This episode deals with the familiar frustration of having to deal with the experts who are gatekeepers to the accommodations our neurodifferent kids need. From teachers, whose evidence you have to seek in order to get a diagnosis, to CAMHS specialists, GPs, occupational therapists and paediatricians - the list of professionals we need to interact with is dizzying.

Mark talks to wonderful guest Charlotte Mountford, parent to three neurodivergent boys: a 17-year old (suspected autistic), a 14-year old (diagnosed autistic) and a 13-year old (diagnosed autistic, suspected ADHD). Mark and Charlotte swap stories of their own experiences with experts - both good and bad, and discuss how to react when you realise that you actually know more than the professional in front of you.

LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

"Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell - https://amzn.eu/d/91hZpN4

Dean Beadle Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/deanbeadlespeaker/

Dean Beadle Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dean.beadlespeaker

Dan Beadle YouTube - https://youtube.com/@deanbeadleuk

Eliza Fricker - https://missingthemark.co.uk/

Kieran Rose - https://theautisticadvocate.com/

"Bilal's Bad Day" by Neelum Khan - https://amzn.eu/d/5amH9zO

"Neurotypicals don't juggle chainsaws" podcast - https://neurotypicalsdontjugglechainsaws.co.uk/

Liz Evans: The Untypical OT - https://the-untypical-ot.co.uk/

Badger Education Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/badger.education Badger Education Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Badger.Education.Inclusive.Supports Badger Education Free PDF - https://badger-education.co.uk/reasonable-adjustments-opt-in-2893

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions or any "What the flip?" moments you'd like to share, you can email: hello@neuroshambles.com FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@neuroshamblespod

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles CREDITS

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/

Mark talks to the tremendous Rebecca Huseyin, who is a blogger, trainer, neurodiversity advocate and Mum of a neurodifferent son (13, diagnosed autistic with a PDA profile and suspected ADHD). They swap tales of the ludicrous lengths they go to when trying to navigate personal hygiene tasks, such as cleaning hands, wiping faces, brushing teeth, having baths, cutting fingernails and wiping bums.

There are some hilarious anecdotes of the lengths to which Mark and Rebecca go to encourage their kids to engage in hygiene tasks - from fake drowning them in the bath, cleaning their teeth like a Victorian ghost and introducing the concept of "special dry".

LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

The Lighter Side of PDA Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/LighterPDA/

Rebecca Huseyin blog (A Boy Less Ordinary) - https://aboylessordinary.com/

SENDIASS - (Google for your local county SENDIASS details)

PDA Society - https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/

Proprioception and Interoception: https://www.autismspeaks.org/sensory-issues

Oranurse unflavoured toothpaste - https://oranurse.co.uk/unflavoured-toothpaste/

Little teeth toothpaste - https://www.aquafresh.com/en-gb/our-products/kids-oral-care/little-teeth-toothpaste/

Big teeth toothpaste - https://www.aquafresh.com/en-gb/our-products/kids-oral-care/big-teeth-toothpaste/

The Prism Cat - https://linktr.ee/KyraChambers

Tesco Mobile Sensory Box - https://bettersociety.net/tesco-mobile-sensory-box.php

Insanity Arcade, Poole - https://www.insanityarcade.com/home

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions or any "What the flip?" moments you'd like to share, you can email: hello@neuroshambles.com FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@neuroshamblespod

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles CREDITS

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/

Mark welcomes back the phenomenal Heidi Mavir, who is an  author, a neurodivergent advocate, activist, public speaker and Mum of a neurodifferent son (20, diagnosed autistic with a tic disorder, as well as suspected dyslexia and  Ehlers Danlos Syndrome). They pick up on a topic they very briefly touched on in the previous episode they recorded, which is whether there's any truth to the commonly-held belief that autistics don't feel empathy (spoiler alert - that view is abject nonsense).

They dissect the very concept of empathy to try and understand why it's viewed as so important to neurotypicals, what "the double empathy problem" is and why our kids' way of displaying and responding to empathy is so varied.

This is a genuinely insightful episode that gives a lot of food for thought when considering whether our own kids are able to feel empathy.

LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

Heidi Mavir EOTAS Matters website - https://www.heidimavir.com/

"Your Child Is Not Broken" by Heidi Mavir - https://amzn.eu/d/8di4y0X

"Why Can't I Just Enjoy Things?" by Pierre Novellie - https://amzn.eu/d/fd51tDR

"How To Win Friends and Influence People" - https://amzn.eu/d/fd51tDR

The Double Empathy Problem - https://reframingautism.org.au/miltons-double-empathy-problem-a-summary-for-non-academics/

"I Didn't See You There" by Charlotte Gail - https://amzn.to/3PUk4n1

Sesame Street Introduce Autistic Character - https://youtu.be/dKCdV20zLMs

Muppet Christmas Carol - https://youtu.be/JXaVI60BFJM

Heidi Mavir on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@heidimavir

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions or any "What the flip?" moments you'd like to share, you can email: hello@neuroshambles.com FOLLOW US

Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@neuroshamblespod

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles CREDITS

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/