Episodes

  • The knotty issue of hair care | Rebecca Huseyin

    The knotty issue of hair care | Rebecca Huseyin
    Feb 18 2026

    Mark is joined by returning guest Rebecca Hussain for a hilarious chat about the perils of trying to introduce any kind of hair care routine to our neurodivergent kids. It’s a knotty issue for loads of Neuroshambolic families - whether it's brushing, washing, cutting it or trying to navigate dreaded nit combs.

    Mark and Rebecca unpick why hair-related stuff can be so dysregulating for our autistic, ADHD or PDA kids - from sensory overwhelm and loss of control, to the irrepressible instinct to run away when someone approaches them with a brush and they're already feeling overwhelmed.

    Rebecca explains her role as night time hair brushing ninja and Mark recounts the horror story of the time he tried to trim India's fringe himself. They also dig into the awkward realities of salons and barbers, the compromises that sometimes (briefly) work, and the grim truth that a lot of so-called “simple” solutions don’t feel simple at all when you’re parenting a child with a PDA profile, ADHD traits, or autism-related sensory sensitivities.

    If you’re after autistic parenting advice that feels human rather than preachy, this one will have you nodding, laughing and cringing in equal measure.

    CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

    00:00:37 - Intro 00:01:07 - Meet the guest: Rebecca Huseyin 00:05:36 - What’s the topic of the week? Hair care 00:08:01 - Haircuts: clippers, salons and pure dread 00:13:16 - Dealing with brushing & knots - night time ninja brushing 00:21:40 - Sensory overload: why hair care causes so much overwhelm 00:25:25 - The drama of washing their hair 00:42:34 - Barbers/hairdressers: trusting a stranger with scissors 00:47:15 - Products, routines and reducing the stakes 00:55:08 - The reason some neurodivergent’s prefer long hair 00:58:10 - The lengths we go to for a haircut 01:03:12 - Not wanting people to notice their hair 01:05:47 - Reliving Mark’s trauma of cutting India’s fringe 01:18:17 - A surprising India haircut success story 01:21:04 - It’s not all rubbish: looking at the Positives 01:22:22 - Neurodiversity Champions 01:26:10 - Tiny Epic Wins 01:31:18 - What the Flip Moments?

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE

    A Boy Less Ordinary (Rebecca’s blog) - https://aboylessordinary.com/

    PDA Society - https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/

    Jem’s Hair brush - https://amzn.eu/d/0dTSItLZ

    India’s hair brush - https://amzn.eu/d/072vd0L6

    India’s coconut scented hair brush - https://amzn.eu/d/05Er65tF

    Nit comb - https://amzn.eu/d/00cSPgcz

    Grappling with Personal Hygiene episode of Neuroshambles - https://neuroshambles.com/episode/grappling-with-personal-hygiene-rebecca-huseyin

    Wash and Go - https://amzn.eu/d/0cmgCDdU

    Danielle Jata-Hall / “PDA Parenting” - https://pdaparenting.com/

    Hairport (Brighton) - https://www.brightonhairport.co.uk/

    EAG Expo, Docklands - https://www.eagexpo.com/

    📣 CONTACT US

    🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com

    📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com

    📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

    🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

    📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

    🎙️ CREDITS

    🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 38 mins
  • Raising SEND kids: the dads’ perspective | Terry Lloyd

    Raising SEND kids: the dads’ perspective | Terry Lloyd
    Feb 4 2026

    Mark Allen is joined by Terry Lloyd for an honest, insightful and humorous chat about what it feels like to parent neurodivergent kids from a dad’s perspective.

    They lift the lid on why dads are always “late to the party” when it comes to recognising neurodivergence, struggling to process what it all means, and figuring out how to show up properly for your family - especially when one parent has already been doing the heavy lifting for ages.

    They also delve into how traditional gender roles can make everything harder, and why guilt, grief and defensiveness can quietly shape how dads respond in the early days. There are also plenty of practical, lived-experience tales about having to unlearn how we were parented, getting on the same page as your co-parent and the challenge of not accidentally becoming the bad cop.

