Sensory Matters

Would you like to know: How to react when someone tics? What a tic feels like? How to help your children with Tourette's? What a person with Tourette's wishes you knew? How Chewigems can help with Tourette's? Then check out this podcast where Loz chats to Ella a 15-year-old with Tourette's and her amazing mum Wendy.

Would You Like To Know?

Loz chats with Riko to find out what it actually means to be A Gender, A Sexual & A Romantic. We find out how we can support people who are and what it feels like to live in a binary world.  Riko gives some great tips on what to do if you are questioning your sexuality and tips for using neo/non binary pronouns.  

Loz chats to Em an inspiring young person who has been diagnosed with 2 different types of EDS. Find out more about this invisible disability, how it is diagnosed, what can be done and how you can help someone with EDS. "No other disease in the history of modern medicine has been neglected in such a way as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome" - Professor Rodney Grahame

Loz & Jamie chat about their personal experiences with Special Interests. How important special interests can be, how they help us navigate the world and how to support someone when their special interest finishes.

Loz catches up with Emily from 21 & Sensory and finds out her Christmas Tips.

Jamie and Loz chat about Neurodivergent Head Cannons.

What has Richie been up to during lockdown and what does the future look like for him?

The Sensory Matters Podcast is back with a bang. This week Loz is chatting to Purple Ella about their late ADHD Diagnosis and all the exciting things they have been doing including the "Purple People" group. 

Some things are just more challenging for people with additional needs; one of those things is finances. Whether it's budgeting, understanding money or even just comprehending some of the jargon that the banks use, if you're like me then you find it difficult. This week on the Sensory Matters podcast, we talked to the creators of Neurosapp about how they want to change the system and make finances accessible to everyone -   Find out how you can join in and be part of the revolution in this weeks podcast!

In this One-Off Sensory Matters Episode, we talk to Larrnell and Onikage from the podcast Autistic Delicatessen. Autistic Delicatessen is a podcast run by two autistic people, but unlike most, this podcast is not about Autism, it's about food!   Find out all about what inspired Larrnell and Onikage to create this podcast and all of the fun experiences they've had doing it... Including a musician who makes Gumbo on stage at his concerts!

In this special episode of the podcast, we talk to Lydia who is an autistic freelance journalist about her career and what it's like being Autistic and working in the media and journalism field. Lydia and the Chew Crew (Joel, Lorraine and Jenny) also discuss why it's important to have Autistic voices in the media and how we can encourage them to enter the field! Don't miss out on this fantastic episode!

Travel is stressful for most people, but for Autistic people, it can be even more anxiety-inducing. All the changes in routine, lights, smells and cultures can really have a profound effect on Autistic People. Luckily Koloko and Stella have a solution! Find out how they are revolutionising the travel industry to be more accepting of Autism and SPD and how it can change your life today!

Welcome back to Sensory Matters! The last couple of episodes have covered Autism Awareness and Autism Acceptance. This week we discuss moving passed Autism Acceptance... what comes next? Joel has a theory that he calls "Autism Knowledge" where he discusses that the next step after Acceptance is Autism Knowledge. This is a radical theory about the complete integration of Autistic people into society. Listen to find out how we can achieve that!

What's the difference between Autism Awareness and Autism Acceptance? Why is it important? This is what the Chew Crew discuss during the podcast this week, we discuss the intricacies around the two. Looking at the timelines of both, where they are placed within the community and whether you can have one without the other! We also end up talking about trucks - which is something you don't want to miss trust me!

People talk a lot about Autism Awareness, but its definition can often be murky and unclear. That's why in this week's podcast Lorraine and Joel try to answer the question What's the deal with Autism Awareness? We look at the timeline of where it started, where it is now and where we see it going in the future! We also talk about the best way to get your Autistic child ready for any transitions such as Christmas or packaging changes. So join us as we explore Autism Awareness

With all the focus on the Coronavirus, we bring you a special podcast. Anxiety is high and it’s often hard to follow and understand everything we are being told. We are all in this together and it’s amazing to see society pulling together. Lorraine and Jenny discuss anxiety, mental health and self-isolation and offer some tips to get you through. For more help and support you can join our sensory support group on Facebook.

Sleep is a struggle for many Autistic and SPD people, whether it is getting to sleep or staying asleep. We all know that a good nights sleep is really important to have a productive day and Lorraine and Joel both have experience struggling with sleep. So they have come together to discuss what helps them sleep and give you a guide to sleep so that you can find a way to help your sleep!!

