See  Technical Guide  for information about the safety of this site.

Safe social networking

UK Safer Internet Centre have produced a handy guide for children, young people, parents and teachers, to on-line safety when using the social networking sites.        Click icon to view.        Also, here are some handy tips for parents.     (new)

Safety on-line

Click page icon for an encyclopaedia of on-line safety.       Their Safe internet use page has some handy bullet points for checking websites.        For example try clicking icons in web browser address bar – circled in red in example below.       The website information you get may vary according to which browser you use and browser extensions and addons in use.        (new) 

Before spending money or giving personal details a website needs to be checked.      This can be tricky, especially if they are not well known companies.        Here is an introduction to checking out a company in the UK, with links at the bottom.

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Firewall

You only want one.          If you have more than one active at a time they may clash.          Some security packages have them bundled in but all versions of Windows have one available.

For more information see: Technical Tips:

• To see why one firewall is enough see the not overdoing things bullet point.
• To find Windows Firewall settings see under security screens.

Anti-virus

For a sound introduction to the issues and context see Do you really need antivirus software?

For a guide to free options click Best free antivirus software .

Again, you only want one Anti-virus package.      You can have too much security.

Things to avoid

You may see adverts or find software on Google claiming to fix problems on your PC or speed up performance.    Treat these with a great deal of suspicion.

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Please be aware that we, at GAIN, are not qualified to give advice.              See disclaimer.

Quiet opticians

Lunettes in George Shopping Centre, Grantham, NG31 6LH, offers SEND friendly eye care.       Click icon for more information.       (new)

Specsavers in Lincoln High Street, LN5 7DW, held its first quiet clinic on Sunday 6th August 2017, 10am until 4pm with the next one being on Sunday 3rd September and then the first Sunday of every month,         These clinics have been planned in consultation with local support groups such as Canadda and PAACT.       Click icon for more information.

Food challenges

Options Group have produced a helpsheet – Facing food challenges for those with autism & sensory processing differences.       The author is one of their specialist occupational therapists.        Click icon to view.

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Sensory differences

Click icon to see an article from the National Autistic Society.        They say that many people on the autism spectrum have difficulty processing everyday sensory information.

• It covers many possibilities.
• Senses may be over or under sensitive.
• Look out for Too much information.

Haircut

There is no shortage of advice for coping with sensory sensitivity when getting a child’s hair cut.

• The problem
• This weekend my boy let me cut his hair – after 3 years of preparation.             See example.
• Preparing for a visit offers plenty of tips.
• Calming Clipper is a hair cutting kit for sensory sensitivity.

A haircut technique

One barber has developed a unique technique where he will cut a child’s hair during long periods while sitting on the floor, on window sills or even in the car.            See article with video clip.

Going to the dentist

• This article was written by an autism parent after a trip to the dentist.                 The first half of this is the How Did We Get Here part.          The second is How Can You Maybe Get Here part. 
• Many of us dread the thought of visiting the dentist but for people with autism and/or learning difficulties it can be an especially challenging experience.                  See:  helpsheet

Sensory library

Linkage has a sensory toy library.           The Linkage Sensory Library is a new venture that will bring fun, learning and the therapeutic benefits of using sensory equipment to people with disabilities, including those with learning difficulties, across Greater Lincolnshire.             Click icon on the left for more information.           They have sites in Toynton, Grimsby and from September 2017, Lincoln.            They also have a touring bus.            See also website.

Ear plugs

Vibes are earplugs that are designed not to block outside noise, but to lower the volume.          Like many people with autism, Noah, From Ohio, hears noises much, much louder than the rest of us.          His father says Noah first tried them at a play, when he felt agitated by the noise.          See:  Vibes          FAQ         Amazon.            There are also alternatives.          Please be aware that GAIN is unable to vouch for any of the ear plugs.

