Resources for parents

Resources for parents with ADHD and ASD

These cover a wide range of symptoms and troubles you may have and may help you and your family.

Parents may wish to consider engaging in local support groups such as Lincolnshire Autistic Society or PACCT. Additional information regarding autism can be found on the National Autistic Society Website: https://www.autism.org.uk/ . Parents can also utilise The National Autistic Society Parent to Parent Helpline: 0808 800 4106.

Sleep Strategies

1. Ensure no screen time for one hour before bed. May have to stretch to two hours, if one hour is not effective. This includes removing any use of electronic gadgets, such as phones, gaming devices, tablets/iPad or watching television.
2. In the last hour before bed time introduce relaxing activities ie. Reading; Listening to music/audiobooks or the Radio; Writing; Drawing; Mindfulness activities; Yoga.
3. Make a night time box with evening entertainment for wind down time; crafts and colouring, lego, jewellery making, mechano, board games, reading or game of cards.
4. Introduce supper one hour before going to bed. Using “sleepy” foods such as: Porridge; Bananas; Low Sugar Cereals; Yoghurt; Cheese; Chicken; Turkey; Cherries; Almonds; Fish; Lettuce. Avoid chocolate, sweets and sugary or caffeine based drinks. Encourage Milk or water before bed.
5. Make sure that the bedroom is not too hot and is cool, dark and comfortable with not too much bedding. Use black out blinds and only use very low lighting if scared of the dark.
6. Consider using background noise to play through the night – ‘white noise’ or a fan or relaxing radio station playing.
7. Once laid in bed to remain in bed- allow a fidget toy if need to be kept busy in bed/ weighted blanket if sensory support is needed and soft bedding/large pillow to cuddle up to. Replace a weighted blanket with a weighted sheet during summer months.
8. Remove all toys or electronics from bedroom if getting out of bed to play on them.
9. Consider body rolling or body brushing before bed to help reduce anxiety before sleep.
10. Ensure adequate “worry time” in the day to talk about any worries or concerns they may have.
11. Praise good sleep.
12. Ensure sleep routine is the same every night.
13. Ensure that daily physical exercise is included in the routine.
14. Keep a sleep diary to check on progress.

Advice for parents

If your child has very aggressive behaviour and is danger to themselves or people around them or they are self-harming or expressing suicidal thoughts, then you need to take your child/young person to A&E for emergency evaluation. They can ask the on call CAMHS Team to assess them.

General concerns relating to childhood anxiety and emotional difficulties, including Motor Tics and Tourettes please see information on www.chums.uk.com this is a Mental Health and Emotional wellbeing service.

You may also find it useful to look on the following websites.

www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/emotionalwellbeing.

www.lpft.nhs.uk/young-people/lincolnshire/home

www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk

www.youngminds.org.uk.

You can contact Family support services at [email protected]

Support for sleep difficulties can be found at The Sleep Charity, [email protected] or phone 01302 751416

For sensory concerns and any food related sensory issues you might find it helpful to watch the YouTube video – ‘Can you make it to the end’ produced by the National autistic society. Or you can email [email protected]  for information regarding a sensory management online workshop. Or visit the website www.sensoryintegration.org.uk

Post adoption support is available at [email protected]

Counselling is available at www.casy.org.uk, phone number 01636 704620, the “Don’t Lose Hope” Charity http://dontlosehope.co.uk , or www.Kooth.com for adolescents behaviour support.

Other sources of support/information:

1. Healthy Minds.
   • 0800 234 6342 or 01522 309777

2. Lincoln Trauma Counselling
   • 07725 340626
   • lincolntraumacentre.org.uk

3. Domestic abuse services
   • EDAN – 01522 510041 or [email protected]
   • Website – edanlincs.org.uk

4. LINCOLNSHIRE BEHAVIOUR OUTREACH SUPPORT SERVICE
   • [email protected]
   • 01522 684769
   • youngminds.org.uk

5. What is an Educational Health Care plan

www.lincseducation.co.uk

8. LIAISE – Lincolnshire Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service
   • Telephone 0800 195 1635
   • E-mail [email protected]
9. Steps to Change
   • 0303 123 4000
   • http://www.lpft.nhs.uk/steps2change. Email: [email protected].
   • https://www.facebook.com/parentingmentalhealth/
10. Local Offer website

https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/homepage/131/send-local-offer

 Early Support and Care Coordination Lincolnshire

01522 782111

 ADHD support/information

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG87

www.adhdandyou.co.uk

www.adhdfoundation.org.uk

www.addiss.co.uk

Lincoln ADHD parents support group- 01522 508373, email to [email protected]

11. ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) support/information

Working team together 01775840250 [email protected]

Lincolnshire Autistic society: http://lincolnshireautisticsociety.org.uk/

Lincolnshire Autism Partnership Board: https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/labp

Rainbow stars support group. Based in Sleaford. 07742802490

Lincolnshire Autistic Society Champion 01775 821213

National Autistic Society UK  www.autism.org.uk

Child Autism UK 01344 882248

12. Lincolnshire Childrens’ Services- Early Help/TAC/CIN/Safeguarding concerns

01522 782111

13. THE CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR FOUNDATION

www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk or on 0300 666 0126

14. [email protected] How to manage difficult behaviour with help line and email contact.
15. pegsupport.co.uk Parents who are being physically and emotionally abused by their children.

17. Developmental coordination Difficulty- https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/helpline
18. STAMMERING- https://stamma.org/get-support/parents

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Kingfisher team