#15 Sensory Solutions: Kaiko Fidgets and the Intersection of Neurodiversity

Welcome to another episode of The Touched Out podcast. I'm your host, Carter, and today we explore the clashing dynamics of ADHD and Autism in society.<br/><br/>Meet Jo, The mother of Kai and Kobe. Kai is a brilliant young mind who founded Kaiko at just 11 years old in 2017. Kaiko was established to create age-appropriate sensory solutions and fidget toys.<br/><br/>In society, Autism is often viewed negatively. Jo and I discuss the stigma associated with the term and how it affects late autism diagnoses. We also discuss Kai's mental health journey, affected by dyslexia and autism and how that led to Kaiko's creation. Sensory solutions proved beneficial for his confidence and mental well-being.<br/><br/>Starting at markets, Kaiko has now expanded to over 120 stockists. They focus on needs-based tools to replace non-suicidal self-harm practices. We delve into the differences between self-harm as a coping mechanism for sensory overload and using tools like wrist and finger spiky's to create non-harmful pain.<br/>Emphasizing the importance of wearable fidgets, we discuss how these tools allow individuals to have sensory relief at their fingertips. Carter shares his own history with self-harm and how he masked it, leading to a discussion on the strong overlap of neurodiversity and gender fluidity.<br/>Carter theorizes a connection between body modification and neurodiversity, suggesting that a significant portion of people in the body modification culture might be diagnosed or undiagnosed autistic.<br/><br/>Thank you for joining us on this insightful episode of. Let's continue to break down stigmas and explore innovative ways to support our neurodiverse community. Stay tuned for more engaging discussions.<br/><br/>You can browse and purchase Kaiko’s extensive range at www.kaikofidgets.com DJ City - TOUCHEDOUTPODCAST10 FOR 10% off purchase https://glnk.io/y30kv/touchedoutpodcast Kaiko Fidgets - https://kaikofidgets.comSupport the showThanks for listening to The Touched Out podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode.<br/><br/>If you have any comments or suggestions, please send me an email at touchedoutpodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/touchedoutpodcast for updates and behind-the-scenes content. If you liked this episode, please consider sharing to your social media, discussing with your community and leave a rating and review to help others discover my show.<br/><br/>If you or someone you know are experiencing mental health problems, we encourage you to reach out for help. You can call the Lifeline Australia helpline at 13 11 14 or for parents struggling with postnatal mental health reach out to PANDA at 13 22 89 (www.panda.org.au) <br/><br/>Special thanks to the following friends and partners:<br/><br/>Luke: https://www.tiktok.com/@aka.lukeandrew<br/><br/>Intro music: https://instagram.com/6157sound<br/><br/>DJ City - TOUCHEDOUTPODCAST10 FOR 10% off purchase https://glnk.io/y30kv/touchedoutpodcast<br/><br/>Kaiko Fidgets - https://kaikofidgets.com<br/><br/>Don't forget to subscribe to The Touched Out podcast on your podcast platform of choice so you never miss an episode. Thanks again for listening and keep on keeping on!