How to react when someone tics?

What a tic feels like?

How to help your children with Tourette's?

What a person with Tourette's wishes you knew?

How Chewigems can help with Tourette's?

Then check out this podcast where Loz chats to Ella a 15-year-old with Tourette's and her amazing mum Wendy.

👉 Why Queer doesn't have to be a bad word 👉 Why exposing your kids to the LGBT community will not make them gay or trans 👉 Why some people may not like the pronouns it/its

Jamie covers it and more in this Sensory Matters Podcast!

Riko gives some great tips on what to do if you are questioning your sexuality and tips for using neo/non binary pronouns.

Find out more about this invisible disability, how it is diagnosed, what can be done and how you can help someone with EDS.

"No other disease in the history of modern medicine has been neglected in such a way as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome" - Professor Rodney Grahame

This week on the Sensory Matters podcast, we talked to the creators of Neurosapp about how they want to change the system and make finances accessible to everyone -

Find out how you can join in and be part of the revolution in this weeks podcast!

Find out all about what inspired Larrnell and Onikage to create this podcast and all of the fun experiences they've had doing it... Including a musician who makes Gumbo on stage at his concerts!

Lydia and the Chew Crew (Joel, Lorraine and Jenny) also discuss why it's important to have Autistic voices in the media and how we can encourage them to enter the field!

Don't miss out on this fantastic episode!

Luckily Koloko and Stella have a solution!

Find out how they are revolutionising the travel industry to be more accepting of Autism and SPD and how it can change your life today!

The last couple of episodes have covered Autism Awareness and Autism Acceptance. This week we discuss moving passed Autism Acceptance... what comes next?

Joel has a theory that he calls "Autism Knowledge" where he discusses that the next step after Acceptance is Autism Knowledge. This is a radical theory about the complete integration of Autistic people into society.

Listen to find out how we can achieve that!

This is what the Chew Crew discuss during the podcast this week, we discuss the intricacies around the two. Looking at the timelines of both, where they are placed within the community and whether you can have one without the other! We also end up talking about trucks - which is something you don't want to miss trust me!

We look at the timeline of where it started, where it is now and where we see it going in the future!

We also talk about the best way to get your Autistic child ready for any transitions such as Christmas or packaging changes.

So join us as we explore Autism Awareness

Lorraine and Jenny discuss anxiety, mental health and self-isolation and offer some tips to get you through. For more help and support you can join our sensory support group on Facebook.

So they have come together to discuss what helps them sleep and give you a guide to sleep so that you can find a way to help your sleep!!

Luckily some of the Chewigem team have first-hand experience with self-harm and are here to teach you how to spot and help someone who is self-harming.

Find out how to spot and help someone with is self-harming now

This is an issue that Anthony At Your Service has been able to solve! They employee people with disabilities to make deliveries around their hometown. It is completely customisable to the employee and they can choose what they take and what they don't!

They also discuss what employers need to learn about getting people with intellectual disabilities into employment...

Are you ready to find out the secret too - Listen Now

This week on the podcast we give you the essential guide to mental health & relationships so we can help you ease the stress.

Find out how to manoeuvre relationships with the essential guide to mental health & relationships now

We know that good adult mental health is extremely important, but it can be hard to keep your mental health on track if the support isn't there. 

Find out how we feel the government's mental health services are severely letting adults down and what we can do about it!

Listen to this podcast to find out where you can get help for your mental health and lots of fantastic tips and tricks to help you keep your mental health at a good level for you.

That is why we have found the best ways to help your child with their mental health! 

Don't miss out on this essential podcast on mental health because it can literally change your life!

We are talking about Nawmal - we know you probably haven't heard of it, but you're about to...

Find out all about how Nawmal was created and how it adapted to the Autism market!

This is the communication revolution that you need to hear about... SO DON'T MISS OUT!

The 2nd Season of the Sensory Matters podcast is focusing on mental health and this first episode will give you lots of tips on how to maintain your mental health through January and the dreaded "Blue Monday".

Listen to find out our tips on how to make New Year Resolutions work for you and how to avoid all the mistakes people usually make surrounding them!

