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Learning about Children's Mental Health through Film
  • Films for Parents / CarersThis is the Nip in the Bud Films for Parents / Carers post type

        • Mental Health Conditions

        • AnxietyAnxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health problems identified in children. Estimates of the rates of prevalence vary greatly from 8% to 27% lifetime prevalence by age 18. Chronic anxiety disorders are associated with increased risk of other serious mental health problems in later life. Therefore, early identification and treatment is key. Watch our information and real life experience films below or view and download our fact sheet and supporting presentation.
        • Depression
        • OCD
        • PTSD
        • Eating Disorders
        • Why is my child self-harming?
        • TraumaTrauma in children may be: A one-off experience, such as a car crash Living in an atmosphere that feels unsafe, or where they are witness to violence Experiencing, or witnessing, harm Experiences of war, or of becoming a refugee Stressful and challenging experiences are a part of life, and most children will experience these at some point. This becomes traumatic if the event is more than a child can make sense of, or cope with. To learn more about Trauma in Children, please refer to our informational and real-life experiences videos.
        • Body dysmorphic disorder

        • Neurodivergent Conditions

        • ADHD
        • Autism
        • Conduct Disorders/ODD
        • DyslexiaDyslexia in children is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting language processing, particularly in reading, spelling, and writing. It emerges early in childhood and persists into adulthood. Encourage your child’s strengths and provide a patient, nurturing environment. Remember, dyslexia doesn’t define intelligence. With the right resources like ours below, your child can flourish and excel in their own unique way.

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        • UK Trauma Council ResourcesNip in the Bud is very grateful to the UK Trauma Council for permitting us to show on our website their series of four excellent animation films about Trauma and PTSD. The UK Trauma Council’s work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. These animations have been produced with the involvement of young people themselves, and are designed to help young people and the adults around them recognise the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. They also suggest ways of coping with scary memories, explain the science around the best treatments, and answer any worries you might have about getting support.

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        • Smartphones: A Stolen Childhood
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  • Films for Teachers / ProfessionalsThis is the Nip in the Bud Films for Teachers / Professionals post type