Self-harm is a serious issue that can seriously affect people's mental health. Unfortunately in the past few years, it has become more and more common, and it keeps becoming more common. Luckily some of the Chewigem team have first-hand experience with self-harm and are here to teach you how to spot and help someone who is self-harming. Find out how to spot and help someone with is self-harming now

One of the biggest fears for parents who have children with intellectual disabilities is how to get them into employment. This is an issue that Anthony At Your Service has been able to solve! They employee people with disabilities to make deliveries around their hometown. It is completely customisable to the employee and they can choose what they take and what they don't! They also discuss what employers need to learn about getting people with intellectual disabilities into employment... Are you ready to find out the secret too - Listen Now

Being in a relationship when you struggle with your mental health can be challenging. Your partner might not understand why you do certain things or how to help you, that's why it's important to communicate and tell them about your struggles. This week on the podcast we give you the essential guide to mental health & relationships so we can help you ease the stress. Find out how to manoeuvre relationships with the essential guide to mental health & relationships now

This week on the podcast we talk about whether mental health services are severely letting adults down?  We know that good adult mental health is extremely important, but it can be hard to keep your mental health on track if the support isn't there.  Find out how we feel the government's mental health services are severely letting adults down and what we can do about it! Listen to this podcast to find out where you can get help for your mental health and lots of fantastic tips and tricks to help you keep your mental health at a good level for you.  

We all know that mental health is really important. However, it can be hard to know how to help your child with their mental health, this is because they might not be able to communicate what their mental health struggles feel like. For example, they might have a tummy ache or feel sick, and this can sometimes be a sign of mental health issues and anxiety. That is why we have found the best ways to help your child with their mental health!  Don't miss out on this essential podcast on mental health because it can literally change your life!

This week on the podcast, we have found the communication revolution that you need to hear about!  We are talking about Nawmal - we know you probably haven't heard of it, but you're about to... Find out all about how Nawmal was created and how it adapted to the Autism market! This is the communication revolution that you need to hear about... SO DON'T MISS OUT!

New Year New Me! But sometimes that can be harder than it sounds... This can lead to struggles in mental health. So this year Chewigem is going to help with the new year's mental health revolution! The 2nd Season of the Sensory Matters podcast is focusing on mental health and this first episode will give you lots of tips on how to maintain your mental health through January and the dreaded "Blue Monday". Listen to find out our tips on how to make New Year Resolutions work for you and how to avoid all the mistakes people usually make surrounding them!

With little over a week until Christmas day, we know that many people find it hard, that's why we've created the ultimate Christmas survival tips! While many people enjoy Christmas, they can often find themselves getting into trouble or being stressed. Some people, like Joel, don't enjoy it at all and pretend it doesn't exist. Find out how Joel deals with the season's parties and expectations when he can't stand Christmas! Also find out all about how to manage Dress Codes, food, expectations and most importantly money!

Christmas is a difficult time for most people. In particular, those people on the spectrum or with SPD challenges. The lights all change and the sounds and smells are different, worst of all... there is no warning, it just happens. That's why the chew crew have created some fantastic tips for surviving the festive season this year! Get your fantastic tips for surviving the festive season now

Chris Bonnello is a novelist, writer & ex-teacher. If you listen to this podcast you have probably read or heard of his fantastic book Underdogs. You might also know him from his fantastic Facebook page: Autistic Not Weird! It’s a story about neurodiverse superhero’s who are the only people left to save Britain. Find the synopsis below: One million cloned soldiers. A nation imprisoned. A group of neurodiverse rebels fighting back. Britain as we know it lies destroyed. In the aftermath of the most daring military coup in history, the surviving population is crammed inside giant Citadels, watched over by an army of cloned soldiers. The hope of a nation lies in a tiny number of freedom fighters hidden in the abandoned countryside – most of whom are teenagers who escaped the attack on their special school. Seen by many as no more than misfits and ‘problem children’, this band of fighters could never have imagined the responsibility that now rests on their shoulders. But perhaps this war needs a different kind of hero. After a lifetime of being defined by their weaknesses, the teenagers must learn how to play to their strengths and become the best they can be in a world that has never been on their side. Find out how to be a neurodiverse superhero and how Chris got into writing and becoming the author he is today

This week on the sensory matters show we discuss the question "Does Tv do a good job at autism representation?" Atypical is Joel & Lorraine's favourite show! A Netflix show about an autistic teenager navigating a neurotypical world. We started chatting exclusively about the show but the podcast became more about representation as a whole. Join us as we discuss a whole range of television shows about Autism and discuss which shows we love and which we hate. As we try to answer the question "Does TV do a good job at autism representation". Come join us as we discuss everything sensory now