While many people enjoy Christmas, they can often find themselves getting into trouble or being stressed. Some people, like Joel, don't enjoy it at all and pretend it doesn't exist. Find out how Joel deals with the season's parties and expectations when he can't stand Christmas!

Also find out all about how to manage Dress Codes, food, expectations and most importantly money!

Get your fantastic tips for surviving the festive season now

It’s a story about neurodiverse superhero’s who are the only people left to save Britain. Find the synopsis below:

One million cloned soldiers. A nation imprisoned. A group of neurodiverse rebels fighting back.

Britain as we know it lies destroyed. In the aftermath of the most daring military coup in history, the surviving population is crammed inside giant Citadels, watched over by an army of cloned soldiers. The hope of a nation lies in a tiny number of freedom fighters hidden in the abandoned countryside – most of whom are teenagers who escaped the attack on their special school.

Seen by many as no more than misfits and ‘problem children’, this band of fighters could never have imagined the responsibility that now rests on their shoulders. But perhaps this war needs a different kind of hero. After a lifetime of being defined by their weaknesses, the teenagers must learn how to play to their strengths and become the best they can be in a world that has never been on their side.

Find out how to be a neurodiverse superhero and how Chris got into writing and becoming the author he is today

Atypical is Joel & Lorraine's favourite show! A Netflix show about an autistic teenager navigating a neurotypical world. We started chatting exclusively about the show but the podcast became more about representation as a whole.

Join us as we discuss a whole range of television shows about Autism and discuss which shows we love and which we hate. As we try to answer the question "Does TV do a good job at autism representation".

Come join us as we discuss everything sensory now

This is part of our SPD knowledge pack which will give you lots of tips and tricks on dealing with SPD in your everyday life. In this podcast, we go through each sense and tell you what it feels like being hyper and hypo sensitive to each. As well as what you can do to make living with SPD easier!

Come join us breaking down the 8 senses now

Since our last podcast, Jamie has come out as non-binary and has changed school. Their new academy has something different about it, listen to the podcast to find out.

Check out this Episode of the sensory matters to find out what it's like just being Jamie in a world of their own!

Michael McCreary is a successful Canadian comedian, author and runs a fantastic Facebook page - Aspiecomic. In this podcast, Michael tells us all about his life and how he learned to be funny, as well as giving you tips on how you can be funny too!

Michael is a great example of an Autistic person following his dreams and passions and turning them into a reality!

Dyspraxia is a misunderstood and overlooked condition. Despite 1 in 6 people having it, a lot of people don't know much about it. That's why Joel & Lorraine are talking to Jenny about everything you need to know about Dyspraxia!

This is a fantastic episode full of knowledge and tips. It will help you understand Dyspraxic people and what we really go through!

Don't forget to check out our Dyspraxia Awareness Pack being released on 15/11/19 for more info!

The clouds will disappear and Dyslexia will be clear as day after listening to this podcast!

Find out all about this epidemic and how to avoid all the scams looking to get the money out of your pocket in this week's podcast!

This is an essential document for any Autistic Person or anyone with SPD, it will allow your life to become so much easier and remove a lot of the stress you'll find in daily life!

Listen to this podcast to find out all about these life-changing documents and how you can benefit from them!

As well as this we talk about Joel's podcast on Autism knowledge and the rise of Autism activists. Stress-Busting Apps & The Disney Princess who helped a meltdown!

Autism knowledge is an extension of the struggle to get autism awareness. Bitesize knowledge that is easy for people who are not connected to autism to understand is the key!

It also looks at how we can bridge the gap between adapting to live in a neurotypical world and focusing on how to help neurotypicals understand the Autism Community and it's intricacies! 

A must-listen for anyone in the Autism community!

This is a serious issue within our community where a lot of autistic people are being let down by mental health services and not getting the help they need. This is leading to a mental health crisis (as Tom said in last weeks episode).

Lorraine and Jenny talk about how to deal with this crisis and the whole stigma surrounding mental health!

Tom Henely thinks there is. He tells us all about what he thinks is causing it and how we can fix it!

Find Out More In This Week's Podcast!

We decided to have a conversation around this topic to see just what the best way to respond would be. Usually, people say this kind of stuff with the best of intentions so it is really important to take a step back before responding. 

