While the winter holidays can be a great time to relax and recharge, they can also bring challenges for children and young people with special needs and their families. Read more for our top tips from the Therapy and Specialist Support team. 

Most of us like to get away on a summer holiday if we can, but travelling with an autistic young person can require extra thought and planning to find a destination that suits them best.  

Mental Health Awareness Week is vital in increasing understanding of mental health and how mental health problems can be prevented. This year's theme is anxiety. Here we share useful resources for young people and children experiencing anxiety. As well, as useful links for parents/carers and adults struggling with mental health issues.

It’s November, so it’s time to celebrate Occupational Therapy Week from 7 - 13 November this year. This year, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) have created a theme about ‘lifting up your everyday’.

How much light your child is exposed to before bedtime and in their bedroom itself can have a significant impact on how well they sleep as light disrupts their circadian rhythm and tells their body it is time to stay awake and alert. However, your child’s sleep isn’t just affected by light levels in their bedroom, but also by light levels during the day.

Bridge College Nurse, Sarah Humphreys, tells us what we can do to manage asthma on a daily basis.

A bedtime routine helps to regulate children’s body clocks and aids relaxation, leading to a good night’s sleep. Often, when trying a new bedtime routine, sleep patterns get worse before they get better. Consistency is important and we advise sticking to the new routine for at least two weeks before you start to see some positive changes.

Below is an example of a bedtime routine for a child whose bedtime is 8:15 pm.

Make sure your child only uses their bed for sleep in order to associate it with relaxation and a pre-bedtime ritual such as reading a book, rather than homework, gaming or playing with toys, for example.

Avoid using your child’s bed for time-out, or they’ll learn to associate it with punishment.

These fears are very normal and usually start showing up around the age of two. The reason for this is that a toddler’s mind is maturing, their memory is getting longer, and their imagination continues to develop. They are starting to become more aware that there are things that can hurt them. They may have even watched a show or read a book that frightened them.