Supports & accommodations work only when they’re used.

(The words and opinions of this blog are that of the author and her experiences. This is not professional advice, and should not be used in lieu of that. )

Duh, right? You’re probably rolling your eyes at this title, seeing me write one of the most obvious sentences in the world - something only works when its used?! Definitely not reinventing the wheel on this statement.

I know it’s obvious but I’m also serious in stating this as a reminder to stop and reflect. I frequently observe visually, through conversations, and on reflection of our own personal life small steps that are missed in plans and processes that result in supports falling to the wayside / maximum potential being capped.

When I say ‘supports and accommodations’…

What I’m talking about when I’m describing supports & accommodations are typically neurodivergent focused (as is both this blog and myself as a quick FYI if you didn’t notice) but supports range which is far longer than the list you’ll see below as support needs are as unique as the person needing them.

Professional support like (lists below are not exhaustive, just rattling off the top of my head and in no order of priority):

• Play Therapists

• Occupational Therapists

• Speech and language pathologists

• Developmental Educators

• Psychologists

• Psychiatrists

• Therapists

• Physiotherapists.

Mindful supports such as (also not limited to):

• Timetables - verbal, physical, digital… known and expected events are welcomed, not shocking the system or creating uncertainty.

• Visual cues - steps list to get ready for school, around the class room, keep

• Reminders - specifics for tasks, projects, etc. (having it written somewhere for reference is great), checking in on needs (like drinking water, eating food, bathroom breaks).

• Gentle transitions (heads up / warnings when a subject / class change is about to happen, 5 minute reminders, etc.)

• Mindful breaks (being able to step away from a task at hand, especially when it is using a high cognitive load to something cup filling).

Physical supports such as (and again this is non-exhaustive):

• Reducing sensory input (sound reducing / cancelling headphones, taking a break from a space or an event & going for a walk, a drink, or the toilet, taking a 5 minute body check, etc.)

• Increasing sensory input (deep pressure work like body socks/tunnels, monkey bars, sport-like activities)

• Weighted items (weighted plush, weighted blanket, etc.)

• Fidgets (Squishy, twisty, clicky, twirly, fluffy, high resistance, low resistance, deep pressure etc.)

• Augmentative & Alternative Communication Options (eg. Advocacy cards, AAC Boards (digital or paper), personalised system, etc.)

• Alternatives - Transport (eg. wheelchairs, mobility scooters, etc.), Seating (floor cushions, wobble stools, chairs, floor space personalised seating support), accessibility (options like ramps over stairs, wide doors, reduced trip hazards).

Also called special/additional needs/accommodations?

I love to talk about our supports as just our needs or our Good Day Needs. Additional needs or special needs sometimes seem to come with an aura of it being a privilege for that individual to have, as those words give an indication that it is needs above what a normal basic need is. Some people can observe another persons needs and think ‘that must be nice to have’. A lot of the accommodations I believe in would be nice for us all to access.

But remember, what is nice for some is critical for others.

Due to being hyper-mobile and using that as a party trick as a kid, I have some consequences of my actions in one of my knees now. When I get to a location that has stairs or a gentle incline ramp to get to the next level I appreciate that it’s nice to have that option on the days when things feel extra ‘crunchy’ (I hope you weren’t eating as you read this). The option is nice, some days I take stairs and some days I take the ramp. But for the next person who uses a wheelchair? The stairs are not an option, the ramp is critical in them accessing the desired location.

Accomodations and supports are not comparative, are not privileges, and they are critical / essential needs.

Yes, someone without accomodations or supports such as fidgets or regulation tools is still going to get through the day, so people may raise their eyebrow at me using the word critical or essential. But how are they going to get through the day? Is it going to be productive? Are they going to feel whole, balanced, supported? Are they going to be in a regulated space to be able to absorb, learn, and grow? Is their mental and emotional health being looked after?

Special Needs vs. Good Day Needs

That’s why I use the term ‘Good Day Needs’, as these supports are critical to their good day and their ability to navigate the day.

Reframing it to an average adult’s Good Day Needs (as empathy is being able to place yourself in a circumstance / relate an experience to yourself on a personal level and reflect on the emotions it would spark);

• A lot of us have coffee to wake up in the morning as age slowly steals that morning pep. There’s also people who are so used to coffee that dips in caffeine consumption result in headaches. Imagine waking up and not having that morning coffee, that good day need.

  You’re still going to get through your day, but with a headache or feeling unmotivated as you don’t have that good day need.

• Then we go to work, travelling in your car that is familiar and set to you. Playlist, podcast, or quiet time is on. Air flow and temperature is set to perfection. Sometimes without knowing it, you’re taking some calm breaths, mindful time is a go as you mentally prepare for the day. But today, the car won’t start, battery flat, out of fuel, possum sleeping on the radiator… so you have to make panicked last minute plans and figure out an alternative way, you race for the bus, stand in the cold, then find the bus has no spare seats and stand all the way to work with a strangers umbrella poking you in the back, radio is slightly out of tune and there are many conversations fighting to be heard.

