Little Champs Tutoring

14/07/2023

18 free books will be hidden at the Chipstead Flower Show tomorrow! Will you be a lucky winner?!

20/04/2023

Register before 7pm today: http://bit.ly/3GconVY
This free webinar will help parents and teachers of children taking SATS tests this term. We will look at tips for learning times tables and tricky maths topics.

19/12/2022

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=674493718038327&id=100064331156074

In January we will be holding a series of FREE Webinars for parents/carers of children with SEND.

Please keep an eye out on our social media channels for registration links soon.

26/10/2022

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=567419122012859&id=100062343286267

15/10/2022

*** Edited to add: I think the title of the graphic is causing some confusion and a better title would be, "Can someone decide if a person has ADHD just by looking at them".

A question we get asked a lot is, "can you mask ADHD?"

Masking in autism has a very clear definition that the individual will act to fit in with everyone else, despite how they would like to act.

Personally, as someone with ADHD, there have been numerous times in my life where I have been desperate to blurt something out and tried so hard not to. If I have managed to keep quiet it usually means I am stimming like crazy. I'm leg bouncing, finger flicking, tapping the table. That impulsivity has to go somewhere.

More often than not, the issue isn't whether the individual is masking, it's whether the person observing actually knows what to look for. Knowledge of the 3 types of ADHD isnt as well known as it should be. People don't realise that fidgeting, knee bouncing etc are actually signs of hyperactivity. They look for children climbing bookcases etc, instead of those with a very active brain. Some days symptoms are worse than others, and some children don't have hyperactivity at all. They simply can't focus on the task at hand.

Personally, I've tried to mask my ADHD and failed. I can hide my traits for maybe the length of a job interview or a family dinner party, but to the well trained eye I obviously have ADHD. If you didn't have an in depth knowledge of ADHD though, you would be none the wiser. I've been that gobby child all my life. BUT, I've got combined hyperactive and inattentive.

For those with inattentive, there are no outward signs of hyperactivity. Just a brain that really cannot focus. How you observe that without a trained professional I don't know. As a child I would stare at my school work and look very focused, but I would be thinking about something else entirely and would often jump when a teacher started talking because my head was just "somewhere else".

So can you mask adhd? No, it's a chemical imbalance in the brain and this means you can't just turn your ADHD off. You can however have a day where you're more hyperactive, more inattentive but much less fidgety, or not have any outward signs at all. This doesn't mean you're masking, it means on the inside everything is chaos and no one would know.

So for suspected ADHD, the proper tests and assessments must be followed by an experienced professional. You can't just say whether a child has ADHD by looking at them. You need evidence from a range of settings and professionals. No one professional can diagnose ADHD on sight, and no one professional can say that a child doesn't have ADHD on sight either. Ultimately the decision of the diagnosis is down to the psychiatrist.

09/10/2022

It's Dyslexia Awareness Week! Did you know, our ebook offer from Libby features a dyslexic font option, making determining letters much easier so readers can focus on finding and enjoying their next great read.

To download the Libby App, just visit http://ow.ly/KY2f50L0A6R for more information.


Libraries Week

26/09/2022

A quick reminder that not everyone sees text distortions when they have Visual Stress, but if you do, they can appear in many forms - do you see any of these, or are yours different? Let us know if the comments below 🙂😎🤓

05/09/2022

Anxiety is high as our children return to school. Here are some tips on how to handle emotional outbursts.

The first step is to change the environment that is causing the anxiety or frustration. Only then offer help and support, show empathy and understanding, give them a hug or just place hands on their shoulders and push lightly. Encourage them to take deep breaths.

Later on, in a calm moment, talk to your child about what is causing their anxiety. You will notice that they are anticipating negatives, encourage them to anticipate positives instead.

For further support E: [email protected]