Anxiety Tag

Autism, anxiety and the impact upon parents … four years on

This article is an update of our original article written in 2017 – long before we, and our children, were faced with the prospect of COVID 19 and the associated disruptions to school and everyday life.  I am talking about about Autism and anxiety, an issue which has taken on a new meaning in the last eighteen months. Previous research suggested that up to 85% of autistic individuals will...Learn More

The need to better understand how autism presents

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

Transitioning to secondary school from primary school for Autistic children

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

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