Month: April 2021

Is your child recently diagnosed with autism? Or perhaps, are you going through changes or milestones in your child’s life, making acceptance of their condition difficult? You may now be sending them to school, and suddenly, coping with their autism seems much harder than it was. It may be your first time having a person with autism in the family, making you feel uncertain and confused.

In any situation, acceptance is a process. From denial, we may all go through anger, bargaining, and depression before finally reaching acceptance. Also, acceptance is not a linear and one-time process, especially for a lifetime challenge such as living with autism. There will always be instances of denial, bargaining, depression, and anger throughout this journey. It is okay to struggle because this journey is not an easy one.

As a parent, you would want to get all the help you need in raising your child with autism. Just like raising any other child, it always takes a village. Love and acceptance start in a nurturing home so they can one day face the world. How do you begin living life with autism?

Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an umbrella term of a developmental disability with a wide range of presentations. Unlike other conditions, the signs and symptoms of autism are usually different for every child. There are red flags that may help diagnose ASD early in a child’s life. However, each child with autism is unique with their own set of needs.

According to CDC, data shows one in every 54 children is diagnosed with autism. The increasing data can be alarming, but it may indicate something good. It shows more children are being diagnosed and receiving the intervention they need. Through the years, we learn more about autism and how we can help children with this diagnosis.

Counseling is vital in understanding the impact of your child’s diagnosis. With understanding comes acceptance and learning how we can manage life with autism.

Parenting A Child With Autism

Raising a child with autism also requires basic parenting skills in child-rearing. You must be good at being a parent because you will also do what all other parents do. As parents, we must learn techniques in organizing the home, managing behavioral tantrums, teaching skills, and so much more.

Always allow yourself to have room for improvement and constant growth. You may attend parenting seminars, talks, classes, and counseling so you can get to know more tips and techniques. After learning, practice and application allow you to see what works and what does not work for your child. The key is to grow with your child and adapt to the changes they may need through time.

Individual Counseling – Caring For Yourself To Care For Others

A child with autism may need more attention and energy compared to other children. It is normal to feel stressed and burned out as you care for your child. However, healthy well-being allows us to be better caregivers. Talking to a counselor may help you deal with your struggles so you can help your child and your family. Counseling will facilitate your coping in difficult situations such as moments of distress, anxiety, maladaptation, and mental or emotional struggles.

The Power Of Early Intervention

The sooner you learn and accept the diagnosis of your child, the better. It allows them to get the help they need right away for better outcomes. We can minimize delays, and your child will find it easier to cope once they receive intervention early on.

There are different types of intervention available for children with autism. These are not designed to cure autism. It teaches your child the skills they need to become functional and independent. Among the available treatments, counseling and therapies are:

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Speech Therapy
• Floortime
• TEACCH
• Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
• Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT)
• Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)

Family Counseling – Getting On The Same Page

It is essential to work together as a family when it comes to raising your child with autism. There should be consistency, so they would not get confused and biased. Family counseling may facilitate communication and understanding at home to create a nurturing environment for your child. We must work together to manage our expectations and manage our roles as parents.

Support groups are also available for parents of children with autism. Counseling in groups provides parents a safe space to share their struggles and also learn from other parents.

Take Note Of Their Strengths And Struggles

Every child faces their own set of accomplishments and challenges every day. These strengths and struggles are more apparent in children with autism. Some of them are exceptionally good at one field or task, while they need more help in others. For example, your child with autism may have an incredible photographic memory or is very gifted in the music and arts. But for the most part, they have difficulty making friends.

As parents, we need to know the individual skills, interests, quirks, and difficulties our children face every day. To find these out, we can observe them in their everyday mundane tasks. But more importantly, we can help them find their cutting-edge skills and nurture them. Doing these will not only boost your child’s self-confidence, but you’ll also help them achieve more in life.

Advocate For Awareness, Acceptance, And Inclusion

As parents, we have strong instincts in protecting our children. Your fear for your child’s present and future is valid. In a world where stigma and discrimination for children with disabilities prevail, we become advocates. It begins with acceptance within us.

Children with autism are exceptional with their own set of strengths and unique abilities. They are just like the rest of us, even if they have their way of seeing and understanding the world. A diagnosis with ASD does not change your child. They are the same precious being you held as they were born. Their diagnosis only allows you to understand them better.

As your child grows, you would want to create the same opportunities for them. Your acceptance of autism can radiate into the world so they can have a bigger, more nurturing space to grow. When we advocate for autism awareness and acceptance, we also fight for their inclusion in society, autism family therapy could also be a big help to improve their lives in general. Then, you can ease your worries as they grow into a world where people with autism are not treated differently.

