00:00Summer might be an exciting time for children, but for those with autism facing soaring temperatures right now, it can
00:09be a nightmare for them and their parents.
00:13Children on the spectrum are prone to sensory overload and shutdowns due to the bright sun, hot temperatures and sweating.
00:23It does. The part of the brain that regulates your core temperature is often ineffective in children with neurodiversity and
00:32it causes their temperatures to be irregular anyway.
00:35So when we're in the middle of a heatwave, it just means that they are finding it much harder to
00:41keep themselves regulated with their temperature, which then obviously leads to other issues and can cause them to have more
00:48meltdowns and such.
00:51Because of this, parents here at Club Awesome face unique problems in keeping their children cool.
00:59A lot of them like to hide under their clothes, i.e. they'll wear like a hoodie or wrap up
01:06in a blanket or something because that's their security and so they get overheated.
01:12I don't have any at school. I have an older one that's at home and he has a constant large
01:18fan on him the whole of the time that goes all night.
01:22And even if I go in to turn it off, he moans at me or whatever.
01:25But that's because he's under a thick blanket because he needs that security of being under the blanket.
01:31If you're a parent with a neurodivergent child, a good tip is to put squid toys in the freezer so
01:40they can still have that sensory experience, but it will help to keep them cool at the same time.
01:46But of course, it's always important to make sure they're still drinking plenty of fluids.
01:51As a result of the Met Office's red weather alert, schools have been taking action to help pupils stay safe.
02:01I know other schools are allowing authorised absence and things like that, which I think is a really good idea
02:07because I do think 30 children in a small classroom with windows that are safety fitted so they can't open
02:13and one fan is not helping the children.
02:16With the weather looking to get even hotter, Club Awesome says it's important to watch out for neurodivergent children during
02:26this heatwave.
02:28Henry Luck for KMTV in Gillingham.
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