Blog
The Research on Social Support and Parenting Stress
When you raise a neurodiverse child, self-care can feel like a luxury. But what if a coffee with a friend was more than just nice? What if it was clinically necessary? A 2024 study by Pardo-Salamanca and colleagues gives us proof. Their findings show that we must...
Understanding ”ITs Not Fair’ ‘in Autism
When your child melts down over a broken biscuit or refuses to leave the park, what is actually happening in their brain? Perhaps they shout "it is not fair" with surprising intensity. While this can feel like stubbornness, recent research reveals a different story....
Understand Demand Avoidance and the Need for Autonomy
Let's unpack the hierarchy of demand avoidance When a child resists everyday requests, it is often labelled as defiance. However, for many children, this is not a choice. It is a safety seeking response. Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) also described as a...
Medical Trauma and Play Therapy Research
Studies on the impact of play therapy in children dealing with chronic illnesses, acute pathologies, cancer and surgery indicates: A decrease in post-operative pain. An increase in adaptive behaviours such as being more calm,...
Supporting Children Through Medical Trauma
Hospitalisations and medical interventions disrupt children's lives. The experience can often be painful and create a sense of fear and anxiety. The younger the child the more challenging it becomes to communicate the necessity of these procedures. In addition, time...
Serve and Return
Serve and Return is a type of interaction between adult and child that involves a back-and-forth engagement. An example of this is the much-loved game of peek-a-boo. The repetition of these back-and-forth actions form the foundation of pre literacy skills and a...