Category: Autism

Autism and Eating: When Food Selectivity Is More Than Picky Eating 

Dinner time in many households with an autistic child follows a script. Same three foods. Same plate. Same corner of the table. Suggest something new and watch the entire evening unravel.  If you are nodding, you are in very good company. Food selectivity in autistic children is one of the most common concerns parents bring to paediatric […]

Why Does My Child Know What to Do but Still Struggle to Do It? Understanding Executive Function 

Here is something that will sound familiar. You have told your child three times to put their shoes on. They heard you. They nodded. They genuinely intend to do it. And yet, four minutes later, they are sitting on the floor arranging their shoelaces into a pattern, shoes still decidedly not on their feet.  This […]

Questions Parents Should Ask During an Autism Assessment 

This blog is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Every child is different and individual circumstances vary. Please consult a qualified medical practitioner about your child’s specific needs before making any healthcare decisions.  Walking into an autism assessment can feel like a lot. You have probably spent weeks, maybe months, getting to […]

Late Talking vs Autism: When Should Parents Be Concerned? 

Your child is two years old and still not saying much. Maybe a handful of words, maybe none at all. Everyone around you has an opinion. Your mother says Einstein did not talk until he was four.

What Is Level 1, 2, and 3 Autism? A Simple Guide for Parents 

So your child has just been diagnosed with autism, or you are somewhere in the assessment process, and someone has mentioned “Levels.” Maybe it came up in a report. Maybe another parent mentioned it.

What Happens If Developmental Delays Are Ignored? 

A lot of parents sit with concerns for longer than they should. Not because they do not care, but because they are hoping things will even out. Because someone told them boys are late talkers. Because their own mother said they were just like this at that age and turned out fine. Because making the […]

What Is Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)? A Parent-Friendly Guide 

Every child pushes back sometimes. Arguing about screen time, refusing to do homework, testing boundaries at bedtime. That is normal. But for some children, the defiance is more pervasive, more intense, and more consistent than typical childhood behaviour. And for their families, daily life can feel like an exhausting negotiation that never quite resolves.  If […]

Anxiety in Kids Is Rising – Here’s What Parents Should Know 

Your daughter has started complaining of a stomachache every Monday morning. Your son refuses to go to birthday parties he would have happily attended last year. Bedtime has become a drawn-out process of reassurance, with the same worries circling again and again.  Anxiety in children is something paediatricians across Australia are seeing more of, and more acutely, than […]

Sensory Processing Issues: Why Your Child Hates Certain Sounds or Clothes 

Getting your child dressed in the morning has become a battle. The seams in their socks are unbearable. The tag in their shirt has to come out before they will even consider putting it on. Loud environments send them into meltdown. Meanwhile, their sibling seems completely unfazed by all of it.  If this sounds like your household, […]

Masking in Autism: Why Some Kids Go Undiagnosed 

She sits quietly in class, follows instructions, and gets along well with her peers. At home, though, it is a different story. By the time she walks through the front door, she is exhausted, overwhelmed, and often falls apart over something small. Her parents sense something is off, but every professional they have spoken to says she […]