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What an erudite explanation. As a teacher I feel very humble listening to Damon.

An update from the Scottish Government website.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): local protection levels

Published: 17 Nov 2020

Support services, such as peer support groups, therapy groups, day centres, respite care, one to one therapy and counselling, can operate face to face, where they are essential for people’s wellbeing and remote delivery is not possible. 

An essential support group is one where participant’s health (including their mental health) and wellbeing would be significantly impacted by non-attendance. If groups must take place in person, relevant guidance must be followed.

Given the hygiene precautions in place in the work rooms. I feel that I can continue to see clients in this space. However, I am happy to transfer to working online.

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Anxiety is not just a part of being autistic, it is a mental health condition in its’ own right. People who have imbalances in GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid – a brain neurotransmitter) tend towards anxiety and panic. There are different types of anxiety; 3% of non-autistic children are affected by anxiety while 42% of autistic children are affected by anxiety.

Anxiety feelings

• anxiety or panic, with no obvious reason
• dread
• being overwhelmed, with no obvious reason
• worrying about things that you have never worried about before or that are unlikely to happen.

Anxiety body sensations

• racing heart
• being sweaty
• fast and shallow breathing
• being tense
• excitability
• nausea.

Anxiety can look like

• avoiding places, things or people
• running away / hiding
• angry outbursts, tantrums
• disorganised attention
• getting stuck in a thought process – possibly leading to meltdown
• injury to self or others
• engaging in familiar routines
• stimming (flapping, rocking etc)

(The last two behaviours can be attempts to reduce the anxiety by creating an element of control.).

Anxiety can be caused by

• sudden unplanned changes
• all different types of social situations
• the expectation of others, exam or performance pressure – sometimes these are created by the person themselves, the desire to do well, succeed, be the winner.
• person specific places or things, e.g. the beach, cottonwool or birds
• anticipation about going to specific places or being in certain situations, e.g. work, hospital, school
• sensory ‘triggers’ – specific lighting, noises, smells, textures … .

How to Help Reduce Anxiety

• keep a diary or journal – it can help to work out when, where and why anxieties are at their best and worst
• breathwork and visualisation
• mindful practice
• heavy activities and / or weighted blankets or clothing
• CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) – talking therapy
• medication
• animal therapy
• support groups
• Apps.

Over the next week or so I will explore these different ways of trying to reduce anxiety. Look out for the new posts on Facebook or the AESS website.

Now that the Scottish term is well underway and timetables are becoming more familiar, how about using a calendar or phone to create simple reminders. The idea is to make activities more predictable and to enable advance preparation. There are lots of free calendar blanks online and almost all phones and tablets offer a scheduling app. Using stickers can make it more visual for young people who find reading difficult. The use of calendars allows you to encourage independence by creating checklists for kit that may be needed.

Sports 🏑 🤸🏾‍♂️ or music 🎻.

Hockey Checklist

shorts 🩳 🔲

T-shirt 👕 🔲

socks 🧦 🧦 🔲

shoes 👟 👟 🔲

towel 🟦 🔲

showergel 🧴 🔲

Now that many young people are back to school. This is a good time to refresh strategies for self-calming or to try out some new ones. Remember to share preferred strategies with other family members, school, youth club leaders and sports coaches.

Here are a few for you to try.

Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 4 and breath out through your mouth slowly for a count of 7. Repeat this 3 times.

Count backwards from 20 to 0. Repeat 3 times.

Fingerhold Practice: courtesy of Capacitar International.
Hold each finger with the opposite hand 2-5 minutes. You can work with either hand. Breathe in deeply; recognize and acknowledge the strong or disturbing feelings or emotions you hold inside yourself. Breathe out slowly and let go. Imagine the feelings draining out your finger into the earth. Breathe in a sense of harmony, strength and healing. And breathe out slowly, releasing past feelings and problems.
Often as you hold each finger, you can feel a pulsing sensation as the energy and feelings move and become balanced. You can hold the fingers of someone else who is angry or upset. The fingerholds are very helpful for young children who are crying or having a tantrum.

Thumb: tears, grief, emotional pain.

Index Finger: fear, panic.

Middle Finger: anger, rage, resentment.

Ring Finger: worry, anxiety, preoccupation.

Little Finger: lack of self-esteem.

Remember to teach and practise strategies to help make them effective when they are needed. Adults can demonstrate these strategies as a way of helping young people to learn how to use them.

Young people may benefit from a checklist for what they need to do each morning. Use pictures for younger children or anyone who finds reading tricky.

Here is an example of a written checklist – starting the night before

Set alarm for 0700

Check I have the things I need in my school bag

Go to bed and try to get a good night’s sleep

Get up when the alarm rings

Shower or wash

Get dressed

Eat breakfast

Go to school

If any one of these actions needs more support e.g. get dressed, you can make a list of the steps for getting dressed and stick it up in the bedroom. Putting out all the clean clothes and shoes the night before is really helpful for some young people.

Replace them with plain coloured elastic sewn through the eyelets.