Lou

Hi, I'm Lou, an autistic mum of three children aged 14, 16 and 20. I became a mum at 19, and parenting has taken me on a journey I never could have imagined. I've spent years advocating for my eldest son and navigating the process of securing ADHD and Autism assessments and support. Alongside this, our family has experienced severe anxiety, an eating disorder, and a stay in a mental health unit under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital. My middle son has ADHD, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and was born with a serious heart condition that required emergency treatment at Great Ormond Street shortly after birth. My daughter is autistic, and raising neurodivergent children has given me experience of both the challenges and the joys that can come with seeing the world differently. Over the years, I've navigated CAMHS, child-to-parent abuse, medical emergencies, and supported my two older sons through GCSEs, college applications, and the transition towards adulthood. Alongside parenting, I live with endometriosis, adenomyosis, and anxiety. I've worked through my own childhood experiences in counselling, rebuilt my marriage through counselling, experienced life on benefits, returned to work, and gradually rebuilt my confidence after losing myself for a while. Today, my children and I are in a very different place, and I feel incredibly proud of how far we've all come and everything we've experienced together as a family. Any conversation with me is based on my own personal experience — simply sharing what it has been like for us. I'm happy to talk about parenting neurodivergent children, ADHD, Autism, CAMHS, education journeys, medical challenges, child-to-parent abuse, family relationships, rebuilding confidence, and the realities of family life.