    A must listen for any dads raising autistic, ADHD or PDA kids, as well as any mums interesting in hearing a different perspective of the challenges men face, but often can't articulate.

    ⸻

    CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (ESTIMATED)

    00:00:37 – Intro and what’s coming up 00:01:15 – Meet the Guest: Terry Lloyd 00:04:07 – Topic of the Week: Dads and the neurodivergent parenting journey 00:05:36 – Being late to the party spotting neurodivergence (and why dads often miss it) 00:06:05 – Inheriting breadwinner v caregiver roles, and the mental load gap 00:10:47 – When your co-parent says “something’s different” 00:17:03 – Labels, diagnosis, and why denial delays support 00:25:21 – The provider/disciplinarian stereotype (and how it backfires) 00:32:07 – How our own upbringing can influence dads' approach to parenting 00:36:52 – PDA, control, and why authority dynamics don't work 00:48:34 – Before diagnosis: doubt, uncertainty, and needing clarity 00:51:20 – Grief, shame, and the emotional weight of realising your child is neurodivergent 00:55:40 – The importance of finding other dads in the same boat 01:00:07 – Learning the hard way (books and resources that helped) 01:09:54 – Advice for dads needing to get more hands-on 01:21:08 – It’s Not All Rubbish: Finding the positives 01:24:59 – Neurodiversity Champions 01:27:57 – Tiny Epic Wins 01:29:49 – What the Flip Moments 01:34:52 – Outro (how to share your stories, links to the socials and wrap-up)

    ⸻

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE

    Neuroshambles website – https://www.neuroshambles.com

    The Journey into SEND Fatherhood (book Mark and Terry contributed to) - https://amzn.eu/d/03g3S0J7

    The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene (book) - https://amzn.eu/d/0az7Uy7e

    SEND Dads Drop In (Facebook group) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/3100788930061466

    PDA Father Figures (Facebook group) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/809973900027348

    Lisa Lloyd (@asd_with_a_g_and_t) - https://linktr.ee/ASDwithagandt

    Raising the SEN-Betweeners by Lisa Lloyd (book) - https://amzn.eu/d/01pvrF2f

    SAA Clothing (sensory-friendly clothing) - https://www.saaclothing.com/

    Let Us Learn Too (parent/carer education campaign) - https://letuslearntoo.wordpress.com/

    Amaze Sussex dads support group (run by Darren Walker) - https://amazesussex.org.uk/events/dads-group-east-sussex/

    ⸻

    📣 CONTACT NEUROSHAMBLES 🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com 📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

    ⸻

    🎙️ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • How broken is the healthcare system? | Dr Lucy Pocock

