Author Archives: bchorsburgh

It’s that time of year, and it can vacillate between being magical or frantic. For families with an autistic child, there are more sensory challenges and more stress, especially as we prepare for the inevitable family get-togethers AND the added complexity of Omicron hovering over us.  For my autistic daughter this can be a bewilderingContinue reading “Making Spirits Bright”

A special needs parent fell in a hole. Doctor: “Can you keep a diary of your experience in the hole?” Local authority: “Sorry, we don’t have enough money for a ladder.” Family member: “What hole?” Another special needs parent: “I’m here. I’m on my way down. I know how to get out and I won’tContinue reading “A Special Needs Dad Gives Thanks”

My daughter bites her hands when she is anxious, frustrated or excited. I mean she really bites, and bites hard. This behaviour is distressing, and left unchecked and can escalate to other forms of self-injurious behaviour, which can impact her safety. We have worked with school and therapists to try and reduce the instances ofContinue reading “Pay It Forward!”

The pandemic is still raging. We are in the midst of the impact of the Delta variant….. and Lamba lurks in South America. Along with increased knowledge of the Greek alphabet, it means that we may have to accommodate continued change as we prepare for a new school year. During the early summer, my teenageContinue reading “A grateful dad says thank you to healthcare workers!”

It’s back to school time again, and for the second year in a row, the world is far from normal. This can be a challenging transition for any child in any year, but especially more so for those with an autistic child in the family. With that in mind, we reached out to the teamContinue reading “Back to school…..again: a guest blog from our friends at MindNest”

When I was a kid, summers were magical. We had no school and, as latch key kids, we roamed outside all day with friends until it was time to go home. There was also the obligatory family holiday; some were fun, some less so. Nevertheless, it was a carefree time and strong friendships were forged,Continue reading “Summer”

In today’s pandemic-induced, mask wearing world we lose a number of nonverbal cues that guide us in our everyday interactions and that can make it more difficult to ‘read’ people. It could be said that it gives us a fleeting glimpse into parts of the autistic world. The reality is it is incredibly difficult forContinue reading “Listening”

Before having our children, I thought eloping was running off to get marriedwithout the trappings of conventional marriage; in Scotland, where I amfrom, couples would travel to Gretna Green to get married.  In the 18 thcentury it became a haven for young lovers following the 1754 MarriageAct; if you were under 21, you were forbiddenContinue reading “Escape”

As a parent of a child with special needs, life can be very much a battle; a battle for services, support, respite, acceptance and understanding. We often do this on our own, within our own family unit but broader family and community support is both invaluable and essential.     Autism awareness month is April.Continue reading “Autism Awareness Month”