Neuroshambles is a UK parenting podcast about raising neurodivergent children. Hosted by lapsed comedian Mark Allen, this show explores autism parenting, ADHD, PDA, SEND, school struggles, family life and parental wellbeing through honest, relatable conversations - often with a healthy dose of humour, but always grounded in lived experience.
Mark is raising three neurodivergent children and chats with parents, carers, advocates and professionals about the everyday challenges some families face. These aren’t lectures or masterclasses, but candid tales from the front line of parenting neurodivergent kids, as guests swap stories about what works for them - and just as importantly, what definitely doesn’t. Topics range from meltdowns, PDA-related demand avoidance and dealing with authorities, to holidays, mealtimes and the logistical chaos of daily life.
Neuroshambles is for UK parents and carers who want something that feels human - supportive without being preachy, practical without being clinical. The aim isn’t to provide all the answers, but to shine a light on the absurdities and difficulties of a family life shaped by neurodivergence, offering connection, reassurance and the comfort of knowing you’re not the only one struggling to make sense of things.
New episodes are released fortnightly.
This week, Mark is joined once again by the brilliant Kieran Rose, AKA The Autistic Advocate – writer, educator, and parent of three neurodivergent children. Together, they take a deep (and sometimes uncomfortable) dive into one of the most contentious topics in neurodiversity parenting: labels.
What do we mean when we describe someone as “severely autistic”? Why is it so hard to explain what being autistic actually means? And how useful (or harmful) are terms like high-functioning, low-functioning, profound autism, or even Asperger’s?
In a wide-ranging and compassionate chat, Mark and Kieran explore how complex, deeply personal and often contradictory this topic is - both for parents and for autistic people themselves. What starts as a provocative question ends up as a fascinating conversation about diagnosis, co-occurring conditions, identity, education, eugenics, power, and prejudice.
Not one to miss. Make a cuppa, maybe two - this one’s long. But worth it.
📍 CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Intro: Meet Kieran Rose
04:30 - Life in a Fully Neurodivergent Household
08:00 - Topic of the Week: How Autistic Is Your Child?
12:00 - Labels, Bias, and the Stigma Around Autism
18:00 - High vs Low Functioning: Where It Comes From
23:00 - What Even Is Autism?
28:30 - The Flawed Legacy of Asperger’s
35:00 - Identity vs Diagnosis
42:00 - DSM-5 Levels of Autism: Why They Don’t Work
49:00 - Profound Autism and The New York Times Article
55:00 - A Counterpoint: The Voices We Don’t Hear
1:00:00 - Co-occurring Conditions and the Real Source of Needs
1:07:00 - Clinical Labels vs Lived Experience
1:14:00 - Mark’s Imposter Syndrome as an Autism Parent
1:18:00 - What’s the Alternative?
1:23:00 - Final Thoughts: Humanising, Not Diagnosing
1:27:00 - Neurodiversity Champions
1:33:00 - Tiny Epic Wins
1:39:00 - “What the Flip?” Moments
1:43:00 - Wrap-up & Where to Find Us
🔗 LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Kieran Rose website - https://theautisticadvocate.com/
Eugenics - https://www.newscientist.com/definition/eugenics/
Asperger Syndrome - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism/the-history-of-autism/asperger-syndrome
Hans Asperger - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Asperger
Lorna Wing - https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/news/lorna-wing-an-autism-hero
DSM-5 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5
PDF Download of DSM-5 - https://ia800707.us.archive.org/15/items/info_munsha_DSM5/DSM-5.pdf
New York Times article: The Autism Spectrum Is Too Broad - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/opinion/autism-diagnosis-category-stigma.html
Greta Thunberg - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49918719
What is monotropism? - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism
Ehlers Danlos Syndromes - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ehlers-danlos-syndromes/
Communication First - https://communicationfirst.org/
Autism Central - https://www.autismcentral.org.uk/
Kieran Rose Animated Guide to Monotropism - https://youtu.be/qUFDAevkd3E?si=diwlbe4AHRcxfjQF
Kieran Rose Animated Guide to The Double Empathy Problem - https://youtu.be/qpXwYD9bGyU?si=7bnGR2UsrCgLa_hL
KIERAN'S HOMEWORK
Kieran Rose Blog: Autism, it’s Labels and the Language of Pathologising Rhetoric - https://theautisticadvocate.com/autism-its-labels-and-the-language-of-pathologising-rhetoric/
Sunday Times article: Extra time in exams ‘unhealthy’ for children with ADHD and autism - https://www.thetimes.com/uk/education/article/extra-time-exams-unhealthy-children-adhd-autism-k820s56zh
TES magazine article: Sami Timimi: Why ‘invented’ SEND labels are disabling pupils - https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/sami-timimi-interview-problems-with-send-diagnosis-adhd-autism
Yahoo News: Badenoch says motability cars not for people with ADHD - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/badenoch-motability-cars-not-people-135341300.html?guccounter=1
📣 CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
19 Nov 2025
Kids refusing medical help | Michelle Parton
This week, Mark is joined by Michelle Parton – a long-time Neuroshambles listener and parent of two neurodivergent children. They explore one of the more baffling challenges of raising our kids: why do so many of them flat-out refuse medical assistance?
