Tears, meltdowns, clinginess…and that’s just the parents! Jokes aside this is a really tough time for lots of little ones. There is a million things you can do but one basic one that gets frequently missed is sleep. Super basic and incredibly important for our ability to emotionally regulate. Any sleep deprived parent will be able to tell of heightened emotions of some sort. Our little ones are absolutely no different. The only difference is they don’t have the maturity to know that one influences the other…plenty of time to work that out!
to edit.

​A number of studies have linked a lack of sleep to anxiety and mood disorders. As science discovers more we have explanations for so many things- sleep loss and irritablilty, teariness, inability to control anger, depression…the list goes on. Some of it is chicken and egg stuff but a good night’s sleep will help regardless.
Here’s a basic idea of how much sleep kids need:

​                      Age                                                                  Recommend hours of sleep
                 2-5 years                                                                           10-13 hours
                 6-13 years                                                                          9-11 hours
                 14-17 years                                                                         8-10 hours

​That is a LOT of sleep! If your 5 year old goes to bed at 8pm then the earliest they should wake is 6 or 7am. Your 8 year old for example, goes to bed at 8.30am and they will be waking at around 6.30am. Don’t forget to account for time to get to sleep. Not all kids fall asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow. I know I’m not the only one with kids that go to the loo 4 times after getting into bed and get up for at least one drink! That can go on for more than an hour…
I’m not telling you this to make you feel guilty. I ask my clients to ditch the mother guilt at the door. This is about knowledge because once we know we can do something about it. Lots of these tips apply to parents as well so pay attention- sleep can become a family project!

​Weirdly, sleep begets sleep. That is the more good quality sleep you have the more you will get. And lots of sleep helps our wee ones regulate their emotions that much better…I’m not going to guarantee no tears but giving your kids the best opportunity to sleep you possibly can is giving them a stable base for the day. 

References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/child-sleep-zzzs/201805/how-much-sleep-are-children-getting
https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/sleep-disorders
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health
http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/mood
https://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/27/sleep-loss-increases-anxiety-especially-among-worriers/56531.html
https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/files/pdfs/Sleep-Needs-Across-Lifespan.pdf
​

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. 
Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Information is generally in nature and nothing said on this website is intended as a diagnosis and should not be taken as such.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​

This is a story I've been meaning to tell for a very long time but with so many people doing something or other regarding spectrum issues I think I just felt...redundant. I've come to the realisation that my story isn't so important but my work is.  The story just gives some background. I like background. It fills in the gaps and adds some colour.

​I very quickly realised that the people I was working with were funny, intelligent and quirky in  away that made them unique. In other words they were human. Nothing more or less. And deserving of the same opportunities as everyone else even if that meant having someone by their side while they did it. They made incredible progress!  Hit some goals they never thought possible. But mostly, they taught me! They taught me so much about people that I have never looked at a human being the same way again. 

​I left Australia after doing this for a couple years and did a stint in an autistic school not far out of London. I was all revved up to do the great work I had been in Australia. Remember things were different 18 years ago! 
​The school must of had over 70 autistic kids of all levels. One child was considered violent and kept in a locked room downstairs, another would lie on the floor all day while workers stepped over him and the classrooms were a mix of high functioning to profoundly autistic which made the teachers task impossible. Classes of about 12 with one extra worker (me) but only sometimes. Learning of zero for all but the high functioning and they were bored and restless most of the time. They were all bored and restless.
My heart broke and I walked away thinking if this is the future for our spectrum kids I want nothing to do with it. 

​These polar experiences have stuck with me. And now I find myself working in natural health and seeing autistic kids in a different capacity. Things are so different now! So many more are being diagnosed. More than just the far end of the spectrum with the stereotypical rocking. We're truly seeing a spectrum! And the colours are bright!

Here's my take. Autism is not something to be fixed. Autism is a gift. Cliched I know and for the parents it can feel like anything but a gift. And....what a messed up gift!  There is clarity and directness. Autistic people hold us at our word pushing our communication to be clear as crystal. The way they see the world and its problems is totally out of the box. We need to take their ideas and thoughts on board!
And then there is the anxiety, sensory difficulties, food issues, the difficulty with communication, the difficulty of being in a world set up for the neuro-typical when you are neuro-divergent.
​Divergent. It is such a great word. A word always makes me think of a line in a Robert Frost poem ' I took the road less travelled by'. That's divergent to me. I can help clear the road, make the trip easier but the road is the same.

And that's how I truly feel about ASD. It's just the road less travelled. 

​Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. 
Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation. 
Nothing said on this website is intended as a diagnosis and should not be taken as such.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​​

      My last blog was all about my story with ASD but I think what you really want to know is how I can help your child. That's what I would want to know! Straight up, I don't believe ASD is something to be fixed or altered. I do believe it's a gift but gifts can come with all kinds of baggage and conditions. This is no different. It's the baggage I'm interested in shifting.
     My practice uses homeopathy and nutrition to support adults and children through a myriad of issues. You don't need a diagnosis to see me. I work on the big picture regardless of what diagnosis people come with. A diagnosis might help by leading  my questions, giving me an idea of what symptoms to ask about or even give me a little insight into what you're going through but it doesn't enter my prescribing. I prescribe on the person, on the bigger picture and the presenting symptoms. 
     For ASD it works like this. I know ASD kids may have sensory issues, anxiety, stimming, difficulty communicating and making eye contact. They may feel better for having a heavy weight on them, they might prefer certain foods or textures. Sometimes they are fixated on certain things. Most likely there is gut issues. But because every single ASD child or adult presents so differently (just like neurotypical people) I treat them like an individual and look for the patterns indicating certain remedies. 
     The aim is to make life easier, calmer and improve quality of life. Isn't that what we all want? 
           
​             In short, I treat clients with ASD exactly the same as all my others- as individuals! 

Lets look at the most common questions I get asked! 
Q. Can homeopathy cure ASD? 

• No. This is not a condition that requires a 'cure' nor are they curable.

Q. Can homeopathy help my ASD child? 

• Homeopathy is used traditionally to treat the whole person. Those with ASD are absolutely no different. Remedies prescribed take into account fears, anxiety, sensations, food desires and a whole host of things you can tell me about your child.  For example, if your ASD child is especially fearful or anxious homeopathy has many remedies that are traditionally used for these things. 

Q. How soon before I can see results? 

• Some things take time to shift but you may notice some changes very quickly. We're all different and respond differently to different remedies. 

Q. Will homeopathy get my child talking, walking etc? 

• Honestly, I don't know. These are very, very big ticket items. I just don't know.  

Q. Can homeopathy help with heavy metals?  

• We can do a hair test to identify which metals are an issue.  We certainly have remedies traditionally used in homeopathy for the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity. 

Q. Do I need to test? 

• I usually recommend we do some testing if possible. Some base levels are really useful and it's very useful to see if children have any genetic variations that might alter the way they absorb certain nutrients. Some children can't be tested (sensory issues etc) and that makes no difference to homeopathic treatment. 

Q. Can you detox substances from my child?

• If we can pinpoint a time that you saw profound changes in your child we can look at traditionally used homeopathics to address the particular symptoms you are seeing taking into account what was happening at the time. 

This blog is probably a little less warm and fuzzy than my normal stuff. I'm still warm and fuzzy (promise) but this demanded a different tone. 
Know that I am here, ready to work with you and your family when the time is right. It would be an honour and a privileged to be part of the team you choose to support your child. 

With love in my heart and a mind wide open I wish you peace.