Comfort and style

Before Paige’s ADHD diagnosis, she lacked a space to decompress when the world got a bit hectic for her. Thanks to Satan’s Little Helper, she now has a few of her favourite things to help her do just that – in comfort and style.

Eight-year-old Paige had a rough few years, having to battle through life without knowing why she felt the way she did. Luckily, an ADHD diagnosis (which also strongly indicated that she has autism) has helped her join up some of the dots.

“She really struggled at school and repeated Year 2 last year,” explains her mum, Karleen. “Now we’re much better prepared to help her through it and the good news is that she’s doing a lot better.”

Paige has started treatment for ADHD but, while it helps, it also comes with downsides. For example, she loses her appetite when she’s on her medication.

“She’ll often come home with a full lunchbox, which isn’t good,” says Karleen. “It’s hard to learn on an empty stomach.”

Ups and downs 

Paige has always struggled to regulate her emotions and feels deeply about things other people may shrug off.

“The other day, she was promised something and it didn’t happen, which resulted in plenty of tears and lots of emotions she didn’t know what to do with,” explains her mum.

One environment that Paige thrives in is gymnastics; the sport has been incredibly beneficial for her mental health.

“Normally her attention span is five minutes but at gymnastics she has no problem paying attention! She’s able to take on board what’s required of her and she does it well. Watching her at gymnastics is like watching a different Paige. It’s a joy to watch.”

Paige practices twice a week for an hour in organised classes – but when Satan’s Little Helper heard how beneficial the sport was for her, we knew we had to do something to let her do it at home. So, we sent her with a balance beam, as well as a Squishmallow and bean bag for when she needs to chill out.

In-house fun thanks to Satan's Little Helper

“Paige said it was the best day ever when she received her gifts!” says Karleen.

“She uses the beam non-stop. I’ll call out things for her to do, like cartwheels and she’ll do them. It gives her something fun to do and it’s always a way to redirect her energy to something positive, which can help avoid meltdowns.

The beanbag and Squishmallow have been a brilliant outlet for when Paige needs to find a comfortable space to zone out, adds Karleen.

“Every day you learn a little more about how to manage conditions like ADHD and these tools make it a little bit easier.”