    How broken is the healthcare system? | Dr Lucy Pocock
    Jan 21 2026
    Episode 50 of this neurodivergent parenting podcast takes a clear, practical look at how families in the UK end up navigating the healthcare system when they suspect their child might be autistic and/or ADHD. Mark is joined by Lucy Pocock, a registered GP and parent of a neurodivergent child, as they pull back the curtain and take a deep dive into how the system works (and why it so often doesn’t). They talk through the routes families are typically funnelled into when they’re seeking support: school evidence, GP involvement, referrals, and the confusing reality that the pathway can look completely different depending on where you live. It’s the sort of honest, informative discussion many families of autistic, ADHD and PDA kids wish existed when they first started asking questions. Mark and Lucy also unpack what happens once ADHD enters the mix - including medication pathways, titration, prescribing delays, and the complexities of shared care. Lucy explains why bottlenecks happen, what GPs can and can’t do, and how those constraints land on families already stretched to breaking point. Along the way, the conversation touches on demand-avoidant (PDA) profiles, why some parents go private, and what families can realistically expect when it comes to letters and evidence for things like EHCP and DLA. It’s the kind of candid, good humoured and insightful chat that this neurodivergency parenting podcast is known for. CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (ESTIMATED) 00:00:37 - Episode 50 intro 00:01:20 - Meet the Guest (Lucy Pocock) 00:03:07 - Topic of the Week – UK healthcare and ND referrals (the two main routes) 00:09:23 - The postcode lottery, delays, and mismatched pathways 00:17:42 - ADHD medication: shared care, titration, and why CAMHS take so long 00:27:31 - Lucy's journey with her own PDA son's diagnosis as a GP 00:34:00 - Training: Oliver McGowan and the impact within the NHS 00:37:15 - How much neurodiversity scepticism is there within the healthcare system? 00:42:00 - What can you do if your GP is not informed about neurodiversity? 00:46:15 - Are there really parents trying to take advantage of the system? 00:56:00 - What support can we ask for from our GP that we don't know about? 00:59:45 - Could GP's relieve some of the burden from CAMHS? 01:04:30 - GP limitations on prescribing drugs: melatonin and anti-depressants 01:07:00 - Shared care, Right to Choose and commissioning constraints 01:10:45 - Is the system broken? Why is support for neurodivergency such a postcode lottery? 01:20:30 - How can we fix the flaws in the healthcare system? 01:27:00 - Looking at the positives 01:30:03 - Neurodiversity Champions 01:32:27 - Tiny Epic Wins 01:35:26 - What the Flip Moments LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE Shared care - https://www.wessexlmcs.com/guidance/understanding-shared-care-nhs-right-to-choose-and-private-providers/ Right to choose - https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/ CAMHS - https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/your-guide-to-support/guide-to-camhs/ Oliver McGowan training - https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/learning-disability/current-projects/oliver-mcgowan-mandatory-training-learning-disability-autism FII (Fabricated and Induced Illness) - https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/fabricated-or-induced-illness/overview/ Neuroshambles: Medicating our children | Danielle Jata-Hall - https://neuroshambles.com/episode/medicating-our-children-danielle-jata-hall Melatonin - https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/ Neuroshambles: The Bumpy Road to Diagnosis | Tam - https://neuroshambles.com/episode/the-bumpy-road-to-diagnosis-tam Murmuration Community, Bristol - https://www.murmurationcommunitytherapy.com/ Incredible Kids, Bristol - https://incrediblekids.org.uk/ CONTACT NEUROSHAMBLES 🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com 📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • School: The Primary Years | Grace Lockrobin

    School: The Primary Years | Grace Lockrobin
    Jan 7 2026

    If you’ve ever felt like Key Stage 2 at school was when it all got harder - not only for your neurodivergent child, but also for you as a parent - this is the episode for you. Mark is joined by philosophy educator and fellow Neuroshambler Grace Lockrobin for a cathartic look at the ages of 7-11, which is where the wheels can start to wobble more for our autistic, ADHD or PDA kids.

    Together, they unpack the pressures of conformity, the nightmare of homework and the heartbreak of parents evenings. From school trips and transitions to SATs and navigating playground politics, they shine a light on why this age can be so tough - and why the system often gets it wrong.

    It’s warm, witty, and full of the kind of honesty that makes you feel just a little less alone when your child doesn’t quite fit the mould.

    If you’re searching for an autism parenting podcast or ADHD parenting podcast that actually reflects the messy, hilarious, heartbreaking truth of raising neurodivergent children, you're in the right place.

    ⸻

    CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

    00:00 - Intro and meet the guest

    03:30 - What’s changed since we last spoke

    05:50 - Intro to topic of the week

    23:00 - The challenges of the shift in KS2 teaching style

    10:00 - Misguided attempts to get them to "catch up"

    13:00 - The role that transitions play in these difficulties

    22:15 - Social cliques and friendship dynamics

    35:15 - Bullying

    43:00 - The difficulty of parents’ evenings

    57:15 - Homework nightmares

    1:00:40 - The unhelpful pressure of SATs

    1:06:25 - School trips

    1:12:10 - It's not all rubbish: looking at the positives

    1:24:15 - Neurodiversity Champions

    1:27:45 - Tiny Epic Wins

    1:30:00 - “What the Flip?” Moments

    1:33:50 - Wrap-up and where to find us

    ⸻

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

    SATs - https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/05/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sats/

