Author Archives: Jeanette

I was recently asked to submit some answers to questions posed by a magazine, the questions really made me think and I’ve decided to replicate my answers below. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished article and hope it helps with both raising autism awareness and acceptance. Here goes: 1/ About your daughter (name, age), when she was diagnosed with autism and how it affects her everyday life My daughter is referred to as “D” as I prefer to protect her identify a bit. People may wonder why I publish photos in that case, but I use them to demonstrate Read More →

I look at D and I worry for her future. In an ideal world she’d spend her preparation for adult life in the family home, find a partner, get married etc. In reality, as much as I’d like to envisage that, I can’t see it happening. Which is why this news story has concerned me “Disabled people “could be forgotten” amid social care reform”, click <a href=”http://t.co/BiF8uMAz”>here</a> to read the story. A quote from the story “nearly 40% were failing to get enough help to ensure their basic needs, including eating properly, washing and dressing were met.” As D’s mum, Read More →

My email got hacked overnight and since 4am this morning I’ve been receiving messages of non-delivery - the first indication I’d been hacked. I never click on dodgy-looking links in DMs or emails, a regular amount of email goes to “Junk” and “Junk” it indeed is: banks I don’t bank with telling me to click on the link and verify my details, “diplomats” or “secret agents” asking if I’d receive some money for them; diet pills (oi!) and links to photos apparently taken of me. Delete delete delete. But, despite all this, someone managed to hack my email at 2.18am Read More →

Sometimes an article is published that you read and think “did anyone actually research this properly?” and “oh dear, this really isn’t going to help”. Yesterday was such a time. An article published by BBC Health <a href=”http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21029593″>Children may “outgrow” Autism</a>. (Click on the <a href=”http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21029593″>link</a> to read) but below is a sample from the article: “While not conclusive, the study, in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, suggests some children might possibly outgrow autism. But experts urge caution. Much more work is needed to find out what might explain the findings. Dr Deborah Fein and her team at Read More →

This title is borrowed from the motif on one of D’s t-shirts (my beautiful daughter who just happens to have autism). Music plays a big part in my life, always has done. From my teenage years spent taping the Top 40 on Sunday nights, editing out the DJs monologue and the weekly ritual of TOTP, waiting to see your favourite group - albeit miming - secretly wanting to be in the audience but knowing that the waiting list for tickets was YEARS long! The school discos, the song you have your first “snog” to, the song that will always remind Read More →

I don’t watch a great deal of “Reality TV”, I have so much else going on in my life being a wife, a <a href=”http://www.autismmumma.com/”>Mumma</a> and a blogger that at the end of day I like a bit of escapism, whether it’s a book or a good-quality programme on TV. You can always tell when reality programmes are on as twitter is full of strange trends, with various comments being made about the contestants and how they are getting on. I took a greater interest than I would normally in this year’s Celebrity Big Brother as it was reported that Read More →

The <a href=”http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/”>Prince’s Trust</a> charity recently published the results of its <a href=”http://money.aol.co.uk/2013/01/02/jobless-young-feel-depressed/#commentform?”>survey</a> taken from 16-25 year olds in the UK, the main finding being that nearly half of those not in employment, education or training (neets) reported feeling down or depressed. It’s a worrying statistic. Additionally the “neets” reported having no-one to talk to, or confide in. There is an incredible amount of peer pressure amongst young adults these days. Pressure to have the latest phone; to have the latest trainers/clothes; undertaken driving lessons, have downloaded the latest music, have Facebook friends/twitter followers (of course, the latter two examples Read More →