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Odd Socks Speech Pathology

Phone: +61 421 188 905

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22.01.2022 I encourage anyone with interest to sign up for this free event. Most talks are under 30 minutes! Currently listening to Tony Attwood discuss Alexithymia (difficulty identifying and describing feelings using speech). https://autism-explained.teachable.com/p/2020-online-summit

17.01.2022 'Coopting Autistic passions [...] undercuts the fun and joy of that passion, so careful regard should be paid to the relationship between passion and motivation.... Passions might be used to increase the meaning and relevance of a particular task or lesson to an Autistic individual, but they should never be used to undermine Autistic autonomy or as a tool to ensure compliance or achieve coercion. This point is especially salient when passions are coopted for rewards (or removed as punishment).' Dr Melanie Heyworth This quotation appears in Reframing Autism founder and CEO Dr Melanie Heyworth's 2019 foundational piece 'A manifesto for allies adopting an acceptance approach to Autism'. The quotation and the meme which accompanies it are both central to Reframing Autism's ethos of respectful parenting and therapy. You can read more on Autistic passions and motivation in Melanie's subsequent 2019 piece 'Passions and motivation: Why passions aren’t rewards': https://www.reframingautism.com.au/passions-and-motivation/ Image description: Photograph of numerous bubbles against a dark background. The bubbles have a purplish sheen. On a transparent white circle, large pink double opening quotation marks and some text appear. The text reads: 'Your Autistic child's passions may be used to make a particular task more meaningful, but never to achieve compliance. Passions are precious and should be treated with the utmost respect. Reframing Autism, 2020'

16.01.2022 I'm in the process of creating something exciting! And looking forward to being able to share it with everyone! This is one small component of it. I'm often ask...ed when I've been teaching or even with my own family, if someone is in meltdown, how do I support the individual in the situation. This is my attempt to put into black and white the dynamics of what is happening in those moments. The important part to understand of what is involved in these situations is it is very individual, however it is also situational. This graphic is not a static, linear model, rather a dynamic and fluid one that is changing moment by moment. There are also a myriad of factors influencing this at any given moment. The central core concept here to remember is that connection underpins everything.

16.01.2022 Can we talk about theory of mind? Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states such as beliefs, intents, desires, emotions and knowledge, among othe...rs, to oneself and to others. Theory of mind is necessary to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are different from one's own. - Wikipedia. Neurodivergent people live inside of a society that unfortunately struggles with theory of mind. We know this when we reflect on current educational institutions, systemic philosophies and processes along with social and cultural structures constructed with neuronormative standards in consideration. Autistic people in general are largely misunderstood as being typical, simply because we appear the same on the outside. We are expected to be typical. This means that non autistic people have a difficult time accepting, understanding and sometimes even believing that we are, in fact, autistic; which in turn indicates disability. When autistic children are identified as autistic, they are offered early intervention and therapies, whether they require them or not. In many (most) social environments, autistic people are expected to live, communicate and behave as non autistic people do. There is a complete dismissal of disability, neurodivergence and neurodiversity when many of those social environments such as educational settings continue to use systems of reward and punishment. Positive behavioural support plans is a classic example. We are not rewarding and punishing good and bad behaviour. We are rewarding and punishing ability, capacity and disability; a person’s ability to be something they’re not and to perform in non autistic ways when they ARE NOT NON AUTISTIC. Social skills training, early intervention, pathologising behaviour and dismissing it as dysfunctional are but some of the factors that actually contribute to poor mental health in autistic people when they seek to normalise and not actualise a person. Our children are intervened with in their formative years. Before they have the ability, the freedom and the basic human right to form a sense of self, they are pathologised and their families encouraged to hover over them, correcting their every move. And then, we wonder why autistic youth behave in ways that are harmful to themselves. We wonder why their mental health is poor and they’re grasping for whatever control they can get. A person grasping for control is a form of compensation. I’ve heard adults say things such as We’ve trained them to give high fives when they don’t want to say Hello. Children are human beings, too. They are human beings who should have the right to refuse engagement when they do not feel safe or capable. Would I be forced to high five a stranger as an adult? Do we as a society walk around high fiving everyone that says Hello to us when we’ve never met? Their family just allowed them to sit and engage in meaningless, non functional play and now they don’t have any social skills. When non autistic children behave in particular ways, we are more likely to ask why. What has happened? Why are you upset? Why are you running out of the room? When autistic people behave in the same ways, it’s just readily assumed and understood that it’s because they’re autistic. Dehumanised. We have feelings. We experience the same things non autistic people do. Most autistic people are more than happy to live and let live - neurodiversity. So please, let’s talk about theory of mind. I’ll say it a thousand times over: Supports. Individualised, collaborative, safe and respectful supports and choice. Never intervention. . . . . KF . . Image Credit: willsantt (Image description: A young child with short brown hair sits in front of lush, green foliage. The child holds a glass jar full of fairy lights and looks upwards in wonder)

