We had a lovely NAS branch meeting in Derby this week where we had a discussion about sensory differences and how they can affect autistic people. It is a subject that pops up quite a bit and people are always after a few ways of how to deal with sensory differences especially when it comes to autism.

Of course we are all aware of our senses and if most people are asked how many senses we have we normally answer with commonly known five which are sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch. Some will say there are a lot more than this but when we discuss it around autism we tend to stick to the five we know and then two more being vestibular (balance) and proprioception (body awareness).

It was just so nice to sit in a group and discuss how all these sensory differences can play a part in our lives and those of our children. We chatted about each individual experiences and how they certain sensory needs can affect education and then how to cope with the changes at home, sometimes very different. It is also making other people aware of these differences enabling people to support autistic people in every situation. 

We chatted and chatted and before we knew it it was the end of the session so that just shows how we can become engrossed in this subject. I think people went away with some new information and how to cope with certain situations. Sensory differences and the way we process these differences can be tough and quite demanding especially when it affects behaviour in a big way. It was so reassuring to share our stories and give support to those who maybe were struggling a bit.

There is quite a bit of information regarding sensory differences on the main NAS website here www.autism.org.uk/about/behaviour/sensory-world.aspx so do take a look and if there is a branch near you then maybe they have a support group too where you can go along and have a chat just like we did this week. 

Thank you for reading today. I will be back tomorrow for Pass the remote Sunday but for now......

​Take care.

I always think that it's so important to promote a small business now and again. People work hard all over the place trying to earn some extra money or make little enterprises work and I like that. 

So my friend has started a little business while she has been on maternity leave making little crafty jewellery and gifts. These items caught my eye as they are necklaces and small fiddle toys which are chewable. Originally aimed for teething but I put the idea in Jenny's head that these would be great for anyone who has sensory issues alongside Autism. The small fiddle toys can be attached to a bag or mounted onto a keyring. What a great idea and just that nice handy size to keep literally in your hand as a calming mechanism or to bite on as well.

The necklaces can be worn discreetly and chewed on too and this is great if you are conscious of carrying a toy or afraid of losing it somewhere. They are created in super nice colours and I think they look really cool. The necklaces are priced at £12 and the smaller fiddle toys are £8.

Jenny has other lovely gift ideas perfect for any occasion, maybe a birthday or dare I say Christmas is looming? Argh I mentioned it didn't I? Best to be prepared though I feel. I'm sure if you have someone with sensory processing issues, you could share some ideas of something that may work for you or your young person with Jenny, she is absolutely lovely, so friendly and I'm sure she would be happy to help. 

There is a Facebook page for Mama & Munchkin here at:
www.facebook.com/Mama-Munchkin-898273937038789/

So take a look and as I say if there is anything you are looking for to help with sensory needs then message Jenny on the page. Let's support the small business's!

Thank you so much for reading today....please join me again tomorrow for some telly talk with my Pass the Remote item but for now take care.

We held yet another successful talk again on Sensory Processing given to us by Alison Hart from The Children's Choice Therapy Service in Needwood Staffordshire. It's such a popular subject and we have had so many people wanting to learn more about it including parents, carers and professionals too.

The brain sometimes has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses and can be known as Sensory Processing Disorder. This is a condition with stands alone and does not always mean the individual has Autism but many people with Autism do have problems processing their sensory needs. There is some fabulous information on sensory differences on the National Autistic Society website here www.autism.org.uk/sensory

We underestimate how much we are using our senses and when it becomes difficult to manage certain situations related to sound, smells, taste, sight, touch, balance and body awareness then you can imagine that this can affect our day to day lives in a big way.

You may be someone whose senses are oversensitive which means loud noise may be overwhelming or you may only eat certain foods as some textures of food are unbearable to eat. Someone with under sensitive sensory needs would mean that they may display behaviour to compensate for this so when you think how busy life can be you really have to be prepared for certain situations, know your limits and have a plan in place for when situations don't go to plan.

If someone has problems with sensory processing and something has become a little too much then you may know that this may lead to challenging behaviour or a meltdown. It's important that we all become aware of how someone with sensory processing differences may feel and help them to cope. 

There are so many resources out there to help and a solution that usually does work so keep trying different things if you are struggling. If you would like more information about The Children's Choice Therapy Service their website is www.childrenschoicetherapy.co.uk

They do offer sensory play sessions in the school holidays and a range of courses too. We as a branch of the NAS in Derby will most likely repeat the talk on Understanding Sensory Processing so keep an eye out on dates on our facebook page here www.facebook.com/NASDerbyBranch/

Thank you for reading, I will return tomorrow for Pass the Remote Sunday so join me again for that, until then.....

Take care.