    Karate Zone - https://karatezone.com/

    PDA Society - https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/

    ⸻

    CONTACT US

    🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com

    📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com

    📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

    🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

    📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

    🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

    ⸻

    CREDITS

    🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • How autistic is your child? | Kieran Rose

    How autistic is your child? | Kieran Rose
    Dec 3 2025
    What do we mean when we describe someone as “severely autistic”? Why is it so hard to explain what being autistic actually means? And how useful (or harmful) are terms like high-functioning, low-functioning, profound autism, or even Asperger’s? Kieran Rose returns for a deep dive into the language we use to describe autism - and why it often does more harm than good. He and Mark explore the flaws in functioning labels, the dangers of ranking autistic traits, and how trying to quantify someone’s autism usually misses the point. In a wide-ranging and compassionate chat, Mark and Kieran explore how complex, deeply personal and often contradictory this topic is - both for parents and for autistic people themselves. What starts as a provocative question ends up as a fascinating conversation about diagnosis, co-occurring conditions, identity, education, eugenics, power, and prejudice. A powerful, enlightening and empowering episode - a must-listen for anyone parenting autistic kids who’s ever felt under pressure to explain, justify or minimise their child’s neurodivergence. 📍 CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated): 00:00 - Intro: Meet Kieran Rose 04:30 - Life in a Fully Neurodivergent Household 08:00 - Topic of the Week: How Autistic Is Your Child? 12:00 - Labels, Bias, and the Stigma Around Autism 18:00 - High vs Low Functioning: Where It Comes From 23:00 - What Even Is Autism? 28:30 - The Flawed Legacy of Asperger’s 35:00 - Identity vs Diagnosis 42:00 - DSM-5 Levels of Autism: Why They Don’t Work 49:00 - Profound Autism and The New York Times Article 55:00 - A Counterpoint: The Voices We Don’t Hear 1:00:00 - Co-occurring Conditions and the Real Source of Needs 1:07:00 - Clinical Labels vs Lived Experience 1:14:00 - Mark’s Imposter Syndrome as an Autism Parent 1:18:00 - What’s the Alternative? 1:23:00 - Final Thoughts: Humanising, Not Diagnosing 1:27:00 - Neurodiversity Champions 1:33:00 - Tiny Epic Wins 1:39:00 - “What the Flip?” Moments 1:43:00 - Wrap-up & Where to Find Us 🔗 LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE: Kieran Rose website - https://theautisticadvocate.com/ Eugenics - https://www.newscientist.com/definition/eugenics/ Asperger Syndrome - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism/the-history-of-autism/asperger-syndrome Hans Asperger - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Asperger Lorna Wing - https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/news/lorna-wing-an-autism-hero DSM-5 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5 PDF Download of DSM-5 - https://ia800707.us.archive.org/15/items/info_munsha_DSM5/DSM-5.pdf New York Times article: The Autism Spectrum Is Too Broad - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/opinion/autism-diagnosis-category-stigma.html Greta Thunberg - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49918719 What is monotropism? - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism Ehlers Danlos Syndromes - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/ Communication First - https://communicationfirst.org/ Autism Central - https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/ Kieran Rose Animated Guide to Monotropism - https://youtu.be/qUFDAevkd3E?si=diwlbe4AHRcxfjQF Kieran Rose Animated Guide to The Double Empathy Problem - https://youtu.be/qpXwYD9bGyU?si=7bnGR2UsrCgLa_hL KIERAN'S HOMEWORK Kieran Rose Blog: Autism, it’s Labels and the Language of Pathologising Rhetoric - https://theautisticadvocate.com/autism-its-labels-and-the-language-of-pathologising-rhetoric/ Sunday Times article: Extra time in exams ‘unhealthy’ for children with ADHD and autism - https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/extra-time-exams-unhealthy-children-adhd-autism-k820s56zh TES magazine article: Sami Timimi: Why ‘invented’ SEND labels are disabling pupils - https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/sami-timimi-interview-problems-with-send-diagnosis-adhd-autism Yahoo News: Badenoch says motability cars not for people with ADHD - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/badenoch-motability-cars-not-people-135341300.html?guccounter=1 📣 CONTACT US 🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com 📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles 🎙️ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 55 mins
  • Kids refusing medical help | Michelle Parton

