Silly Sock Day
On Friday 23rd March the children at St John’s took part in ‘Silly Sock Day’ as part of our Autism Awareness Week. We encouraged the children to celebrate their differences.
Autism is much more common than many people think. There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that's more than 1 in every 100. If you include their families, autism affects 2.8 million people. This means in a school the size of St John’s there at least 4 children with autism. Importantly, we have to remember that autism can be a hidden difference. About one third of children with autism report being picked on. This is why we want the children to understand that it is ok to be different and that we should be accepting of differences.
Simple ways we can support children with autism are:
- Thinking about the language we use. Many people with autism can be very literal.
- Be aware of sensory differences like the buzzing of lights, loud noises and busy backgrounds.
- Talk to the children and ask what would help them feel safe and stress free.
Remember, all people with autism are different.
“If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism,” Dr. Stephen Shore.
