Kate Morris and Dave Whittingham delve into the concept of the energy bank in this enlightening episode, exploring what fuels children's energy and what depletes it. They introduce the spoon theory, a metaphor illustrating how individuals have varying amounts of energy represented by spoons, which can be spent throughout the day on various activities. Kate shares insights about this system from her research and many interviews, highlighting how understanding energy levels can help parents support their neurodivergent children more effectively. The duo discusses the importance of recognizing the unique energy expenditures of each child, emphasizing that tasks that restore energy for one may drain it for another. With practical tips and relatable anecdotes, they encourage parents to observe and engage with their children, fostering a collaborative environment that honors each child’s needs and energy levels.

Takeaways:

• In this episode, they discuss the concept of energy management for neurodivergent children, emphasizing how understanding energy input and output can improve their daily life.
• They introduce the spoon theory as a metaphor for measuring energy levels, explaining that everyone has a different number of spoons to spend each day based on various factors.
• Kate and Dave highlight the importance of recognizing what activities drain energy and which ones replenish it, fostering a better understanding among parents and children.
• They encourage parents to have conversations with their children about their energy levels, helping them identify what costs spoons and what can help refill them effectively.
• The episode stresses that neurodivergent individuals may experience energy depletion differently than neurotypical individuals, making it crucial to tailor support to each child's unique needs.
• Finally, they suggest practical strategies for replenishing energy, such as physical activities and sensory experiences, to help children manage their energy better throughout the day.

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The idea of energy accounting was pioneered by Maya Toudal and Professor Tony Attwood. It's a valuable concept that delves deeper than the Spoon Theory. In this video, Prof. Attwood dives into a detailed method of keeping track of energy. Look up on Youtube ‘Ask Dr Tony – February 2022’ (from 27 minutes for energy accounting).

For the perspectives of two adults on the usefulness of Spoon Theory, see Podcast 1800 Seconds on Autism, Episode “Turn Down the Studio Lights”, BBC, November 2018.

Exhaustion for neurodivergent people: L Hull, W Mandy, MC Lai, S Baron-Cohen, C Allison, P Smith and KV Petrides, ‘Development and validation of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)’, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2019, 49(3):819–833, doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3792-6.

Energy and energy expenditure: Raymaker, D. M., Teo, A. R., Steckler, N. A., Lentz, B., Scharer, M., Delos Santos, A., Nicolaidis, C. (2020). ‘“Having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew”: defining autistic burnout’, Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 1-12, doi: 10.1089/aut.2019.0079

For understanding the realities of the energy bank for many neurodivergent people, see: T Attwood and M Garnett, ‘Exploring Friendship in High School’ [video], Attwood and Garnett Events, Attwood and Garnett Events website, 17 July 2023, accessed 22 June 2024.