SPD

Sensory Processing Disorder is the newest term for the condition that you may see  referred to using similar names like Sensory Integration Difficulties.            Click icon to find out about it.            See also:  What is SI?         Conferences – UK        Star Institute          What is SPD?          SPD and other disorders           Q & A – e.g.  UK mum

Stimming can be a useful coping mechanism for people with sensory sensitivies.        For coping with sensory overload see Why does that happen?.

Sensory issues

This booklet givers an occupational therapist’s view.     It addresses how to read the signs and coping strategies.

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Please be aware that we, at GAIN, are not qualified to give advice.              See disclaimer.

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Muppet

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Triumph of the nerds

This is the story of how Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and their mates changed the world of computers during the 1970’s and 80’s.       Also, how did the IBM PC come to be cloned?        Click play icons to watch the video of the TV series.        Click the page icon to read about what really happened when Steve Jobs visited Xerox PARC.

Part 1             Part 2  

Surprisingly complicated

This is a comedy series shot on Staten Island, USA.         It is based on a mum’s experience of bringing up twin boys who have autism.        Click icon for the back story and a video preview.          Watch:  Episode 1       Episode 2.         See also their Facebook page.

If you spend time on Facebook regularly you might be able to save quite a bit of broadband usage – see our Using Facebook page.                 If you are not sure about the PAL DVD format see viewing options.

Autism Rocks

Meet the boys from UK’s premier autistic rock group The AutistiX.

See:  video           website

Chasing Shadows

How does someone with Asperger’s fare in the workplace?       This drama was shown on ITV in September 2014.          It might give you some idea.

It is a gritty drama about a maverick who starts work at a missing person’s unit.        You can view a trailer and a free rough and ready Youtube version of episode one.            See Youtube right margin for other episodes.              There is also a DVD version.

Holby City

Have you noticed the character Jason Haynes in the TV hospital drama series Holby City?         The National Autistic Society has been actively working with researchers, producers and writers.        Jason was introduced into the story line via his aunt Serena.  

The actor who plays Jason has a unique insight into what makes Jason Haynes such a special character, as he himself is a young man with Asperger’s.          See article.          In an interview he also highlights employment issues for people on the spectrum.

An oral history

Here is a brief animated video of a talk about her own development as a person with Asperger’s Syndrome that Temple Grandin gave at Colorado State University in 2008.                See article.

Atypical

Netflix has given a straight-to-series order to “Atypical,” a dark comedy about a family with an autistic son, set to star Jennifer Jason Leigh, Variety has confirmed.              “Atypical” landed an eight-episode order for the first season of the coming-of-age story that follows an 18-year-old with autism and his search for love and independence.                      See  Intoduction about Atypical.                     See also  viewing options  about Netflix.

Me and my Asperger’s

A personal blog.         “Life in a strange world.    Me!    They call me odd, huh.    Anyway welcome to my page.    Feel free to post comments, share your thoughts and/or page.”           Lincolnshire            Click icon to browse:

Temple Grandin

This film dramatises the life story of a lady with high-functioning Asperger’s syndrome who made an academic career for herself.            She has an unusual name, Temple Grandin.               See film Preview.               There are two options:

1. See Amazon for the DVD of the film.
2. Alternatively see Amazon Video and click the More Purchase Options link.               Then, unless you have a high-definition display chose the Buy Movie SD option.

The DVD may not be in stock at present so please be aware that on websites without UK in the address you may need to take care to get a version that plays in your machine.              See viewing options for information about DVD formats.

See also Speech & language for The Girl Who Thought in Pictures, an illustrated story book about Temple Grandin.

Doc Martin

This has proved a popular TV drama, with repeats showing on ITV1 or ITV3.      The signs of Asperger’s in the character of Dr Martin Ellingham are hard to miss.       They are outlined and analysed on this blogspot and you can see them illustrated with video clips from the TV series, explained with text.

Opinions differ, though, as in discussion 1 and more so in discussion 2.      Things are explained by the author.      It turns out that he was supposed to have the condition but to work on changing himself for the sake of his relationship with his wife and young son.      Also, the scripts are written for entertainment, so things will not be entirely realistic.

Roy Cropper

Have you seen Roy Cropper on Coronation Street?