Jenny talks to her all about her worries and fears in terms of accommodation, scheduling and workload. 

Find out all about Katy's hopes and worries when moving into accommodation, joining clubs, and having to settle into different routines while being on the spectrum and off to university.

We wish Katy all the best on her university journey. But she won't be gone from Chewigem completely. so don't worry too much!

If your school is in the latter category, you're probably thinking "how do I get the school to accept sensory aids?" You know your child needs them and will benefit but the school just can't see it.

This is where our great episode comes in. Lorraine, Katy and Jenny give you really great tips on getting schools accepting these aids.

As well as this, find out all about special interests and how they might not be as simple as you think. Lorraine's diagnosis and the new book hunting craze.

This is not an episode to be missed

Lorraine got her autism diagnosis recently. She talks to us about how her life has changed since then and how she knew. Having a child with Autism and working for Chewigem, she tells us how it helped her realise she was Autistic. 

At the same time Lorraine got her autism diagnosis, her son Joe also got his. Which means that only her husband Dean is Neurotypical. Lorraine talks about how it is for him living in a multigenerational autistic family. Giving tips on how he deals with its intricacies. 

Whether you're curious about what chew is right for you, how to get teachers on board, or how to make sure your child chews the right thing... This podcast is the podcast you need! 

They also talk about the best way to deal with the summer heat that is still plaguing the UK and how to cope with sunscreen when you have sensory issues!

If you would like to know more about chewing in schools and some great strategies around that why not check out this podcast:

https://blog.chewigem.com/chewing-ots-perspective-saskia-grassie/

Don't forget if you need any more support or have any more questions. Why not join our Sensory Support Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/chewigem/

Lorraine and Jenny also talk about The Kiss Quotient and the Autism themes that run throughout the book. They also talk about whether listening to songs over and over is an Autism trait.

This came up after an argument Joel made, which said that what we actually need is Autism Knowledge rather than awareness.

We also talk about Joseph Redford’s podcast, Lorraine’s big news story and of course, the heat!

Joseph was diagnosed at 11, before that the doctors thought that he was deaf. But after his diagnosis, he learned to be able to thrive, rather than just survive thanks to the Autism community.

Hear all about how Joseph is trying to make an Autistic state and is working on the neurodivergent worker's manifesto. As well as all the other roles he has in the Autism community.

This leads to the discussion of whether it's time to stop worrying so much about the language used around the Autistic Community and focus more on teaching the general public about the nuances of the specific surrounding Autism.

As well as this the crew talk about the autism show and what their favourite parts were. 

SEND protests have been happening all over the country over the last few weeks and the chew crew discuss this news story as well as asking is mainstream education really the best option for children?

This comes after The Sun published an article about a child being "too autistic for mainstream and not autistic enough for a special school." This is a position Lorraine has found herself in before and gives some great insight too.

These events are all about inclusion by Autistic people for Autistic people, you are free to do what you like (whether that is to participate or sit further away) and include yourself as much as you want.

To find out more about Autistic Pride please follow the link below:

Autistic Pride Alliance

Also on the podcast, we discuss the interesting points that came up during last weeks podcast with Sheep Dog Says. Especially how it felt good to hear a dad's perspective on Autism.

Find last week's podcast here:

https://blog.chewigem.com/autistic-children-and-dealing-with-change/

Our sensory Matter this week surrounds service dogs and whether there is enough being done to regulate service dogs. They also discuss the advantages of having a service dog for people with disabilities.

Lastly, we answer our listener question about managing to do things you enjoy without getting overloaded, where Lorraine and Katy have some great tips!

Listen to the podcast to find out all about the 18 weeks of extra parental leave you could be missing out on if you have a child under 18.

This episode is full of some great anecdotes about literal thinking and all of the other aspects of raising an autistic child.

Find out all about Ollie's obsession with Minecraft and Pokemon, as well as autistic children dealing with change in school and how the family have dealt with that.

This is a brilliant podcast and you'll really fall in love with the stories about Ollie.

Find Sheep Dog Says Here

They also talk about last weeks podcast, discussing the great tips that it gave them and why they really enjoyed it.

Find The Podcast Here: 

https://blog.chewigem.com/culture-competition-harming-your-children/

This episode also has lots of tips and tricks for dealing with exam stress and how to study. As well as posing the question: what's more important, your child's grades, or their happiness?