14.01.2022 AUTISM & MELTDOWNS: A GUIDE (Re-sharing this respectful, Autistic-crafted tip sheet from Bendigo Autistic Advocacy and Support Service - downloadable version be...low) TEXT: Autistic brains experience the world differently. Autistic experiences are real and valid. Sensory processing differences can mean some sounds, textures, tastes and sensations may be intolerable or painful. It can mean differences in movement, balance and different skills develop at a different pace. Meltdowns are an involuntary response to overload from sensory stimuli, overwhelm/exhaustion/anxiety, change or an accumulation or combination of these. Autistic people cannot control a meltdown. ~ Facts and Tips ~ It is important to respect and gently support a person in meltdown. Do not judge and please do not ever punish or impose consequences. Ensure safety of the person and yourself Give space Remove others from area Subtle supervision from distance **Intervene only if imminent danger** (e.g. traffic) DO NOT TOUCH/RESTRAIN Only hold person if known to be effective for them and only by someone known well Respect cues If speaking to, being close by, eye contact or touching someone increases distress or signs of distress, avoid these wherever possible Reduce eye contact Reduce speech Reduce volume Positive, calming tone Reduce environmental stimuli Where possible, reduce noise, bright lights Remove triggers Recovery time drink and snacks, space and unlimited access to calming/favourite activity is crucial Ensure environments/activities are inclusive and accessible. Download here: bendigoautisticadvocacy.weebly.com//autism___meltdowns.pdf

12.01.2022 A very useful resource to understand managing NDIS funds!

11.01.2022 #WAAW2021 it’s simple!

06.01.2022 I've just had the amazing privilege of attending autism camp with my gorgeous neurodivergent family. It was a challenging but rewarding experience - highly recommended! Check out their facebook page (featuring some photo's of my gorgeous boys!). https://www.facebook.com/autismcampaustralia What a way to spend part of April :) Now back to work, lucky I have the best job in the world. Bring it on term 2!!

06.01.2022 I love this, a celebration and acceptance of neuro diverse families and all our highs and lows! Merry Christmas from my brainy family to yours. I love, so much, being allowed the privilege of working with your amazing kids! Looking forward to 2021, whatever it may bring. We’ve got this!

06.01.2022 We've made it, term 1 is done and April has begun! As many of you know April is Autism Awareness month - but did you know that for many autistic people April can be a difficult and challenging time? Have you ever heard the saying "nothing about us without us"? The events and messages in April are often conveyed about autistic people but don't take into account their voices. Starting right from the top, the term awareness seems insufficient, many prefer acceptance. Awareness... feels like a passing thought whereas acceptance is an action. Taking this further should it be Appreciation? Pride? Empowerment? Added to this, many of the messages and symbols used are outdated and offensive. "Light it up blue" campaigns are still running across the country despite many adult autistics finding this offensive and asking for change. The light it up blue message originally came from an organisation called 'Autism Speaks' which has a long history of abuse and neglect towards autistic people (many describe it as a 'hate group'). The puzzle piece is also problematic as it imparts the message of something missing, or needing to change to fit in. Once we know better, we need to do better! For this reason I will not be attending the light it up blue event at Wollongong Lighthouse tomorrow and I (with some like minded friends) will be contacting the organisers and sponsors over the next few weeks in the hope that discussion and insight from autistic voices may mean that next year we can celebrate World Autism Day with a more appropriate colour or symbol. For those attending tomorrow's event please consider wearing "red instead", gold (Au for Autism is also the symbol for gold) or rainbow in reference to the rainbow infinity symbol. If you can, take the time to watch this wonderful video made by actually Autistic authors! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haBENW96T5g