HAPPY SPD MONTH! This week on the podcast, Lorraine and Jenny are breaking down the 8 senses. This is part of our SPD knowledge pack which will give you lots of tips and tricks on dealing with SPD in your everyday life. In this podcast, we go through each sense and tell you what it feels like being hyper and hypo sensitive to each. As well as what you can do to make living with SPD easier! Come join us breaking down the 8 senses now

Meet Jamie Young, well most of you probably already know them as Lorraine's awesome child. It's been a while since we've heard from them, so it's time for a catch-up! Since our last podcast, Jamie has come out as non-binary and has changed school. Their new academy has something different about it, listen to the podcast to find out. Check out this Episode of the sensory matters to find out what it's like just being Jamie in a world of their own!

This week on the podcast Jenny talks to Aspiecomic - Michael McCreary who gives us an Autistic's Guide To Being Funny! Michael McCreary is a successful Canadian comedian, author and runs a fantastic Facebook page - Aspiecomic. In this podcast, Michael tells us all about his life and how he learned to be funny, as well as giving you tips on how you can be funny too! Michael is a great example of an Autistic person following his dreams and passions and turning them into a reality!

This week is Dyspraxia Awareness week and in this podcast, you will find out everything you NEED to know about Dyspraxia! Dyspraxia is a misunderstood and overlooked condition. Despite 1 in 6 people having it, a lot of people don't know much about it. That's why Joel & Lorraine are talking to Jenny about everything you need to know about Dyspraxia! This is a fantastic episode full of knowledge and tips. It will help you understand Dyspraxic people and what we really go through! Don't forget to check out our Dyspraxia Awareness Pack being released on 15/11/19 for more info!

Confused about Dyslexia? Dyslexia can be an often confusing and misunderstood condition with lots of conflicting information and harmful stereotypes surrounding it. Joel is here to help with the top secrets you HAVE to know about Dyslexia. The clouds will disappear and Dyslexia will be clear as day after listening to this podcast!

We all know how helpful service dogs can be to people with disabilities, but due to lax laws and murky guidelines, people are getting away with using FAKE SERVICE DOGS!   Find out all about this epidemic and how to avoid all the scams looking to get the money out of your pocket in this week's podcast!    

This week on the podcast, Lorraine talks about Autism Passports. Autism Passports are the life-changing you probably haven't heard of. This is an essential document for any Autistic Person or anyone with SPD, it will allow your life to become so much easier and remove a lot of the stress you'll find in daily life! Listen to this podcast to find out all about these life-changing documents and how you can benefit from them! As well as this we talk about Joel's podcast on Autism knowledge and the rise of Autism activists. Stress-Busting Apps & The Disney Princess who helped a meltdown!

This week Jenny and Joel discuss how the lack of autism knowledge is harming the autism community. Autism knowledge is an extension of the struggle to get autism awareness. Bitesize knowledge that is easy for people who are not connected to autism to understand is the key! It also looks at how we can bridge the gap between adapting to live in a neurotypical world and focusing on how to help neurotypicals understand the Autism Community and it's intricacies!  A must-listen for anyone in the Autism community!

This week Lorraine and Jenny talk about how to help autistic people being let down by mental health services. This is a serious issue within our community where a lot of autistic people are being let down by mental health services and not getting the help they need. This is leading to a mental health crisis (as Tom said in last weeks episode). Lorraine and Jenny talk about how to deal with this crisis and the whole stigma surrounding mental health!

Is there a mental health crisis in the autism community? Tom Henely thinks there is. He tells us all about what he thinks is causing it and how we can fix it!   Find Out More In This Week's Podcast!

This week on the podcast, Jenny and Lorraine are discussing how to respond to ignorant comments about Autism. We know that it can be really hard not to get your back up when you hear comments like "Well you don't look autistic" or "You MUST be high functioning".  We decided to have a conversation around this topic to see just what the best way to respond would be. Usually, people say this kind of stuff with the best of intentions so it is really important to take a step back before responding. 

This week Katy talks to us about being on the spectrum and off to university. If you haven't heard, our very own Katy has decided to go to university. Jenny talks to her all about her worries and fears in terms of accommodation, scheduling and workload.  Find out all about Katy's hopes and worries when moving into accommodation, joining clubs, and having to settle into different routines while being on the spectrum and off to university. We wish Katy all the best on her university journey. But she won't be gone from Chewigem completely. so don't worry too much!  