Lastly, find out all about sensory underload, what it is, how it feels and how you can stop it happening!

Shelley Francis is an audiologist turned author. During her time as an audiologist. Shelley found that people with Auditory Processing Difficulties also had other Sensory Processing Difficulties as well.

She also found that there was an increase in sensitive children being sent to her practice. This led Shelley to write a book called "No Child Left Unwrapped: Understanding and Honoring The Gifts Every Child Is Born With."

Find Out More About Shelley Here:

Website

Facebook

Twitter 

LinkedIn

Instagram

The chew crew also discuss some interesting and exciting things going on in our community, including Richie from Awesometistic who has set a parent-led support group for autistic adults and FIGS who have started a petition about making the road to diagnosis easier for girls on the spectrum.

They also discuss last weeks podcast where Steph Reed gave us some great tips on how to help your child succeed at school, and the chew crew discuss their time at school and what would have helped them.

Find Steph's Podcast Below:

https://blog.chewigem.com/tips-child-succeed-school/

Steph started her career teaching in mainstream education, while there she set up nurture groups before moving onto teaching in Autism specific schools. One of the main roles in her current job consists of looking at the specific needs of the child and the needs of the school and finding a middle ground. She does this by using different techniques such as visual aids and other strategies.

Find out all about Steph's concerns about the current education system and how she feels it could be improved. As well as plenty of great tips and tricks you and your child's school can implement to help them succeed in their education!

Find out more about Steph Here:

https://www.autismspectrumteacher.com/

Instagram

Twitter

Linkedin

This week we have Kelly on the Podcast. Kelly used to work as a speech therapist. She found that when she told people she was Autistic, they tended not to want to listen to her advice.

We also find out how she didn't realise that she was Autistic until her son was born. She then recognised traits from her childhood in him. When she was diagnosed she says she felt a sense of fulfilment and acceptance. 

Kelly says that she finds the lack of adult support hard. She argues that even if adults live independently they might still need help with aspects of life such as money management or executive functioning.

Kelly sits on the Autism Canada Board and is the founder of Completely Inclusive. Completely Inclusive is a company that works to remove barriers and facilitate full acceptance and participation of diverse people in society by making sure companies employ them for meaningful, fulfilling jobs.

Kelly is also an author and her work has been featured in an anthology called "All The Weight Of Our Dreams". You can find it here

To find out more about Kelly, follow the links below:

Completely Inclusive

Completely Inclusive Linkedin

Kelly's Linkedin

It was also World Autism Awareness week and we talk about the "My Boy Blue" Instagram takeover that Lorraine and Jamie are a part of. We featured My Boy Blue on one of our very first podcasts which you can find here:

https://blog.chewigem.com/snapchat-activism-my-boy-blue/

The Chew Crew also discuss a scheme run by Cardiff University called Discovery Summer School.  Where 14-19 year olds on the spectrum can spend two days living independently as university students to get a feel of what it's like. Find out more here

We also discuss Indieandy's podcast from last week and the question "How do you take off the mask?"

Listen to last week's podcast below:

https://blog.chewigem.com/masking-survival-instinct/

Andy continues discussing his childhood and how he was diagnosed with Autism quite early, therefore, making his life easier. They also discuss why he chose not to disclose his autism to his current employer and how youtube is a great place for Autism Advocacy.

In your opinion, what symbol represents Autism Awareness best? 

As well as this, The Chew Crew talk about last week's podcast on Independent Living and the Special Housing Facility Revolution.

To listen to last weeks podcast please go here:

https://blog.chewigem.com/special-facility-housing-revolution/

Denise tells us all about how she was told that her son should be institutionalised in a special facility housing institution. but when she went to look at the places she didn’t feel they were right for her son.

Soon after this, she started developing First Place, a special facility housing complex. It allows them to live independent and successful lives. It considers itself a new type of special housing. Alongside the housing complex, First Place runs a Life Skills Academy that teaches its students how to lead independent lives over 2 years.