He feels at home with trains, particularly steam engines from times past.   After Hayley’s passing, Stephen found him at a museum, where he showed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the early steam
engines on display.

Since his return to his flat, his friends have found him shut away with his model railway.        It obviously means a great deal to him.

The Wikia page for the Coronation Street character describes him as, remarkably intelligent, but socially naive.    The page also suggests that Roy has Asperger’s syndrome.      This has not stopped him from making a go of his life, though.

The actor who plays Roy is married to an additional needs teacher and she suggested giving Roy Asperger’s.     Doing so transformed him into a character with long term potential.

His life with Hayley has been an enduring and popular feature of the street.      Click on  slide show  for a quick review of their story.      On the slide show page, click on the row of miniature pictures of the couple under the large picture.      Left and right arrows will appear to scroll to more pictures.

Roy’s people skills are actually quite good in some respects.      He and Hayley earned Fiz Brown’s appreciation having  fostered  her.     He acted as a  mentor  to Fiz’s brother Chesney.     Anna Windass, who works in his cafe, also gets on well with him.      Recently she confided in him that she was carrying a secret that she felt unable to share with anyone and he advised her that it would eat her up if she did not tell her boyfriend, Owen.

Mental health

The National Autistic Society has a page about mental health and autism.      Click page icon to view.        Also, Autistica has produced a help sheet about autism and mental health.         Click PDF icon to view.

Patients may be referred to a psychiatrist for associated mental health issues.        See NHS introduction.        Ambitious about Autism has produced a guide to making the most of an appointment.        (new)

Handwriting 

Options has produced a help sheet about developing early handwriting skills for children with autism.         Click icon to view.      (new)         See also:

• Letter dominoes is a game that is easy to make yourself.
• Here is a video tutorial setting out several aids – including pencil grips.        It offers insight into what does and does not work.
• This video tutorial demonstrates the sock method of teaching proper pencil grip.
• This video tutorial demonstrates writing 3 letters of the alphabet.        There are more related videos in the margin, too.
• Some mums provide a sloping board/surface to write on.

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Alexithymia

A condition involving lack of empathy.         A difficulty in experiencing, expressing, and describing emotional responses.         Some with autism have this lack of empathy but many do not.        Click icon for an easy reading interview.        Professor Geoff Bird says that alexithymia and autism are independent of each other.

For detailed and definitive information see:  Alexithymia info 

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly affects the way people read and spell words.        Click icon for an easy reading introduction.         Scroll down for comments.

• For more detail, see  British Dyslexia Association  (BDA).         Includes FAQ.        They also have resources for parents.         And much more …
• See Dislexia outreach for support in Lincolnshire.        They support parents, teachers, and pupils.
• See also under handwriting aids below.

Demand avoidance

Echolalia

• Here is an introduction to echolalia.        Mimicry is an efficient way to experiment with different sounds and practice emerging social language skills. 
• This article offers a medical analysis.        People with echolalia repeat noises and phrases that they hear.      They may not be able to communicate effectively because they struggle to express their own thoughts.         If they struggle to do anything other than repeat what has been said, they may have echolalia.         Some children with autism are regularly tested for this during their speech lessons.
• Here is a more detailed article about echolalia with autism – Even echolalia is a normal way to learn language.        Most children use echolalia to learn language.         The majority of children babble in a rhythmic way, which is actually mimicking the cadence of our language. 
• In adults – Echolalia should normally disappear around two and half years of age.         It is often considered abnormal if it persists beyond age 3 years.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is having difficulty learning to:     1. recognise and write letters and words       2.  link sounds, speech and writing.

• For an easy reading introduction, see  About Health.           See links for more detailed information.
• This dedicated Dysgraphia website has been written by a mother and university lecturer, and an undergraduate with dysgraphia.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific difficulty with arithmetic, or maths.

• The Dyscalculia website looks pretty definitive.           It offers a handy introduction
• For more information see Dyscalculia Talks.         It has articles to read as well as video clips to watch.
• The Dyscalculia Conference website is aimed at professionals, but might be interesting to anyone teaching their own child at home.

