Reflections on lockdown, and new ways of assessing
by Dr Judy Eaton02/06/2020 Autism, Blog, Child and Young Person, Online Autism assessments, Parenting related0 comments
Like many clinical teams who have traditionally been involved in face to face interaction with people, the last two months have been a challenge for us. Factoring in this alongside lockdown and restrictions on travel have meant we have needed to work quickly to find new ways of supporting families.We have also seen a rise in the number of parents who have approached us because their child has...Learn More
The need to better understand how autism presents
by Dr Judy Eaton03/01/2020 Anxiety, Autism, Blog, Child and Young Person, Clinician related, Parenting related, PDA, Teaching related0 comments
A new year dawns and it is always a good time to reflect upon the previous year. At Help for Psychology (in common with many other teams) we have seen a huge increase in the number of very complex young people we have been asked to work with, and distressing reports from parents about their struggle to access appropriate and timely services for both children and young adults.Some of the...Learn More
If at first you don’t succeed …
by Dr Judy Eaton19/09/2019 Blog, Child and Young Person, Clinician related, Parenting related, PDA0 comments
The latest article within this series hasn’t been written by Dr Judy Eaton, but instead by Kaylee Weaver, one of our very experienced Higher Assistant Psychologist.
Here, Kaylee shares her experience of the challenges we as a team face week in week out when assessing children with Extreme (also known as Pathological) Demand Avoidance.
INTRODUCTION...Learn More
Transitioning to secondary school from primary school for Autistic children
by Dr Judy Eaton21/08/2019 Anxiety, Autism, Blog, Child and Young Person, Parenting related, Teaching related0 comments
Article Updated – September 2022
Many children (especially girls) do not receive a formal diagnosis of Autism until they move to secondary (or High school) around the age of twelve. This often follows few (or fewer) difficulties at primary (or Elementary) school.The reasons for this are outlined in this article and may help explain why some children require additional support to make...Learn More
Our current thinking on PDA
by Dr Judy Eaton31/07/2019 Anxiety, Blog, Child and Young Person, Clinician related, Parenting related, PDA, Teaching related10 comments
As many people may be aware, there has been a great deal of interest in, and controversy around, PDA. What it is, what it should be called, and whether it actually exists.
As it is now over thirty years since the original concept of PDA was introduced by Elizabeth Newson and her colleagues, and how the thinking around Autism has moved on significantly during this time, it is very...Learn More
Living in a ‘five minute bubble’ – the impact of poor executive functioning.
by Dr Judy Eaton21/03/2019 ADHD, Autism, Blog, Child and Young Person, Clinician related, Parenting related, Teaching related4 comments
Human babies are amongst the least developed, in terms of their ability to manage independently, of all mammals. They are born with only the primitive parts of their brain fully functioning, with the majority of brain development taking place throughout childhood (hence the soft spot or fontanelle at the top of a baby’s head which allows its brain to grow significantly during the first year...Learn More
The importance of correct early intervention for children with Autism
Like most people I have been following the recent news stories about young people with autism and the PDA profile carefully. The first case to be highlighted was that of Bethany, a seventeen year old girl with autism and the PDA profile. From what I can gather, Bethany’s family had tried (unsuccessfully) for years to access the most appropriate support for her. By reaching out and...Learn MoreMore things that teachers need to know about Autism
by Dr Judy Eaton31/08/2018 Autism, Blog, Child and Young Person, Parenting related, Teaching related4 comments
An article published back in August 2018 by the National Autistic Society, titled ‘What teachers need to know about Autism’, was a very timely reminder that 70% of Autistic children will be attending mainstream schools. Hopefully those with, what I would call, more obvious features of Autism, will be going into (or back to) school with a support plan, or at least an awareness of their...Learn More
Watch this space …
by Dr Judy Eaton02/03/2018 Attachment disorder, Autism, Blog, Clinician related, Parenting related, PDA, Teaching related15 comments
In the course of my clinical work, I meet with many parents who are seeking an explanation for their child’s difficulties. I am also privileged to have been allowed to join a number of closed Facebook groups where parents share their experiences of bringing up children with Autism and PDA. Without exception, these parents have been strong, resilient and determined to achieve the best possible...Learn More
Back to school for children with PDA
by Dr Judy Eaton07/09/2017 Autism, Blog, Child and Young Person, Parenting related, PDA, Teaching related4 comments
It is the beginning of September again and parents all over the country are preparing for the start of the new school year. For some parents though, this is a time of increased stress, or even weary resignation, that once again they will have to face the daily battle of encouraging their child into school. For others, getting their child into school is a distant memory. These are the...Learn More