Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:08 Hello, and welcome to the wonder Baba podcast. My name is Sheena Mitchell. I'm a pharmacist in mom of three. I'm here to chat all about child and family health. I combine health and practical advice to help you on your parenting journey. I really hope you enjoy the show. Okay. Today you were telling me that at school it's autism week mm-hmm <affirmative>. Did you know what autism was before this week started?
Speaker 2 00:00:36 Yes, but I didn't know what it's like to have autism or all those stuff.
Speaker 1 00:00:41 What's different for someone who has autism from someone who doesn't.
Speaker 2 00:00:47 Well, sometimes they can see something differently. Um, and they can only focus on one thing and everything else would be blurry. Okay. And it's a lot louder for them. Like if for a siren and some people, um, some, um, autistic children or adults, or, um, can't speak or walk
Speaker 1 00:01:11 And that must make it very hard. Wasn't it? Because there's a lot of noise in the world. Yeah. And there's a lot of busy places. So what kind of places do you think would be the hardest places for people with autism to be
Speaker 2 00:01:27 Like team parks, carnivals, a city.
Speaker 1 00:01:33 And what kind of noises even around the house might be tricky or at school?
Speaker 2 00:01:37 Maybe at home, the Hoover hair dryers, the kettle.
Speaker 1 00:01:42 Do they annoy well,
Speaker 2 00:01:43 Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:01:44 <laugh> me too. It's a good reason not to Hoover. Isn't it? Mm-hmm <affirmative> <laugh> and in school, what kind of noises might be tricky?
Speaker 2 00:01:52 Maybe kids shouting outside when it's their yard. Cause you need to keep the windows open.
Speaker 1 00:01:58 Yeah. And in the classroom, in
Speaker 2 00:02:00 The classroom, maybe like cupboards, closing people, getting books out, cuz it it's very noisy in our class getting books
Speaker 1 00:02:09 Out. Is it? Yeah. What do you, what do the schools do to make things easier for children with autism?
Speaker 2 00:02:16 Well, we have a sensory room where there's maybe like Barbies in and stuff, um, to help children I'm down and uh, in the, our PE hall as a trampoline that only autistic children can go on and outside their slides and swings for them.
Speaker 1 00:02:35 Okay. In a special place. Yeah. And she's so lucky in your school to have all of that. So that any of your friends that have autism can, will be in your school, do you find the teachers are really helpful?
Speaker 2 00:02:49 Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:02:51 We've talked about what autism might look like or feel like, what do you think that kids can do?
Speaker 2 00:02:57 They can, maybe their friend can go over to a quieter spot with them and maybe play like moms and dads. Cuz that's a nice quiet game and you, and they could ask how, um, how they would like, um, them to talk. Cause like it's louder for them if they talk regularly.
Speaker 1 00:03:15 Okay. How do you think things like the trampoline or sensory rooms help kids with autism? Well, why is like, why is it so important that they have those things?
Speaker 2 00:03:27 I think it helps them calm down and it just makes them feel relaxed. And um, normally those rooms are quiet. So, um, they're not worrying about noises and stuff.
Speaker 1 00:03:39 What about if your school didn't have a sensory room or it didn't have a swing and a slide or people around who understood what it's like to have autism. Do you think the people with, you know, autism in your school, what, what do you think they would feel and where would they go?
Speaker 2 00:03:59 I think they'd feel like scared, unhappy, maybe sad. Maybe they just sit on the bench, um, outside and in class. I don't know. Maybe they put their head down on their, on their arms.
Speaker 1 00:04:13 Yeah. And that's not very nice. Sure. It's not no. Cause we always try to include everyone. And I think if you get to know someone, regardless of what's different about them, you can see all the wonderful things about them. Do you think it'd be good for kids to remember that sometimes children with autism find it hard to make friends
Speaker 2 00:04:35 Maybe um, they, they just get left out because they can't do things, um, that other people can, I don't think that's fair. And I think everyone should be, um, treated equally
Speaker 1 00:04:49 You're so right. You're so right. Aren't you, did you see anything cool in school that helped you to understand autism better?
Speaker 2 00:04:57 Well, we watched a video where so first it showed everyone can see, um, with no autism, but then it was just cars, driving a girl, um, dropped her balloon. It went up into the sky and then we watched how an autistic kid would have seen it. And it would, um, the kid would, was fo focusing on the balloon and everything else was blurry and everything was suddenly just so loud,
Speaker 1 00:05:24 Very hard to deal with. She wouldn't you be exhausted all day
Speaker 2 00:05:27 Trying to concentrate on one thing and then everything else.
Speaker 1 00:05:31 Yeah. So you'd need a break. Wouldn't you? Yeah. That is worth so important that kids with autism can get the relaxation time. They need to help them get some energy reserve to go back and face their day. It's been lovely chatting to you. You're meant to say it's so lovely talking to you, mommy. You're so great. <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:05:53 It's been so lovely talking to you too much
Speaker 1 00:05:55 Better. There we go.
