Make children better® blog

We’ve spent decades tracking how autistic people behave -but rarely asking what they feel. Which has caused much harm. A new research review (Bottema-Beutel et al., 2025) confirms what many of us have always known: so-called “problem behaviour” is a sign of distress, not a trait to be managed. I believe the root cause of autistic behaviour is even deeper: unacknowledged sensory pain, especially touch. This post is about what happens when sensation is ignored and behaviour is seen as the problem. About the trauma of not being believed. And why we need to change the entire paradigm - not merely adjust the same old view. Because autism isn’t a set of behaviours. It’s a lived experience - we’ve been it measuring it wrong all along.

We’re so busy celebrating “difference” in autism that we’ve stopped naming the pain. Or rather-we never really started. Autism has always been seen from the outside in: a set of behaviours, a label, an identity. But rarely do we look at what it feels like to live in a body and brain that don’t feel safe. This post is about the physical, mental and emotional pain that so many autistic people -especially children- carry every day. Pain that gets dismissed as “sensitivity” or reframed as something we should just “accept.” I don’t believe in fixing people. But I do believe in healing the sensory nervous system. And that means saying what no one else is willing to say. Because autism hurts. And sometimes, it can heal.

the medical and social models of autism both focus on external behaviours - either by trying to fix them or by adjusting the environment. Both, however, miss a crucial piece: the internal experience and trauma in autism. All autistic individuals have sensory challenges, which can create significant distress, developmental disharmony and, over time, trauma. This trauma isn’t always sensory-based; social exclusion, unmet needs and constant overwhelm also play a role. In this article, I explore why sensory healing should come first, how trauma shapes autistic development and why behaviour-based approaches often fail when the nervous system remains disregulated.

autistic children and autistic people in general often ask “why” not just out of curiosity, but as a survival strategy. this need stems from sensory processing challenges and a disharmonic developmental profile, which make it harder to learn from mistakes, integrate experiences and navigate an unpredictable world.

Food is often seen as a source of comfort and nourishment, but for many autistic individuals, it can also be a source of trauma. Conversations about trauma-informed nutrition tend to focus on how trauma shapes eating habits, but they rarely address how food itself can create trauma - especially for those with heightened sensory sensitivities and unique physiological challenges. This article explores the hidden struggles autistic people face with food, the gaps in current trauma-informed approaches and the urgent need to reframe how we understand and support these experiences.

Are noise cancelling headphones the solution to rising noise sensitivity, or are they masking a deeper problem? In this post, I explore how an overstimulated nervous system, not just technology, lies at the heart of this growing issue. With insights into sensory trauma, the role of mid-tones, and effective therapies like the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and Qigong Sensory Treatment (QST), we’ll uncover how to support true healing. Discover why our collective sensitivity may actually be a sign of growth - and how we can adapt our lifestyles and environments to reduce sensory trauma and foster connection.