    Kids refusing medical help | Michelle Parton
    Nov 19 2025

    Why won’t our neurodivergent kids just take the bloody Calpol? Michelle Parton joins mark to explore the baffling and emotionally loaded issue of kids who resist medical help.

    Mark and Michelle swap tales of their kids’ iron-willed resistance to all forms of treatment - even when they’re clearly in pain, bleeding, or itching uncontrollably. Together, they explore the many reasons this might be happening - from sensory issues and PDA to past trauma, masking, and a fundamental lack of trust in strangers in latex gloves.

    It’s funny, cathartic, at times heartbreaking - definitely one for any parent of autistic, ADHD or PDA kids who have ever tried (and failed) to put a plaster on their dysregulated child before they bleed out!

    ⸻

    CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

    00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Michelle Parton

    03:00 – Topic of the Week: Refusing Medical Help

    08:00 – Kids hiding injuries

    13:00 – Dysregulation about the prospect of going to the doctor

    17:30 – Trust issues with medical professionals

    23:00 – Lyme disease and the unholy nightmare of blood tests

    29:00 – Trying to administer medication

    35:00 – The impact of sensory overwhelm: Plasters, creams & the taste of medication

    42:00 – The added complication with PDA kids

    47:00 – The role that masking might play

    54:00 – How alexithymia and interoception can influence things

    59:00 – The impact of past traumatic experiences

    1:04:00 – The positives

    1:06:00 – Neurodiversity Champions

    1:10:00 – Tiny Epic Wins

    1:14:00 – “What the Flip?” moments

    1:18:00 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Us

    ⸻

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

    Lyme Disease - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

    Alexithymia - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4ky5qgrlpo

    Interoception - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/interoception-wellbeing

    Beyond Creative Education - https://www.beyondcreativeeducation.org.uk/

    ⸻

    CONTACT US

    🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com

    📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com

    📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

    🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

    📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

    🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

    ⸻

    CREDITS

    🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Difficulty with transitions - Part 2 | Pete Wharmby

    Difficulty with transitions - Part 2 | Pete Wharmby
    Nov 5 2025

    In part two of this deep dive into transitions, Mark reunites with Pete Wharmby to look at more reasons they can cause such a monumental challenge for autistic, ADHD and PDA kids (and adults).

    From difficulties pulling our kids away from screen-time and replacing a broken fridge, to the regular flashpoint of brushing teeth, Mark and Pete share real-life strategies that can make these transitions more manageable - or at the very least a bit more fun.

    Pete shares what he wishes more teachers understood, and Mark reflects on how small wins in transition can change the whole feel of a day.

    Essential for any parent of neurodivergent kids who has ever said “we need to leave now”… and regretted it instantly.

    ⸻

    CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

    00:00 - Welcome back and reintroducing Pete Wharmby

    02:30 - Recap of what we covered in episode 45 and why transitions affect all neurodivergent kids

    06:10 - Screen time, flow states and Pete's oil tanker analogy

    16:45 - The role that monotropism plays in transitions

    27:00 - Strategies: lead-In Times, choice and routines

    36:40 - Understanding how PDA affects transitions and why it’s not just defiance

    46:00 - Strategies for control-driven transitions (e.g. declarative language)

    55:30 - Difficulty throwing stuff away: fridges, crocs and clinging to familiarity