The Global Leadership Institute is an offshoot of First Place that looks at attaining housing to expand to other communities. It has volunteers who are students at First Place and help out. They have a Symposium in April and if you would like to know more please email info@firstplace.az.org

To find out more about First Place go to firstplaceaz.org

They also talk about the idea that some periods of the schooling journey are harder for autistics than others. Katy and Lorraine have different experiences with this and its a very interesting discussion! 

The Chew Crew them talk about the great podcast last week featuring Saffron. They talk about their hot takes on the topics discussed, as well as their view on disability allowance in the UK vs Canada.

During the show, we find out about Saffron's life and how she knew she had Aspergers. Even though the doctor's told her she didn't. We find out how some valuable advice helped her develop an essential skill when getting diagnosed. 

If you are on the road to diagnosis or know someone who is this weeks podcast is full of key tips for a successful diagnosis!

Jenny, Lorraine & Katy also talk about the latest news in the Sensory World.

Also, you get to find out the view our panel had about Autism before they were part of the community! There are a few misconceptions in there!

As well as all of this, they discuss whether technology is a positive tool for our kids, or is it leaving them without vital life skills that are needed later in life!

Rachael has a unique approach to her practice. She looks at what skills the child lacks rather than the condition as a whole. This allows her to really focus on making the child's life easier.

Find out lots of really good sensory tips & tricks to help your child with putting on socks, dealing with noisy surrounding and more!

To find out more about Rachael go here:

Blossoms Children’s Occupational Therapy

If you struggle to get through work when it's a bad sensory day, this has lots of tips and tricks!

Find out how it took her a long time to figure out what parts of her personality were the autism. However, once she figured this out she started to thrive and become a proud aspie activist.

Her message is a positive one all about working hard to understand yourself and being proud of that!

Find Out More About Aspie Cat Here:

Aspie Doodles Facebook Aspie Doodles Website

This helped him have no major issues in his early years. It just shows how important early intervention is. We find out all about Lego therapy and learning through play and possibly one of the cutest stories we have ever heard about a little boy and The Beatles.

Find out more about Christian here:

Hale Autism Facebook

We also find out how Geekclub books give Autistic authors a platform to create and highlight their work to the general public. 

Find out more about Jodi here:

GeekClub Books Facebook GeekClub Books Website

Find out more about Esi here:

Celebrating Disability Facebook Celebrating Disability Website

For more tips about inclusivity read this article:

11 Tips For Teaching People on The Spectrum

Listen to the podcast here:

Itunes! Stitcher! Spotify! Watch Here!

Margaux is an autism activist and artist. She loves cats and spending time with her mum. Margaux gives us her tips for travelling and sound sensitivity.

We find out why she doesn't like Autism Speaks. And she talks about her YouTube video on Jenny McCarthy! She is essentially a 30-year-old version of Jamie!!

Find Margaux Here:

Navigating Autism Website Original Retrophiliac Youtube

Alice is very interested in sensory integration. She hopes to help use her design skills to help with sensory issues in public places like supermarkets.

To find more products to make a space more sensory inclusive follow this link:

Sensory Room Products

You really want to listen to this week's podcast, it really is helpful!

For more sensory tips go here:

Chewing – How Do I Stop My Child Doing It?

To find out more about Lindsey go here:

Sensory Smarts

Find out more about Christa here:

NDR Facebook

Chris was diagnosed with Aspergers as an adult. He is a former primary school teacher and now works as an author and speaker for Autistic Not Weird.

Chris was told he had a slightly odd personality as a child. He was diagnosed at age 25 and now delivers talks all around the world, he has even spoken at the Royal Sydney Opera House.

To find out more about Chris, go here:

Autistic Not Weird

Find out all about Lorraine's past with addictions and self-harm and how is she overcoming these difficulties.

If you're worried about any of the issues raised in this episode, please click the following links for support:

Samaritans CALM

To find out more about Lorraine's Journey, listen to these podcasts:

Teenage Girls With Autism - Lorraine's Tips And Tricks (Sensory Matters #1) Puberty And Autism With Lorraine Scott Young (Sensory Matters #6) Home Education With Lorraine Scott Young (Sensory Matters #26)

She tells us about her journey with Tourettes which started later in childhood. Sophia shares her useful coping strategies. Sophia is studying her Masters and in addition to all the above is telling us about her research.

