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Latest top tips
a few bright ideas you've been sending us

• Paint pens

  Paint pens, like these Squeeze 'n Brush pens, are brilliant for people who find painting difficult, and make very little mess.

• Ditch the bib

  As your child gets older, if they still need protective clothing when eating, replace a bib with an apron. It's less 'babyish' and demoralising for them and may help eliminate any negative feelings they have about mealtimes.

• Explore alternatives

  Try replacing repetitive behaviour with another activity that has the same function. For eg if your child flicks their fingers for visual stimulation, try giving them a kaleidoscope or a bubble gun.

  
  

• Encouraging learning

  When my son was little he didn't show any interest in toys, and I had to help him develop a curiosity for learning. I'd pick up an object, like a leaf or a pebble and turn it around in my hands talking about it, encouraging him to look at it and feel it. Children with learning disabilities do learn, but they need to be guided.