To provide some insights into neurodiversity this week, we caught up with our Learning & Development Coordinator for Volunteering and Retail, Joe Brooks. Below, he kindly offers some insights into his own challenges growing up with dyslexia and offers some tips and tricks for better understanding and interacting with neurodiverse people.
‘”Your writing looks like a spider crawled over it!” That’s what a couple of my secondary school teachers used to say to me. I really struggled with my handwriting at a time when laptops weren’t that common, and this made school particularly challenging. I wanted to enjoy History, but the requirement of writing long essays by hand was a massive barrier to my progress.
As a whole, 20 years ago, not enough was known about neurodiversity, and schools and workplaces had neither the tools nor the understanding to help people like me succeed. There’s still work to be done, but certainly today we have both the tools and the knowledge to break down these barriers – provided we all put the effort in.
I’m well aware of my challenges. Organisation does not come naturally to me, so I have to work hard to ensure my diaries are up to date. If I’m not careful, my house can quickly turn into chaos. Staying focused is another challenge, especially for long periods. If I’m struggling to remain focused, especially for longer periods of time, I find breaking the task into smaller chunks and taking short breaks works well for me (similar to the Pomodoro technique).
That said, my dyslexic brain has its strengths; it allows me to think creatively, problem-solve and look at the bigger picture."
However, I do have a tendency to go off on a tangent and then double back to a previous topic that I have been thinking about, much to my friends’ frustration.
Seeing a lot of my friends being diagnosed later in life, I am passionate about supporting those that have not had much help to find techniques and tools that work. I am bringing this passion for inclusive learning to St Margaret’s to make sure that everyone can access and succeed on our training. I want to make sure content is easy to read with limited distractions and simple language, whilst still being fun and engaging!
Luckily, there are a lot of tools for managing dyslexia, including tools and training from Microsoft, and plenty of information available on the British Dyslexia Association website.
When creating any content in Microsoft, you can use the spell checker, grammar checker and now the accessibility assistant/checker. You can also use WebAIM: Contrast Checker to check that your colours work.
For those that struggle with Numeracy (numbers), Jo Williams and I have become Numeracy Champions and will be offering support and guidance for those that struggle with numbers.
I have picked up some tips on helping autistic adults and children from working and volunteering with St John’s Ambulance.
- Autistic people can suffer from information overload. So, say less and say it slowly.
- Say their name to get their attention and make sure they are listening and engaged before giving instructions.
- Be clear; autistic people can take words literally so don’t use sarcasm, rhetorical questions or any idioms (i.e. skeletons in the closet)
- Hospital settings can be overwhelming for those on the Autism Spectrum. If you see any signs of discomfort you may want to remove them to a quieter area or calm the situation.
- A parent, carer or partner may have developed some specific strategies that may help you to interact with someone. These may be things that you can easily put in place if you ask. For children with autism, some parents may be well informed about their children’s needs, while others will be less confident.
- Autistic people may also handle death differently to others, this guide gives some information about what to expect.
- Those with ADHD or suspected ADHD may need extra support in organising their days and may need clearer to-do lists or a written summary from a meeting. They may need more regular breaks, and some may prefer a distraction-free environment.
- ACAS provides guidelines for workplaces to ensure we put in adjustments to support Neurodiverse employees.”
Oliver McGowan Training
We would also like to use this opportunity to reflect on the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism.
The Oliver McGowan Training came into being following the tragic death of Oliver, a young man with autism and a learning disability who died in hospital following a severe reaction to an antipsychotic drug. The drug was given to him as medical staff believed his presentation was caused by a mental health diagnosis, rather than part of his autism and learning disability. Oliver’s mother campaigned to ensure that healthcare staff are trained to provide appropriate, informed and compassionate care to those with learning disabilities and autism. The training is carried out in conjunction with people who have lived experience of learning disabilities and autism, meaning that they can give learners the benefit of their own experiences.
Whilst we do not deliver this training, our clinical teams have been attending it, and have shared some thoughts on what they have learned:
Improved awareness and recognition of the need to adapt communication and environmental factors to support patients and families where there are learning difficulties or an autistic person.”
I have developed increased awareness around how to offer interaction in a natural way.”
I now stop and think more about the patient and how they are thinking.”
I check if the patient has documented evidence of care they like and how they like things done. I give them time to answer even if the ward is busy; I don't let them see this.”
I have been more mindful to explore with autistic patients how we can adapt their arrival and treatments to suit the way that their autism presents.”
The hospice is grateful for the opportunity for staff to increase their awareness and understanding of neurodiversity. The hospice is hosting the Oliver McGowan training and this enables hospice staff to attend the training for free. We look forward to continuing to develop this opportunity. It reinforces our commitment to tailored, patient-centred care, and we are dedicated to providing this to everyone, regardless of their disability, race, gender, sexuality, or any other factor.