        • Mental Health Conditions

        • AnxietyIt is becoming increasingly common that children and young people in your school or classroom may be diagnosed with anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety in children vary, but it’s important that you are able to understand and recognise how this might affect learning in a classroom environment. It’s normal for everyone to feel anxious from time to time – it’s a normal response to stress. However, some young people may experience uncontrollable levels of anxiety that are excessive in relation to what’s happening around them –can therefore struggle with their day-to-day tasks and schoolwork. Common worries can become overwhelming for children and young people with anxiety leading to them becoming quite distressed. If this does happen there are a few ways in which you can respond to try and calm the situation. Some signs and symptoms to look out for include tears when entering school, being withdrawn from their peers, concentration difficulties, fidgeting, changes in appetite, and irritability. Download our factsheet for more information on what to look for if you suspect a child or young person in your class is suffering from anxiety. Getting the conversation going can be a good starting point – for example, planning lessons themed around…
        • DepressionDepression is a common yet serious mood disorder that involves a persistence of deep sadness, hopelessness, and numbness. Someone experiencing depressing may feel a constant melancholy that prevents them from enjoying their everyday life. Children and young people especially can feel alone and misunderstood which often stops them from expressing how they feel to people close to them. This isolation can lead to suicidal feelings, self-harm and, in a worst-case scenario, suicide. Parents and teachers are often the first to identify the symptoms of depression in children and young people. Some key symptoms of depression include excessive and persistent worry, moodiness, over or undereating, and self-harm. Some symptoms manifest in physical ways that are a little easier to spot as a teacher during school time such as frequent aches and pains, not wanting to play, either complete isolation or clinginess, and uncharacteristic irritability and anger. There are many risk factors at school that can lead a child to develop depression. As a teacher, you should be on the lookout for children experiencing bullying, social isolation, a lack of self-confidence, and an inability to keep up with schoolwork, among other factors. Children particularly vulnerable to depression are ones who experience abuse,…
        • OCDObsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that involves repetitive, intrusive, and impulsive thoughts and images entering the mind, causing intense anxiety. As a result of this anxiety, the child or young person engages in compulsive or repetitive behaviours designed to ease their anxiety. They then obsessively repeat these behaviours to rid themselves of the anxiety, causing detriment to their daily life. Early signs of OCD can include excessive worrying and feeling a strong sense of responsibility over yourself and others. A child or young person will ask for constant reassurance about whether their homework is correct or whether they are doing something right or being a good student as they no longer trust their own judgement. As a teacher, these are early signs you can look out for which can inform how you approach the child going forward. Stress at school and bullying are key factors which exacerbate the development of OCD – the more overwhelmed a child feels, the more they give into their compulsive, repetitive behaviours to ease their anxiety. As a teacher, it is your duty to make sure the classroom is a safe space for all, keeping an eye on students who seem…
        • PTSDPTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder can be triggered in children and young people when they experience a particularly horrifying or scarring event. The cause can be as varied as a car crash or sexual assault. A child can develop PTSD if they are involved in this event, witnessed it, or even heard about it second-hand. It can be difficult to identify PTSD in children and young people, as they are reluctant to talk about the trauma they experienced as a way to protect themselves. However, there are some tell-tale signs of PTSD that you can look out for in your students. Children with PTSD will often have trouble concentrating and may even fall asleep during school time due to the lack of sleep they’re having at home, making learning much harder. A sudden plummet in grades is also a red flag – in such cases, it is important to check up on the student rather than reprimand them, which can cause further harm. PTSD also causes many children or young people to become highly irritable and angry due to the intense emotions they’re experiencing, often making them see other people as a threat. In this case, it is important to…
        • Eating DisordersAn eating disorder develops when a child’s and young person’s emotional well-being gets tangled up with their eating habits – for example, if their self-esteem is dependent on how much they eat or don’t eat. Eating disorders are most common in teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17 and they can manifest in a multitude of ways. Anorexia nervosa is a serious mental illness where a person has an intense fear of gaining weight, often accompanied by body dysmorphia – a distorted view of one’s body. This fear leads them to eat very little or nothing at all, leading to severe and potentially life-threatening weight loss. Bulimia nervosa is a serious mental illness that stems from being shamed about consuming large amounts of food, and your weight. A person will binge eat as much food as they can in a short space of time – this is often out of their control. They will then purge – making themselves throw up all the food they have eaten to avoid putting on weight from the binge. This leads to severe and potentially life-threatening weight loss. Binge eating is a serious mental illness which, similarly to Bulimia, involves consuming large amounts…
        • Self-harm in the ClassroomSelf-harm in children and young people happens when a person experiences an overwhelming flood of emotions such as guilt, shame, anger, hate, and a lack of control. This leads them to inflict deliberate harm upon themselves as a way to relieve the flood of emotions they are experiencing and punish themselves for feeling them in the first place. This can take the form of cutting themselves with sharp objects, over-eating or under-eating, pulling their hair out, burning themselves, and misusing intoxicants such as alcohol and drugs. Distress and overwhelming emotions often manifest during school time, and as a teacher it is important to have an awareness that school can be a trigger for students struggling with self-harming tendencies. Create a safe and open space for all students by letting your students know you are always here to support and hear them out whenever they need it. Common signs of self-harm include cuts, burns, and hair-pulling – these are easier to spot as they are often visible on the student’s body. However, young people can be very good at hiding their scars under long jumpers and trousers. If a student is adamant about keeping their jumper on even during hot temperatures,…
        • TraumaIf a child in your care is suffering with Trauma, they will be very distressed. This may be obvious, or it may show up in the form of physical ailments such as headaches or vomiting. They may show signs of regression in toileting or feeding, struggle with their schoolwork or find it difficult to concentrate. Watch our Informational film on Trauma and Children with Dr Sian Williams and Dr David Trickey to understand how children react to Trauma and how they can be helped.
        • Body dysmorphic disorder