She describes her research explaining how it includes a study on hypersensitivity to difference within the Autistic people!

We get to hear the reasons she was told she couldn't be autistic. These include "because she is a girl" and "because she booked her own doctors appointment!"

I think this podcast will resonate with lots of you. She is now diagnosed and as a result, has started to get involved in the online community. Most interestingly, find out how her campaign #doilookautisticyet started and went viral!

Find Out More About Hannah Here:

#dilay Facebook

#dilay Instagram

Joley is also an ambassador and author of the book My Fairy Jam Jar. She was diagnosed with autism age 2 but didn't find out she was autistic until she was 13. People regularly told Joely she can't be autistic and therefore went on to become an autism activist.

Thank you so much for doing this podcast Joely as it obviously became exhausting. But because autism is a special interest you were happy to give us your time. This shows exactly how exhausting masking can be!

Find Out More About Joely Here:

Aspergers World

Joely's Twitter

This is a must listen for anyone who is (or has) a female on the spectrum!

Find FIGS on The Links Below:

You can find her over on Twitter and she is also a Chewigem Affiliate. She set her blog up to help other adults with Sensory Processing Disorder in the UK. She wanted to help them find information and other adults with the disorder. We find out about her diagnosis and how she feels she is probably autistic but not yet diagnosed.

Emily works a full-time job as a graphic designer. We find out some of the things that would help her if her employers knew that she had SPD.

Find Emily On Her Website And Instagram:

21 And Sensory Website

21 And Sensory Instagram

Laura is an Author, columnist & journalist diagnosed with EDS, POTS & Autism. We find out how she got her adult diagnosis, her special interests and how lucky she is to sleep in her own room!

If you haven't read her book Odd Girl Out, then we would highly recommend it!

To Find Out More About Adult Diagnosis, Why Not Check Out These Articles:

Adult Autism Assesment - One Mans Journey 

To Find Out More About Laura James, Follow The Links Below:

A Moment That Changed Me - I Was Diagnosed With Autism at 45

Mothers With Autism "I Mothered My Children In A Very Different Way"

Meet The Woman Diagnosed With Autism At 45 (Video)

Autism: The Steak That Roared (Video)

Laura James - 5 Things You Should Know About Autism (Video)

Sasha started the business after working out in the Middle East. When she lived there she lived next to a compound for kids with special needs. What shocked Sasha above all is how these children were integrated. All of this was too much for Sasha so she left her job. She took a year off to decide what to do and eventually opened Special Kids.Company.

Special Kids.Company works on what children need and parents want, they regularly take suggestions and tips from parents. Sasha is adding more sensory items. Eventually, it will be a one-stop shop where parents and carers can buy everything they need.

Find Special Kids.Company On Thier Website And Facebook

Special Kids.Company Website Special Kids.Company Facebook

Dani has a son who is autistic and found that she has been really well supported during diagnosis and afterward.

One of the things Dani used with her son was social stories. These worked really well but having 2 files (one for school and one for home) carrying this big heavy files weren’t practical. There had to be an easier way!

Having searched the internet for apps anything she did find was very expensive and so she decided to design an app herself and pitched it to the team she works with. They thought it was fantastic and let her run with it.

Listen to the podcast to find out more about the about the app and how you can personalize your own social stories and have them available at the touch of a button.

Find Out More About The SEND App Here:

SEND Facebook

SEND Website

Lorraine has experienced lots of things over the years so it seemed obvious to chat to her about the time she home educated Jamie.

Jamie is now in full-time education but this has not been the case for most of her life. Lorraine chats about how she made the decision to home educate, how she went about it and some top tips for if you are going to be home educating!

For More About Home Education, Why Not Checkout This Article:

5 Reasons I Loved Home Educating

We’ve had so many guests including, Anna Kennedy, Casper Dawn, Riko and Jayden Worthington!

We’d love to know your favourites. Also, if you have any suggestions for who we should get on the show?

We hope you’ve enjoyed the last 25 Episodes as we have some amazing guests coming up in the next 25.

For Even More Tips And Resources, Become A VIC. Find Out More Here:

Become A VIC

Paul was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 41. Before his diagnosis, he had a skill set that he never ever used. Since diagnosis, he has started to use his creative side which has led him to write the Guerilla Aspie Handbook which he has also taken to the stage and start a Theatre Company called Stealth Aspie Theatre Company.

