Sarah Howe SLT

19/05/2025

We want the government to introduce mandatory neurodiversity training for all teachers and support staff as part of core training.

10/05/2025

I got a functional tattoo today.

My daughter Ru uses AAC. Her ability to communicate depends on her access to an AAC device. She uses an iPad with a pictoral app, she uses a letterboard stencil, and she uses the keyboard on her iPad.

Letterboard tattoos are not my idea, but they’re a wonderful idea in my opinion.

Now as long as Ru has me around, she has access to AAC. With the amount of time we spend running, climbing, swimming and scooting, having hands-free AAC is a game changer.

Thank you to my tattoo artist and friend Swaraj for making it beautiful. I’ll share more pics when it’s healed.

04/12/2024

Isn't this so sad? Feels pretty ableist too.

27/11/2024

12/11/2024

So much to say about this post. Thank you Perth Children's Occupational Therapy and very well put.

Asking a parent to stay calm and regulated while their child is dysregulated is like asking them to forget their entire emotional history in that moment.

Our responses to children’s feelings have been socially and culturally conditioned. When we get frustrated with our children's emotions, it's often because our own emotional experiences were shaped by how our parents responded to us when we were young. If our feelings were dismissed, ignored, or met with frustration, we might have internalised the belief that emotions—especially big or messy ones—are something to be avoided or “fixed.” These responses are often passed down through generations, ingrained in adults as they become parents themselves. So, when our child is experiencing big feelings, we might find ourselves reacting in ways that mirror the frustration we experienced growing up—because it feels familiar, even if it’s not helpful.

That’s why it’s so important we give ourselves grace when struggling to stay regulated in the face of our children’s feelings. I talk a lot about co-regulation, but the truth is, we’re human, and we can only do so much with what we’ve got in the heat of the moment.

You’re doing the best you can 💛