A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Timothy HoYuan Chan, Australian Catholic University My travels with autism started long before my diagnosis at the age of three years and three months. My family noticed autistic features from around 15 months of age. I never looked at people and did not respond when called. I lined up toys instead of playing with them. [...]
Laura Gormley, Dublin City University The education of autistic children and young people in western societies has been heavily influenced by a medicalised understanding of autism. This means considering autism as a disorder, with a focus on correcting autistic people’s perceived lacks, rather than building on their strengths. Autistic learners’ strengths, interests, preferences, goals and [...]
Adam Guastella, University of Sydney and Kelsie Boulton, University of Sydney Neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism affect about one in ten children. These conditions impact learning, behaviour and development. Executive function delays are core to challenges people with neurodevelopmental conditions experience. This includes skills such as paying attention, switching [...]
Nerelie Freeman, Senior Lecturer, School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Education Amid a sharp increase in autism and ADHD diagnoses, many schools aren’t equipped to support the diverse learning and social-emotional needs of their students. Neurodiverse girls, including autistic and ADHDer girls, are one group of young people feeling distinctly unsupported and [...]
Pratik Raul, University of Canberra; Jeroen van Boxtel, University of Canberra, and Jovana Acevska, University of Canberra Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference associated with specific experiences and characteristics. For decades, autism research has focused on behavioural, cognitive, social and communication difficulties. These studies highlighted how autistic people face issues with everyday tasks that allistic [...]
Andrew Cashin, Southern Cross University Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg describes herself as having Asperger’s while others on the autism spectrum, such as Australian comedian Hannah Gatsby, describe themselves as “autistic”. But what’s the difference? Today, the previous diagnoses of “Asperger’s disorder” and “autistic disorder” both fall within the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, or [...]
Melissa Cain, Australian Catholic University and Melissa Fanshawe, University of Southern Queensland About 90% of Australian students with disability attend mainstream schools. Equitable access and participation in education is a fundamental human right. But as last year’s disability royal commission found, this does not mean students with disability are fully included in their classrooms, school [...]
Eva Surawy Stepney, University of Sheffield Readers are advised that this article contains explicit discussion of suicide and suicidal and obsessional thoughts. If you are in need of support, contact details are included at the end of the article. At the age of 12, “out of nowhere”, Matt says he started having repetitive thoughts concerning [...]
“Diagnostic delay” is a major concern for children and young people with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – and also for their loved ones. The “delay” is the gap between first concerns about a child’s development, and their eventual diagnosis. In some cases this can be more than five years. Monash PhD candidate [...]
Alison Poulton, University of Sydney Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is more often diagnosed in children. That might make you wonder if people grow out it as they reach adulthood. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that involves difficulties focusing attention (for study or work) and/or sitting still or keeping impulsive actions in check. This means people [...]
