The Autistic Armadillo

#actuallyautistic #neurodiversity

Late diagnosed Autistic wife and Mum. Tweeting about Autism, ADHD, SENCo work and life in general!
She/her.

[Emily♡ @ItsEmilyKaty]

I wish it didn’t need to be said, but autism doesn’t make someone commit an atrocious crime and murder kids.

[Naomi Fisher @naomicfisher]

Pointing Out A Problem. I was listening to a podcast about something unrelated to parenting, or school, or autism. The guest was talking about his experiences leaving a religion with abusive leaders. He raised the alarm as a teenager, thinking that others would act.1/

[Emily♡ @ItsEmilyKaty]

A note to neurodivergent people.

[Emily♡ @ItsEmilyKaty]

Dear neurodivergent people,

I want you to know that you were never the failure. You were let down by the systems around you

Sincerely, an autistic person who is finding freedom in forgiving herself for the things she blamed herself for.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

School are using this resource with an Autistic pupil. I need to advise parents on whether to insist that only parts of it are used and in a neurodiversity affirming way, or whether parents need to refuse for it to be used at all. I can only look at the contents online. Anyone?

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@ItsEmilyKaty We waited 7 months to be seen by the eating disorder team to be told to buy a book about ARFID and discharged. 🙄

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@ItsEmilyKaty Oh my goodness, I know this is aimed at pupils leaving at the end of their school career but it is perfect for my 9yr old who has had to leave the school system because there is no school that can meet his needs. He is feeling all these things too. Thank you for this. 💕

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@IAmJessPlant Me too. Thanks.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

Just checking I'm correct. Should my son's EP report refer to "his neurodiverse needs" or his "his neurodivergent needs"? And "his neurodiversity" or "his neurodivergence"? I know which I think is correct but just want to double check.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@SophieLongley4 That's what I thought but I was correcting his Ed Psych report so I wanted to reassure myself!

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@HDE_Sheraby My son just had macaroni cheese.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@ItsEmilyKaty Can anyone relate to this - when my son falls asleep I have to remember to take all the covers off him as he suddenly gets really hot and overheats. By about 10pm when I go to bed his temperature is fine again and I cover him up.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@MorrisonBeth No words 😪

[Square Peg @teamsquarepeg]

Hearing about a huge number of schools trialing or writing letters to parents about new stricter behaviour policy starter in Sept. These also encompass attendance expectations.

Let’s be clear. Sept 2022 was first academic year without Covid sanctions/threat of closure.

1/

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

That's it folks. Final day of teaching complete. 22 years in the classroom and I've logged out and taken off my badge for the final time. Bring on the summer ☀️

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

OMG this is amazing. I so needed this 23 years ago!

[Paul Cornish @pdcornish76]

I am firmly in that zone where I need the end of term right now, whilst also needing at least a fortnight extension to get at least four weeks worth of work done in the next 10 school days.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

Thoughts please #ADHD Twitter. 6 yr old diagnosed with ADHD. Not given meds because doing well and all fine. 3 years later, now 9 yrs old, mental health in tatters, unable to access school anymore. Not given ADHD meds because difficulties are due to mental health and not ADHD. 🤔

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

@therhythmthief That's the issue I have, the impact in his daily life is huge at the moment and I believe trialing meds would be the next step. He is unable to access school, his mental health is in pieces. A QB test won't measure those things.

[The Autistic Armadillo @AutArmadillo]

How reliable is the QB check for ADHD? My son is already diagnosed but the doctor wants to do a QB test to see how severe his ADHD is before agreeing to meds. I need to look into it but I'm concerned that focusing on a novel computer game is something he will do rather well at!