This is an interesting podcast where we find out how Buddism and his wife have helped him to manage his own mental health.

In the Punk Rock of Neuro Diversity, he would like to be Bowie but is he more Johnny Rotten?

Find Out More About Paul Wady On His Website:

Paul Wady’s Website

“she’s perfect don’t forget that” (listen and you’ll get it)

Jamie tells us a little about her journey and how she feels about being diagnosed as autistic. She doesn’t care if she’s autistic or not as she is just her.

Chatting about some autism myths she tells us something that she hears people say that gets her really angry and how she’d rather have Autism than be dead!

She talks about her ups and downs and the strategies that work for her when she feels she is going to have a meltdown.

Her mum is her biggest supporter and they have a really fantastic open relationship and Jamie can tell her mum anything.

What does Jamie have planned for the future? A partner who likes pets and a million cats of course!

Find Some Of Jamie’s Writing Here:

The Adventures Of Jamie – How Dogs Help Me

The Adventures Of Jamie – My Autism

An Autistic Response To 5 Things Not To Say An Autistic Parent

In this episode, we find out a lot about Angel and how she came to find Chewigem. Diagnosed with PTSD, OCD, Anxiety, Depression, and Agoraphobia she gives us some great tips on how she deals with this.

This is such a relatable story and the reason why our community is so special because so many of us are on the same journey.

Thank you, Angel, for sharing your story with us.

Lana is an Autistic mum to 6 kids, 3 with autism. She also runs her own Autism Consultancy.

Lana knew she was different from a young age and felt she was always 3 steps behind everyone else socially. Lana wasn’t asked if she was on the spectrum until her son was diagnosed with Aspergers, and then she realised.

Specialising in female autism Lana gives some great tips especially about pregnancy, birth, and motherhood. She has written a book called “From Here to Maternity” which is a book about pregnancy and motherhood on the autism spectrum.

Lana also set up a Facebook Group named Mums on the Spectrum which has almost 3000 members. Lana set the group up for autistic women (either with a formal diagnosis or without a diagnosis but self-identifying) who are also mothers of children on the autistic spectrum or neurotypical children). This group is a great support for autistic mothers facing similar issues.

Claire is an autism mum just like most of us and you’ll really relate to her story. Like everyone, they have good and bad days. Tom has always wanted sensory input and his sensory issues were very bad in school. As with lots of us, he has issues with food and that’s where his SPD was picked up at age 6. Claire has some amazing tips on food issues!

Being autistic really helps Tomas with his gymnastics because of the repetition. Tom dreams to be an Olympic gymnast or coach one day and I’m sure he will!

You’ll get some tips as parents about how you can have a conversation with your teachers and tips on how to approach teachers and get the best out of them. This really is an amazing podcast. Karen tells us the most important people in education are the kids. Every child has a different learning need even if they don’t have a diagnosis.

One size doesn’t fit all. You don’t want to miss this one!

Bee runs two Facebook pages as well as doing many different things!

Very strange as when this was filmed when Bee was non-verbal. She has worked so hard and currently has her speech back which is amazing.

Her mum was her voice for this so bare with some of the silences … but you can learn a lot from this young lady about being positive x

To Find Out More About Bee Follow Her On Youtube Below:

Bee’s Drawings

Bee’s World Through My Eyes

We find out how transitioning and the change in hormones triggered the condition when he was just 18 and means he needs to use a wheelchair.

Find out how he dislocated his shoulder deboning a chicken at college when he planned on being a chef.

Unfortunately, this meant he was asked to leave college due to his health. Luke talks about how the online community helped him through this especially Instagram.

If you’ve ever wondered about wheelchair football Luke tells us how it works!

Kate tells us all about her autistic family. How her daughter Ivy was first diagnosed, subsequently her son Leon and lastly how her husband came to the realisation that he had ASD too. Kate’s journey is pretty similar to my own and we became friends whilst chatting about residential schools and our girls.

She also has some great tips!

Find Out More About Kate On Her Facebook Page “Girls Autistic Journey”:

Girls Autistic Journey