        • Neurodivergent Conditions

        • ADHDADHD, or Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, presents itself in many ways which can sometimes make it difficult for teachers to spot the signs. It is characterised by difficulties in the areas of attention, level of activity and impulse control. ADHD is a recognised developmental disorder which can affect many areas of a child’s life – including in a learning environment. It is common for ADHD to be misdiagnosed in girls, as the symptoms of ADHD present differently to that of boys, and aren’t as commonly shared. One of the most important things you can do as a teacher for a student with ADHD is to learn and understand how they are feeling, and how they see the world around them. Sometimes for students with ADHD it may feel like nobody understands them. In this video, we go through our tips for teachers who have a child in their class who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Also, view our Practical Tips for Teachers in the Classroom below .
        • Autism
        • Conduct Disorders/ODDODD, or oppositional defiant disorder, is diagnosed in children and young people that are persistently and repetitively antisocial, disobedient, have frequent tantrums, can not listen to authority, and purposely harm others. Conduct disorders are the most common disorders in children and are more frequent in boys, with 7% of boys and 3% of girls meeting the criteria for conduct disorders. It is normal for children and young people to be defiant towards authority to some degree, but if a particular student stands out from the others in your class and is perpetually defiant, violent and resentful towards others, this can develop into ODD. A child or young person with ODD will often engage in a range of violent and destructive behaviours such as fighting, temper tantrums, arguing with adults and peers, and lying and blaming others for their behaviour. In some extreme cases, the child or young person may engage in being cruel to animals and starting fires. As a teacher, it can be difficult to know how to handle a student with ODD in a way that ensures they make the most of their learning and helps their behaviours and social relationships. However, there are things you can do…
        • DyslexiaChildren with Dyslexia have a different intelligence, way of thinking and way of seeing the world.  Many innovators, inventors and successful entrepreneurs have been Dyslexic.  Dyslexic thinking skills include imagination, inspiration, creativity and the ability to solve things. They sometimes find it difficult to fit into rigorous, inflexible education methods. Our resources for teachers and professionals on Dyslexia explain that if the condition is spotted early, there are strategies that can be used to work on the strengths of Dyslexic children which will allow them to develop different talents and thrive in life.

        • Practical Guides

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        • Tips for Teachers Series
        • Barriers to Learning
        • Handling Disclosures
        • Early Intervention SeriesThis Early Intervention series of short episodes produced by Nip in the Bud are a guide to how schools can help parents if they notice changes in behaviour or in emotional wellbeing in a child and how parents and teaching staff can work together to address potential children’s mental health conditions.
        • Training Resource
        • UK Trauma Council ResourcesNip in the Bud has been given permission by the UK Trauma Council to share this series of four short animations which they have produced on the topic of Trauma and PTSD. The UK Trauma Council’s work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License. These animations have been produced with the involvement of young people themselves, and are designed to help young people and the adults around them recognise the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. They also suggest ways of coping with scary memories, explain the science around the best treatments, and answer any worries you might have about getting support.

        • Emotional Wellbeing

        • Grief & loss
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        • Smartphones: A Stolen Childhood
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        • Random Acts of Kindness
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Blog / Autism / Stigma and Autism – A grandmother shares her experience

Stigma and Autism – A grandmother shares her experience

Posted on: 8th January 2025
Stigma and Autism - a grandmother interacts with her grandchild

The personal experience and journey of a grandmother whose granddaughter was diagnosed as Autistic. What was my initial reaction to the diagnosis of autism? Disbelief, grief, concern and worry over stigma. For the first three weeks, I didn’t tell anyone. Then I decided to open up.

How would you react if your child were diagnosed with Autism? Would you tell your community? 

People react in different ways.   

  • Shocked. 
  • Sad that their child might have more struggles through life. 
  • Relieved to find out why the child behaves or feels the way they do. 
  • May welcome Early Intervention for their child. 
  • Fear of Stigma and Discrimination, so may not want to tell the school or friends  

Stigma and Autism: a personal experience and journey 

I am the grandmother of a 6-year-old girl. 

Eva has always been a delight to be with. Smiley, fun, chatty, active, creative, full of ideas and imagination, observant, enthusiastic, proactive, good at problem solving and keen to help wherever possible.    

We were aware that she was sometimes a bit bossy and liked to do things her way, and that she was very sensitive to noise.  

She enjoyed going to school for nursery and reception and got on well with her peers although she favoured one or two friends. 

In Year 1 there was a distinct change.  

  • She no longer liked going to school.  
  • She especially struggled with noisy spaces.   
  • The teacher refused to see the problem and said that Eva was happy and doing very well at school.   

Eventually it was suggested that Eva should see the school counsellor/play therapist who after a few sessions recommended getting an Autism assessment. 

To my astonishment this led to a diagnosis of autism. 

What was my initial reaction to the diagnosis of autism? 

