Once again, I’m happy to be
involved in R.J. Scott’s autism awareness blog hop. This year’s topic is
childhood toys. Here’s a fact about autism.
Everyone is a bit autistic =
myth. While everyone might recognise some autistic traits or behaviours in
people they know, to be diagnosed with autism, a person must consistently
display behaviours across all the different areas of the condition. Just having
a fondness for routines, a good memory or being shy doesn’t make a person 'a
bit autistic'.
Childhood Toys
I grew up in the late 1960s
through the 1970s in a time before computers existed. We didn’t play with
anything that made a noise except the odd beep. I loved board games like
Scrabble, Cluedo, Monopoly and Mousetrap. I still own examples of all of these
except Mousetrap. Probably my favourite toy was Spirograph where you used
shapes and coloured pens to make pretty patterns. I was never one for dolls,
but I loved my teddies. One toy my brother and I didn’t get was Lego, but when
I was older and went babysitting, it was a joy to play with the blocks the
children had. I think I loved making things more than they did. I look at what
can be built with Lego today with some envy. I’d have loved Star Wars models
made of blocks.
When given the topic of toys to
write about, I did some research. Children with autism find dealing with
sensory overload problematic, be it sound or vision. Modern day games can be
overwhelming with the noise and flashing images. The National Autistic Society
describes the issue.
Sometimes an autistic person may behave
in a way that you wouldn't immediately link to sensory sensitivities. A person
who struggles to deal with everyday sensory information can experience sensory
overload, or information overload. Too much information can cause stress,
anxiety, and possibly physical pain. This can result in withdrawal, challenging
behaviour or meltdown.
The NAS also suggests a list
of toys, games and books parents with children on the autistic spectrum have
found popular with younger children. You can find this list here https://www.autism.org.uk/about/family-life/toys-books-play.aspx
Examples include bubble machines, colouring, jigsaws,
Lego, train sets, board books and games that can be played with others like
Connect Four, Snap and Chess. As a child these were all things I did and loved,
and the list may help you think of what to buy.
The Autism blog master post can be found here
Two for the Road
My latest book is an age gap mm romance set in Lancashire.
Here’s the blurb.
Sometimes
you need to listen to your heart, not your head.
As a
teenager, Dylan Hargreaves fell in lust with a man who had been his father’s
childhood friend. On his return from university, Dylan is surprised to discover
Riley Ormerod is now back living in their small Lancashire village. All Dylan
needs to do now is find a way to bring himself and Riley together.
Giving a
lift to Dylan Hargreaves is the price Riley is willing to pay to recover his
friendship with Dylan’s father. After living in London for twenty years, Riley
came home a year ago to escape heartbreak and take care of his dying father.
Here, no one knows his secrets.
With Dylan
determined to discover more about Riley, and Riley finding himself drawn to
this intriguing young man, can they find what they need in each other? And if
they do, will they be able to overcome Riley’s doubts and the attempts of
others to tear them apart?
GIVEAWAY – I’ll gift an e-copy of Two for the Road to someone chosen who comments on their favourite
childhood toy below.
Charity
There are so many very worthwhile
charities in desperate need of money it is almost impossible to pick one over
the other, so, I decided to highlight RJ’s chosen charity, Lindengate. This is
a mental health charity that works with autistic children and can be found
here: https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/lindengate
