Auditory Processing Disorder
This week’s speaker was Natalie Bryan, whose son Jackson suffers from Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD. Natalie is a multi-tasker who runs a tiling business with her husband, is a life coach, has two children, and recently has become an author and illustrator.
Jackson’s condition was first noticed when he was traumatised at a particularly noisy family day out. Essentially, APD means that sounds received by the ears are scrambled in the brain and lose much of their meaning. It varies in its effect and severity. Symptoms include tiredness and poor memory retention, and can lead to loss of self-confidence and behavioural problems. Up to 6% of children may be suffering from APD.
There is no cure for APD, but the brain can be trained to lessen its effects.
APD sufferers need support, and supporters need networks. Natalie decided to write, illustrate and publish a book (“JC the Bumble Bee”) in 2022 to describe Jackson’s journey. It lists resources available to the parents of APD sufferers.
Natalie played an audio simulation of what APD feels like, which was disturbing.
Natalie is an accomplished speaker and asked the club to help publicise and spread her new book to those who may need it.
She was kind enough to share her presentation which you can find here. JC_bumble_Bee_Presentation.pdf
Calling All Puzzle Masters! Can You Solve This?
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height.
Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was.
If the tree grew by five centimetres each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️