  • Disbelief – this result hadn’t crossed my mind.   
  • Grief – how can this happen to my gorgeous granddaughter? 
  • Concern about the future – what will be her chances in life? 
  • Stigma – Do I now have to tell people that my granddaughter is autistic?  Or should I simply avoid telling my friends?   

For the first three weeks I didn’t tell anyone.  I just had to do some research and get my head around it. I’m in my 70s and when I was growing up no one talked about illnesses like cancer. The words “mental health” were not part of our vocabulary.  Dementia was known as “senility”.  People were classified as a bit strange or weird.  

The first time many of us were introduced to autism was with the film Rain Man in 1988.  

Thankfully we now have lots of information and I soon came to realise that autism, ADHD and all sorts of mental health conditions are now openly discussed.  

Why do people keep secrets and not talk openly?  

  • Fear of what other people might think – Stigma 
  • People’s negative reactions and prejudice – Discrimination 

Stigma is when people see you in a negative way because of a particular characteristic and might discriminate against you and not want to be friends. 

How did I deal with the fear of stigma and autism diagnosis? 

To start with I spoke to the closest members of our family and found them to be kind, positive and supportive.  My nephew’s reaction was: “No problem. Eva will be fine.  We have many autistic people working in my business.” 

Then I shared the news with my good friend that I grew up with who said emphatically: 

“Eva can’t be autistic! Autistic people don’t speak!”   

I was very taken aback by this reaction and asked myself – Is it better not to tell my friends. Should I keep this a secret?  Is there anything to be ashamed of? 

NO!  I decided that this was an opportunity to not be secretive but rather to share information to help others in the community become aware, understand and be supportive. 

How can an autism diagnosis help a child? 

Early diagnosis and intervention will establish the level of support the child will need and provide guidance for carers. 

The terms ‘high functioning’ and ‘Aspergers’ are no longer used.  So, the child is ‘on the autistic spectrum’ or more commonly simply ‘autistic’.  That is a label, regardless of how well they are, or are not coping. But we need to look past that label.  

We accept that Eva is neurodivergent and that her excellent brain is wired a bit differently.  We are fortunate that she has the capacity, the drive and the personality to do well. Her mood and reactions can change according to the weather, the environment, sensory issues, unfamiliar situations.  She can be very happy and excited or suddenly upset.  She will hopefully be helped and understood in areas in which she might struggle and excel and be an asset to society in many other areas. 

My daughter bought some children’s books to help explain Autism to Eva which included discussing: 

  • her many strengths and talents  
  • her challenges such as reactions to sensory overload 

How do I feel about the autism diagnosis a year later? 

Initially the primary school would not acknowledge issues and would not put in place some simple requests to help my granddaughter feel more at ease at school.  As a result: 

  • It was a daily struggle to get her to go to school 
  • This anxiety impacted on her sleep 
  • But in class she seemed like her usual happy self, was compliant, got all her work done and did not show her feelings 
  • When she got home, she showed her pent-up anxiety with occasional meltdowns   

In Year 2 the autism diagnosis was acknowledged at school, and they began to put in place some minor ‘reasonable adjustments’ that have made a big difference: 

  • Assemblies – a Teaching Assistant (TA) sitting next to her to help him with the feeling of overwhelm 
  • Playtime during bad weather, especially wind – being allowed to sit indoors doing some drawing or reading 
  • Ear defenders – being allowed to wear these at any time if she needs to  

How can teaching staff normalise the situation so that the child doesn’t feel embarrassed? 

  • By speaking to all children about differences 
  • By explaining the use of ear defenders and perhaps having a few ear defenders in the classroom in case more than one child finds it too noisy 
  • By explaining about quiet/safe spaces. Agreeing a sign between the pupil and the teacher so the pupil can have time out and move elsewhere 
  • By explaining the importance of all children being kind and looking after each other 

Once the environment around the child can be adjusted for them, their day-to-day experience will improve, and the child can thrive. 

How to reduce the Discrimination and Stigma of an Autism diagnosis?  

Adults need to be role models for children and young people to accept each other for who they are, and aim to create a more open-minded, empathetic and caring society.   

Differences need to be celebrated and not stigmatised. 

You can read more about: 

  • Reasonable Adjustments  
  • Find out what the “hidden disabilities sunflower” is. 
  • Find out what neurodiversity is.
  • Find out about getting an assessment.

 

 

 

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