This week Jenny, Lorraine and Katy talk about how to get schools to accept sensory aids. In our community this is a common problem, there tend to be two types of schools. Either school think that sensory aids are a fantastic idea. They are completely on board with the idea of them. Or they are completely against and just say no. If your school is in the latter category, you're probably thinking "how do I get the school to accept sensory aids?" You know your child needs them and will benefit but the school just can't see it. This is where our great episode comes in. Lorraine, Katy and Jenny give you really great tips on getting schools accepting these aids. As well as this, find out all about special interests and how they might not be as simple as you think. Lorraine's diagnosis and the new book hunting craze. This is not an episode to be missed

This week on the Podcast, Lorraine talks about what it's like living in a multigenerational autistic family. Lorraine got her autism diagnosis recently. She talks to us about how her life has changed since then and how she knew. Having a child with Autism and working for Chewigem, she tells us how it helped her realise she was Autistic.  At the same time Lorraine got her autism diagnosis, her son Joe also got his. Which means that only her husband Dean is Neurotypical. Lorraine talks about how it is for him living in a multigenerational autistic family. Giving tips on how he deals with its intricacies. 

This week on the podcast, The Chew Crew go in-depth into everything you need to know about chewing & oral stims. Whether you're curious about what chew is right for you, how to get teachers on board, or how to make sure your child chews the right thing... This podcast is the podcast you need!  They also talk about the best way to deal with the summer heat that is still plaguing the UK and how to cope with sunscreen when you have sensory issues! If you would like to know more about chewing in schools and some great strategies around that why not check out this podcast: https://blog.chewigem.com/chewing-ots-perspective-saskia-grassie/ Don't forget if you need any more support or have any more questions. Why not join our Sensory Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chewigem/

This week Jenny and Lorraine talk about how to deal with the change in the school routine. The end of term can be hard for any child but for people on the spectrum, it's even harder once timetable changes come in. The changes can cause extreme anxiety. Lorraine knows this more than most and gives some great tips to help! Lorraine and Jenny also talk about The Kiss Quotient and the Autism themes that run throughout the book. They also talk about whether listening to songs over and over is an Autism trait.

This week on the podcast, we ask is autism awareness actually harming the community? This came up after an argument Joel made, which said that what we actually need is Autism Knowledge rather than awareness. We also talk about Joseph Redford’s podcast, Lorraine’s big news story and of course, the heat!

This week on the Podcast we ask Joseph Redford "are Autistic Organisations accessible to all autistics?". This leads to a conversation about how to make Autistic organisations accessible to everyone instead of just part of the spectrum. Joseph was diagnosed at 11, before that the doctors thought that he was deaf. But after his diagnosis, he learned to be able to thrive, rather than just survive thanks to the Autism community. Hear all about how Joseph is trying to make an Autistic state and is working on the neurodivergent worker's manifesto. As well as all the other roles he has in the Autism community.

This week on the podcast The Chew Crew ask the question "is the autism community too focused on language?" This comes after a discussion during the SWAN Podcast last week saying how it's ok to admit that you didn't know any better at one point in time. As long as you learn from it. This leads to the discussion of whether it's time to stop worrying so much about the language used around the Autistic Community and focus more on teaching the general public about the nuances of the specific surrounding Autism. As well as this the crew talk about the autism show and what their favourite parts were. 

This week Jenny talks to Catriona from Swan and asks the question, are girls being set up to become self-fulfilling prophecies. SWAN stands for Scottish Women's Autism Network, and as the name suggests, they are a network for Autistic Women based in Scotland but have connections all over the UK and beyond. Catriona talks about how her life was affected by her autism in terms of feeling like her self-esteem was affected when she didn't fit in. One of the areas discussed is the importance placed on making friends in childhood. Catriona says that these efforts could be better placed in honing into autistic people's interests. SWAN has created meetups and online forums for adults and young people on the spectrum that are aimed at support and community. These are run by people on the spectrum themselves.   To find out more about SWAN go here:   Website http://swanscotland.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/swans.scotland/

With cuts to funds. We ask is special education heading towards a cliff edge without a parachute? SEND protests have been happening all over the country over the last few weeks and the chew crew discuss this news story as well as asking is mainstream education really the best option for children? This comes after The Sun published an article about a child being "too autistic for mainstream and not autistic enough for a special school." This is a position Lorraine has found herself in before and gives some great insight too.

This week on the podcast we are talking Autism Pride and what it means to be a proud autistic person. It's an event held across the country during June. This week we talk to Joseph, Kabie and Rachel. They talk about how to be an Autistic Advocate and all about the events. These events are all about inclusion by Autistic people for Autistic people, you are free to do what you like (whether that is to participate or sit further away) and include yourself as much as you want. To find out more about Autistic Pride please follow the link below: Autistic Pride Alliance