Things that YOU can do to help #autistic children in school. A thread of ideas, titbits of info, things to consider and so on. I hope it's useful and even more importantly, hope it helps some kids cope with the waking nightmare that is 'Neuro-typical Academy' #autismacceptance /1 1. Have your lesson stick to a rigid routine as far as possible. This is good as it arguably is good for all kids, but is a huge benefit to #autistic student. At primary, have a clear daily routine if possible. /1

PDA in the world of neurology is an initialism standing for 'pathological demand avoidance'. It seems to be a type or subset of #autism as it shares some traits, but it is a bit of a mystery to be fair. #AutismAcceptance /1 THREAD As it's name suggests, at the heart of PDA is a desperate wish to avoid having to do anything that could be seen as a demand. This could be rooted in fear of failure, fear of change, fear of any social situation or simply a need to be in control. #AutismAcceptance /2

Sensory overload is an aspect of #autism that is hard to explain, and by no means standard for all autistic people. I have it, to an extent, so I'll be leading with that, but some people have it to a far greater or lesser extent. Buckle up, its THREAD time again. /1 Firstly, all five main senses can be overstimulated for #autistic people, possibly all at the same time. I'll go through each of them in a moment. As for 'overload', this is a discomfort that can be extreme in response to sensory stimulation. /2

If there is an autistic person in your midst this Christmas, please bear in mind the following pieces of advice to help them and you enjoy the season, from one of them 1/?

THREAD... First of all, Christmas is a potential nightmare for autistic folk. The lights, noise, Slade, too many people squeezed into a front room, drunk people - it's a recipe for utter misery for some autistic people, children and adults. 2/?