Dyspraxia

A Developmental co-ordination disorder.

• For an easy reading introduction, see  NHS Choices.          Scroll down for comments.
• The Dyspraxia Foundation has a great deal to offer, including introduction,  children,   FAQ.         See also:  Home for helpline and  Local groups – including Leicstershire and Peterborough
• You may be surprised to learn that it can affect speech, see Speech and Language.

Specific Learning Difficulties

SpLD is an umbrella term used to cover a range of frequently co-occurring difficulties, more commonly:

• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia / DCD
• Dyscalculia
• D.D / A.D.H.D

Specific Learning Difficulties (or SpLDs), affect the way information is learned and processed. They are neurological (rather than psychological), usually run in families and occur independently of intelligence. They can have significant impact on education and learning and on the acquisition of literacy skills.

In general, a student may be diagnosed with a SpLD where there is a lack of achievement at age and ability level, or a large discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability.

See also an analytical view

Tourettes

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition that causes a person to make involuntary sounds and movements called tics.        See introduction

• Tourettes Action website seems to be the go-to place for all things Tourettes.        Click icon on the left to browse.         They have a Find support menu.
• The Lincolnshire support group meets in Lincoln and Grantham.
• Discussions :  Netmums         Tourettes & Aspergers
• Facebook videos might be worth a look.

Swallowing difficulties

Click icon to view help sheet for people with Autism about Dysphagia by a speech and language therapist.

Epilepsy

Autistica has produced a help sheet about autism and epilepsy.         Click icon to view.  See also Epilepsy Action:  Website             Information           Help & support

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Please be aware that we, at GAIN, are not qualified to give advice.              See disclaimer.

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Helpsheet

Options Group has produced a helpsheet about planning an autism-friendly holiday.

Wildside Venture

The Wildside Venture offers outdoor short breaks to adults with learning disabilities and autism.             The nearest to us is two nights of camping in The Great Yorkshire Forest.            Click thumbnail for details.           See also:  about         map           home                 (new)

Sand le mere

Sand le mere seaside holiday park has a sensory playroom.            The seaside holiday park near Withernsea has also provided a second room as a place of rest and comfort for parents … has a soft setting where parents can calm their children down.              See:  holiday village         find us         area map               Sand le mere holiday village, Tunstall, Yorkshire, HU12–0JN.

Disability Lincolnshire

Disability Lincolnshire offer subsidised short breaks.            This is for families living in Lincolnshire who have a child with a disability between 0 – 18 years of age.         Children can enjoy a holiday with or without their parents,           Click thumbnail to the right for more information about this specially adapted accommodation at Skegness.            There is a variety of activities on offer.

Magic Moments

Magic Moments have a caravan seven miles from Skegness.                PAACT support group says it has had good feedback about them.               It is available to any family affected by disability or illness.               Prices are discounted.              See also  website          Terms & conditions                (new)

Hesley House

Hesley House Cottages – self-catering for children with special needs, near Skegness.              For more information click here.

Thomas Centre

The Thomas Centre offers much sought after specialist holidays at their site near Louth, Lincolnshire.             It is located near to the coast.             Suitable for supported living or residential care providers.               For more information click on Thomas Centre ©.

Respite Association

The Respite Association is a charity that can help with the cost of respite care.           It is based near Spalding.               See their website.              To apply for help see  Contact Us          (01775) 820176           help@respiteassociation.org                They have published outlines of cases of families they have helped.

See also information sheet about autism-friendly holidays.

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NHS

The National Health Service website offers a guide to established medical opinion in the UK.        Click icon for their autism page.         In What is autism? they say that autism is not an illness or disease.         It means your brain works in a different way from other people.       The NHS carries out diagnosis of autism and treatment of related conditions.

Children’s therapy

Find out about NHS children’s therapy services in Lincolnshire, e.g.  information       guidance       FAQ          Click icon to browse.