From hiding lava lamp injuries to meltdown-inducing blood tests, Mark and Michelle swap tales of their kids’ iron-willed resistance to all forms of treatment – even when they’re clearly in pain, bleeding, or itching uncontrollably. Together, they explore the many reasons this might be happening – from sensory issues and PDA to past trauma, masking, and a fundamental lack of trust in strangers in latex gloves.
It’s funny, cathartic, at times heartbreaking – definitely one for anyone who’s ever tried (and failed) to administer Calpol to a deeply suspicious neurodifferent child.
⸻
CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Michelle Parton
03:00 – Topic of the Week: Refusing Medical Help
08:00 – Kids hiding injuries
13:00 – Dysregulation about the prospect of going to the doctor
17:30 – Trust issues with medical professionals
23:00 – Lyme disease and the unholy nightmare of blood tests
29:00 – Trying to administer medication
35:00 – The impact of sensory overwhelm: Plasters, creams & the taste of medication
42:00 – The added complication with PDA kids
47:00 – The role that masking might play
54:00 – How alexithymia and interoception can influence things
59:00 – The impact of past traumatic experiences
1:04:00 – The positives
1:06:00 – Neurodiversity Champions
1:10:00 – Tiny Epic Wins
1:14:00 – “What the Flip?” moments
1:18:00 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Us
⸻
LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Lyme Disease - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/
Alexithymia - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4ky5qgrlpo
Interoception - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/interoception-wellbeing
Beyond Creative Education - https://www.beyondcreativeeducation.org.uk/
⸻
CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
⸻
CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
5 Nov 2025
Difficulty with transitions - Part 2 | Pete Wharmby
In part two of this deep dive into transitions, Mark reunites with author, trainer, and neurodiversity advocate Pete Wharmby to look at more reasons they can cause such a monumental challenge for autistic, ADHD and PDA kids (and adults).
From difficulties pulling our kids away from screen-time and replacing a broken fridge, to the regular flashpoint of brushing teeth, Mark and Pete share real-life strategies that can make these transitions more manageable - or at the very least a bit more fun.
⸻
CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Welcome back and reintroducing Pete Wharmby
02:30 - Recap of what we covered in episode 45 and why transitions affect all neurodivergent kids
06:10 - Screen time, flow states and Pete's oil tanker analogy
16:45 - The role that monotropism plays in transitions
27:00 - Strategies: lead-In Times, choice and routines
36:40 - Understanding how PDA affects transitions and why it’s not just defiance
46:00 - Strategies for control-driven transitions (e.g. declarative language)
55:30 - Difficulty throwing stuff away: fridges, crocs and clinging to familiarity
1:04:30 - Schools as the perfect storm of transitional triggers
1:15:20 - The positives
1:18:00 - Neurodiversity Champions
1:20:40 - Tiny Epic Wins
1:23:15 - "What the flip?" moments
1:26:00 - Wrap-up and thanks
⸻
LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Pete Wharmby website - https://petewharmby.com/
Untypical by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/8gGK6v4
What I Want to Talk About, by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/6tY0kZQ
What is monotropism? - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism
Last One Laughing - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOL:_Last_One_Laughing_UK
Ausome Training, Cothu course - https://ausometraining.com/cothu-with-pete-wharmby
Declarative language - https://lifeskillsadvocate.com/blog/declarative-language-for-neurodivergent-communicators/
Anna Freud - https://www.annafreud.org/
Georgia Pavlopoulou (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-georgia-pavlopoulou-651a042a
Neuro Nook Storytime - https://www.neuronookstorytime.com/
Bedknobs and Broomsticks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedknobs_and_Broomsticks
Silksong - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_Knight:_Silksong
⸻
CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
⸻
CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay
Who has been a guest on Neuroshambles
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Hatty Ashdown
Jo Matthews
Nicole Bateman
Heidi Mavir
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
196,302
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Spotify
4.9 / 5
61 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
20
Social presence
94
YouTube
86
Engagement
82
Contact Neuroshambles
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