Life Between Lockdowns: The Calm Before the Storm. After Penny was born, everything felt calm — eerily calm. She arrived between lockdowns, in a world where joy was muted and connections were made through screens. Friends and family met her over Zoom, and though it was strange, I secretly loved it. She was ours. The world outside was chaotic, but inside our little bubble, it was just us — cocooned, protected, learning this new rhythm of life. The Early Days: Endless Crying an

Why We Created the Seizure Tracker Like many parents, we started by scribbling seizure notes in the margins of notebooks, on our phones, and anywhere we could find in the moment. When our daughter Penelope’s seizures began, we wanted to capture every detail — but keeping track of them manually quickly became overwhelming. The Seizure Tracker  was one of the first features we ever built into MyPenelope . It had to be intuitive , fast , and usable even during high-stress moment

When Words Don’t Come Easily I’ve wanted to write this for a long time. But as any parent knows, finding the time  and more importantly, the mental space  to unpack everything life throws at you can feel impossible. And as a man, writing about emotions — about fear, helplessness, love, and guilt — doesn’t come naturally. We're not raised to talk about what’s going on inside. We’re raised to handle it . To fix things, hold it together, and not let anyone see the cracks. But wh

Autism assessments can feel daunting, but good preparation can make the process smoother  for you and your child. 1. Keep a Simple Log Track daily patterns for at least a few weeks: Sleep routines and disturbances Meltdowns or distress episodes Communication behaviours Social interactions and sensory responses, Use a structured app like My Penelope to keep everything in one place. 2. Collect Relevant Documents Bring anything that might help professionals understand your child

Understanding Early Autism Signs Every child grows at their own pace, and some differences are part of normal development. But sometimes, parents notice patterns that make them wonder if their child might be on the autism spectrum. Autism is a neurological difference , not an illness, and spotting signs early can help children get the right support sooner. Here are some of the most common early signs, broken down by age. Signs in Babies (Under 12 Months) Limited eye contact o

Signs of epilepsy in children, the diagnostic pathway, and practical first steps for parents — how to log seizures and work with clinicians.