From school avoidance to food anxieties: navigating neurodiverse parenting
All In The Mind
Deciding to homeschool to protect wellbeing
Why an educational psychologist urged homeschooling and how pulling Chloe out prevented further decline.
Long before Sarah's daughter Chloe Hayden became an award-winning actress starring in Netflix's Heartbreak High, she was a kid facing immense struggles. Chloe was sensitive to smells, lights and foods; she had no friends; she hated school.
Sarah never suspected Chloe was autistic, but that’s only because her idea of what autism looked like came from the film Rain Man.
Sarah is now a social worker and equine assisted therapist, working with neurodiverse families.
In this episode, Sarah shares her family’s story, her advice for parents navigating school refusal and food aversion – and the shock of getting her own surprise ADHD diagnosis later in life.
You can catch up on more episodes of the All in the Mind podcast with journalist and presenter Sana Qadar, exploring the psychology of topics like stress, memory, communication and relationships on the ABC Listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts.
Guest:
Sarah HaydenSocial workerEquine assisted therapistAuthor, Parenting Different
Credits:
- Presenter/producer: Sana Qadar
- Producer: Rose Kerr
- Senior producer: James Bullen
- Sound engineer: Roi Huberman
Support services:
More information:
What to do if nothing's working, Autism Australia
Planning Absences: A Guide for Parents of Autistic Students
Anorexia Nervosa and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
Personal essay: "I was unseen, even to myself"
Disability advocates say NDIS changes disregard alternative therapy benefits
Effects of Equine Therapy on Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review
Autism and Equine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Mapping Review
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