    1:04:30 - Schools as the perfect storm of transitional triggers

    1:15:20 - The positives

    1:18:00 - Neurodiversity Champions

    1:20:40 - Tiny Epic Wins

    1:23:15 - "What the flip?" moments

    1:26:00 - Wrap-up and thanks

    ⸻

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

    Pete Wharmby website - https://petewharmby.com/

    Untypical by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/8gGK6v4

    What I Want to Talk About, by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/6tY0kZQ

    What is monotropism? - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism

    Last One Laughing - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOL:_Last_One_Laughing_UK

    Ausome Training, Cothu course - https://ausometraining.com/cothu-with-pete-wharmby

    Declarative language - https://lifeskillsadvocate.com/blog/declarative-language-for-neurodivergent-communicators/

    Anna Freud - https://www.annafreud.org/

    Georgia Pavlopoulou (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-georgia-pavlopoulou-651a042a

    Neuro Nook Storytime - https://www.neuronookstorytime.com/

    Bedknobs and Broomsticks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedknobs_and_Broomsticks

    Silksong - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_Knight:_Silksong

    ⸻

    CONTACT US

    🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com

    📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com

    📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

    🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

    📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

    🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

    ⸻

    CREDITS

    🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay
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    1 hr and 36 mins
  • Difficulty with transitions - Part 1 | Pete Wharmby

    Difficulty with transitions - Part 1 | Pete Wharmby
    Oct 22 2025

    This episode of Neuroshambles, will resonate will all parents of neurodivergent kids, as Mark discusses difficulties with transition with the wonderful autism advocate, Pete Wharmby. Together, they delve into the messy, stressful, and often misunderstood world of transitions – from seemingly small everyday routines to major life changes.

    Whether it’s leaving the house, going into school, or prying them away from screen time, transitions can often be a sensory, emotional and logistical nightmare for parents of autistic, ADHD and PDA kids. But why exactly are they so hard – and what can we do to ease the load?

    In part one if this two part special, they discuss the neurological and emotional roots of transition difficulties, and how demand avoidance, anxiety and executive dysfunction play a role.

    This is an insightful, heartfelt, and cathartic episode full of insight, compassion and practical suggestions, as well as a much-needed sense of solidarity for anyone who’s ever dreaded their kids being invited to a birthday party.

    —

    CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

    00:00 – Intro and why this is only part one

    03:30 – Meet the guest: Pete Wharmby

    12:00 – Transitions: What they are and why they’re so difficult

    19:00 – Fear of the unknown

    25:00 – Why birthday parties can be so anxiety-inducing

    32:00 – Strategies for smoother transitions to the unknown

    40:00 – School and powerlessness

    48:00 – Holidays, Google Earth and visual planning

    55:00 – Fear of the Known: Why school can feel like a punishment

    1:03:00 – Processing struggles and instruction overload

    1:13:00 – Fixable triggers and simple (free) accommodations

    1:20:00 – The double-edged sword of hyperfocus

    1:24:00 – Neurodiversity Champion: Fight For Ordinary

    1:26:30 – Tiny Epic Wins

    1:29:00 – What the Flip? Moments

    1:33:00 – Wrap-up and tease for part 2

    —

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION:

    Pete Wharmby website - https://petewharmby.com/

    Untypical by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/8gGK6v4

    What I Want to Talk About, by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/6tY0kZQ

    Fight for Ordinary - https://disabledchildrenspartnership.org.uk/fight-for-ordinary/

    Google Maps Street View - https://www.google.com/streetview/

    Google Earth - https://earth.google.com/web/

    Ordnance Survey Maps - https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/

    Albion In The Community - https://bhafcfoundation.org.uk/

    Monotropism and Autism Theory - https://monotropism.org/

    Interoception - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/interoception-wellbeing

    —

    CONTACT US

    🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com

    📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com

    📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

    🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

    📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

    🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

    —

    CREDITS

    🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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    1 hr and 26 mins