  You’re still going to get to work, but how are you going to feel walking through that door? Not to mention the overhanging thought of doing it all again at the end of the day.

• Walking into work, you get to go to your personal bubble. Your space set to your logic, everything where it should be according to you and even if it’s chaos - it’s your organised chaos. But today your space has been reorganised and a new system brought in. Your computer was a Mac? Now it’s a PC. Oh and it’s been moved. Instead of near the window basking in natural light - you’re in a whole new sector… and you’re next to the toilet door.

• You’ll still get work done, as humans we do have a knack to push through and be resilient. Even the most resilient will most likely not even be close to achieving what your good day capacity or potential is. After the morning you’ve had, this is the proverbial straw that creates the sense of overwhelm and feeling defeated.

With what I described above, the day hasn’t really even started yet. It could get a whole lot worse that if you had those ‘Good Day Needs’ to start your day you may have had more available resilience and capacity to tackle. These needs aren’t special, as they are a basic need for that individual for a successful (which is also individualised and non-comparitive) good day.

What might seem special or different to you accomodation wise, is normal for another. And while I use that word, what even is normal? Normal is something that feels regular or the standard to the person - an example for us is continual step by step reminders to get ready for the day in exactly the same order is a normal thing in our house, and that’s ok.

It’s not a less than, or a lack of willingness to learn/progress. My eldest daughter in particular has so many thoughts happening consecutively that her brain prioritises, like the average weight of a whale shark, that brushing her teeth without being prompted is not even in her scope of available thoughts.

Using these supports / accomodations is key.

Oh great, I’m back to stating the obvious. Bear with me, this is the flavoursome part of this blog sandwich and the underlying inspiration of why I wrote this. As adults observing these phenomenal and completely individual children in our lives, sometimes (whether it’s from teachers, parents, carers, friends, or clinical professionals) we see things that could help support them through their days.

A new support or accomodation may be the best idea to us - because its logical - right? Like someone who keeps forgetting appointments = they need a diary. But that support/accomodation needs to not only minimise the hurdle, it needs to also provide interest/dopamine and aesthetic preference/compatibility. A diary is not going to solve memory lapses / attendance / punctuality if it stays closed sitting on the desk.

Identifying a need for a support / accommodation:

Supports and accomodations are highly dependent on the environment as thats what they are helping reduce the impact of and let the individual move through and navigate the environment they’re in. Supports needed at school will be different to the ones needed at home, and again ones for at the shops, or events. There may be overlapping ones, and there may be ones that shift in amount of value/priority.

Finding a matching support / accommodation:

This comes down to personality, interests and preferences. For me, something digital is a no go for me as it doesn’t occupy physical space and I’m a visual reminder person. Also, I can mute notifications and when I get overwhelmed that is the FIRST thing I do. Other people would be preferential to digital as they may lose or forget physical items and even though we lose our phones often, the need and action of finding them sits higher on the priority list. If someone doesn’t like, isn’t interested, is embarrassed (which is valid and please don’t get mad or frustrated as internalised ableism exists within us all and is propelled by society, the want to fit in and the need to not stand out negatively).

Normalising support / accommodation:

This is a two pronged statement. Firstly, just plonking a support or accommodation into ours, our kids, or an individuals life is not enough. We need to find space for it, incorporate it into life, have the user see the intentions AND benefits to it.

Secondly, universally normalising supports / accomodations is important too. Unfortunately the reality is ableism is still rife, but all of us making small conscious steps can erode that over time. Different accomodations (eg. AAC boards) should be everywhere, in every space - available for people who are assumed to not need it. Just like ramps/elevators in conjunction staircases, it’s now ‘weird’ to not have that accessibility option in a public space. Using a support /accomodation is not a less than, it’s an alternative and that needs to be drummed into society.

Something that sits with me regularly is that my daughter came home from school and told me that her teacher said to the class - ‘fidgets are for all people’ - and it’s true! We all have times of restlessness or nerves/anxiety/heighten emotions - not just neurodivergent people, and it has been proven through many of us that it redirects energy from actions like skin/nail picking (big ouch).

Sharing support / accomodation insights:

Dropping a support off to school / daycare that the kid or teacher has never seen before, with no rhyme or reason as to why that support is being used or previous practice is just going to result in confusion, forgetfulness and it being left to the wayside. Practising it at home in theoretical or actual situations before you just release it into the world with your kid helps it be connected or relative to their world.

Communication is key.

This links back to everything above. What we see and experience at home is going to be completely different to what we see at the shops, playground, park, with friends, with family. And what we see will be completely different to what we don’t see. For our kids, open positive conversation between educators, therapists, and co-carers / significant adults in their life is a fundamental to maximum impact of supports and accomodations. Inspired people inspire people, so coming together with the other significant adults in your kids life and talking about environmental impacts and the behaviours they produce can get some collaborative creative ideas with a good chance of success!

What do you think of my term Good Day Needs? Do you have anything to add to these musings and opinions, I am always open to learn and reflect.