Reforms

There has been some bad press about autistic children in mental health hospitals.       NHS reforms to address failings are on-going.         Click icon for an outline.

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Services

Here is an NHS booklet intended to be a good place to start for families to access appropriate support and services in Lincolnshire for children and young people with additional needs and complex difficulties / Autism Spectrum Disorders.        Click picture to download the booklet – at bottom of page.        Preview contents.

Click  phone icon for a guide to all the services offered by the Council Customer Services Centre.        See also definitive Council contact information.         (new)

Family services directory

The Lincolnshire County Council on-line Family Services Directory is the go-to place to find out about services.        Click SEND icon below for the SEN and Disability section.         It covers services for children with disability as well as education – e.g.  Short breaks

The directory is likely to be the place with the most up-to-date information.         Service providers can update their own entries.        There are more menu options on their home page.        Click page icon on the right to see.

Council website

The Lincolnshire County Council website has many pages of information for parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disability.        Click icon to browse.        It includes Short breaks and ESCO.       Their website also has a Things to do page.

Council information about assessment and specialist services for children with a learning disability in Lincolnshire  comes under the heading Children with disabilities social care.       Click icon to browse.       Short breaks and either social care or direct payments may be available.        To find out how to arrange an assessment contact the Customer Service Centre on 01522 782 111.

This website also has:  Take a break       Activities & support       ESCO support

Helplines

The National Autistic Society have an on-line form as well as a phone number.       But before you call or email check to see how they can help.        They are much in demand, so it might be worth a look.        See also  Specialist advice & information services.         See icons to the left for the next step.          The Specialist Advice and information services page presents parents, carers and people with autism with a list of their specialist services to choose from.        If the helpline is busy you could try their Find answer on-line page.

Child Autism UK is an autism charity.         See website.         It used to be called Peach.         Click the phone icon to see how they might be able to help.

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation offers telephone and email support to family carers and professionals caring for children and adults with severe learning disabilities and challenging behaviour.

Childcare

Lincolnshire Family Information Services:  Looking for childcare?       Want to know if you can get help paying for childcare?       Want activities to do with your children?       Looking for children and family services?               We have lots of information for families, child carers and professionals …   

For specialist SEN helplines see SEN/EHC Support.              Also, do blogs and on-line communities sound interesting?            If so, see Tips and What is it like?.

CAMHS

Your Child’s GP might make a referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).        They are behind the Cinema on St Catherine’s Road in Grantham.

For official information see:      booklet         webpage         Grantham         referral guide
See also what the forums say:  referral         shambles        The replies are worth a look.       Those with good experiences may be less motivated to speak out on these forums, but if you look carefully you should find some.        Here is an insider’s view         (new)

One of our autism mums said,  I’ve had multiple dealings with CAMHS.   They can diagnose and prescribe medication so they offer a variety of help as well as behaviour management.    I find them excellent to deal with and they’ve been a fabulous support to us.

See also SEN support about the Lincolnshire Educational psychology service.

Lincolnshire Carers Service

The Lincolnshire Carers Service is a partnership between Lincolnshire County Council and Carers FIRST.        This service includes parents of children.          First point of contact is the County Council’s Customer Service Centre:   01522 782 224  or  carersservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk         Click icon for the range of support for carers.

Carers FIRST is the new name for Carers connect.         They provide emotional and practical support, advice, information, guidance and offer statutory carer assessments, social groups, short break respite, activities trips and more.        Click icon for an introduction to Carers FIRST.        Phone the number above to access Carers FIRST services.

For more information see:  introduction        website         out of hours        history

Homestart

Home-Start Lincolnshire are here to help – for free.       If you are a family with young children in need of a helping hand – we’ve got a trained volunteer who will offer friendship, emotional and practical support through weekly home visits for as long as is needed. 
Click icon to view their website.         See also: support      Grantham       other local contacts             01507 308 030             enquiries@homestartlincolnshire.co.uk

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Please be aware that we, at GAIN, are not qualified to give advice.              See disclaimer.

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