general – but going to school always seemed to be the ultimate goal. Being able to experience going to school, making friends, and even complaining about homework is a rite of passage that we all take for granted for our children.  When children have...

There is something special – almost miraculous - about having a baby.  The moment you first hold your baby in your arms you know you would give your life to protect your child.  It’s almost as though you suddenly come to realise what pure love truly is.  So when the year, month, day arrives that you receive the formal diagnosis that your child has AUTISM - you may be like me - and feel like your world has been hit by an unwelcome gigantic meteorite from outer space. I still remember the long, long drive home from the specialist’s office...

IPads have opened up a whole new world for children with autism.  They can provide wonderful learning opportunities, many with immediate reinforcing responses that reward children’s learning efforts.  However, too much of anything is never good!  You’ll know your children’s use of iPads has become excessive when it starts to interfere with their sleep, mood, social connectedness, or when they become reliant on it for their enjoyment.  Changing habits can be difficult…but it can be done with good preparation. My eldest son not only has control issues and anxiety, but it wasn’t that long ago that he was also non-verbal. ...

Here at Learning Patch, we're on a mission to make the world a little better for children with autism and their families. We have experienced the uncertainty that comes when developmental milestones are not met, the anguish of jumping through hoops to get a diagnosis, and the frustration of trying to support our children with autism through the many daily challenges they face. Nothing in life is certain!   And no one person has all the answers. What we at Learning Patch hope to do is identify areas where we can support and contribute to our children's development, and then...