Autism is a neurobiological disorder that affects a person’s capacity to speak, learn, and interact with the world around him or her. Repetitive behavior and excessive routines such as obsession with a specific object and unnecessary movements are characteristics of people diagnosed with this disorder.

While medications and treatment are also helpful in addressing symptoms of Autism, interactive therapies and play-based approaches are also beneficial. Here are some of the best counseling and therapy types that your doctor may integrate with managing your child with Autism.

Occupational Therapy

An allied medical professional called an Occupational Health Therapist might also help your child be more accustomed and independent in daily routines, personal habits, and other activities. This may include teaching your child how to properly eat, use utensils, wear clothes, and hold crayons and pens. A session may focus on learning how to play or work various recreation activities.

Occupational Therapists may use various methods and activities during therapy. These of which may include interactive strategies that use assistive technologies specialized for your child’s individual needs.

Speech Therapy

A licensed speech-language pathologist or speech pathologist can help teach children with Autism various communication skills such as word articulation, effective listening, sentence construction, and many others. Sessions in speech therapy are usually dedicated to learning verbal directions, determining social cues and how to respond to them, or participating in self-paced conversations with people.

The setting might be dependent on your child’s present needs. Your Speech Therapist can select if a personal and controlled environment or a group dynamic is the best fit for your child’s preferences. There are also times when your therapist might ask you if you would like assistive communication tools for your child’s progress.

Social Skills Therapy

There are therapy sessions called to practice and develop social skills among children with Autism. It is a safe area where children learn how to work and get along with others while learning about active participation in social situations. Session in social skills therapy offers children with Autism an opportunity to enjoy while learning how to interact with people such as the other kids without Autism.

Speech therapists or autism specialists are usually the ones who manage and facilitate sessions of social skills therapy.

Applied Behavioral Analysis

This form of behavioral therapy uses rewards to support and reinforce positive behaviours or teach new skills to children with Autism. However, goals in this therapy are usually based on the individual. They might be focusing on:

• Learning effective communication
• Developing social skills
• Learning hygiene and personal care techniques
• The school works like hold crayons and pencils.

Moment-by-moment and timely feedback are essential in ABA therapy. That is why parents and caregivers are also trained. There are various techniques in Applied Behavioral Analysis. They are the following:

• Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT)
• Discrete Trial Training (DTT)
• Verbal Behavior Intervention (VBI)
• Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI)

Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)

Although relatively new, RDI has been trademarked as a form of therapy for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. RDI is most beneficial for children who are only starting with therapy. 

Sessions in RDI aim to teach children how to engage and establish relationships with their parents and siblings. Like most therapies for Children with Autism, RDI focuses on the disorder’s lack of social skills or interaction.

To maximize the opportunities and success of therapy, parents are usually trained and assisted in using all possible options to teach their child with Autism. This will allow active feedback to let him or her develop essential social skills.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

PECS Activity uses picture trading for complimentary items or activities. Children with Autism who find it hard to speak or understand cues may benefit from this program. However, PECS can be challenging to try for kids who are unwilling to communicate and whose interests aren’t in objects or specific activities.

Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Sometimes dubbed as “hippotherapy”, this unique form of therapy places a child in a horse with the goal of adjusting to the movements of the horse. This is attributed as a form of physical therapy style and has been effective in making children less irritable and hyperactive.

Sensory-Integration Therapies

Children with Autism might find it hard to process sensory cues such as sounds, too bright lights, food textures, and loud noises. Enrolling in Sensory-Integration Therapies teaches your child to process these triggers. This is done by increasing slowly but gradually their tolerance with uncomfortable sensory cues via an interactive play-based program.

Nutrition Therapy

Due to sensitivity and selectivity, children with Autism might find it hard to get the recommended nutrition daily. A Registered Nutritionist or Nutrition Specialist can help design better meal plans for the child’s preferences and limited diet. When food and nutrition needs are met, the child may still grow as a healthy adult, even under special types of diet.

Gluten-free and Casein-free diets are the usual food customs for people with Autism.

Communication Interventions 

Communication interventions are essential in behavior therapy. People with Autism might have difficulties in expressing their needs and desires. This lack of effective communication may result in conflicts and misunderstandings with people diagnosed with Autism.

Teaching communication skills may be done through technologies such as iPads or virtual platforms. But more effective processes usually include social learning through peer tutoring, amplifying games, and other group dynamics.

There are plenty of evidence-based therapy and counseling types that may assist the development and growth of children with Autism. They can range from those that allow personal growth or others that facilitate social interactions. Along the way, parents’ help is usually in need as an assistive approach in therapy.

Apart from choosing which therapy will fit your child’s needs and preferences, parents must also be careful in choosing which care provider to ask for help and advice. Ensure that your therapist is proven, licensed, and skilled enough to manage your child’s special needs. It is also essential to recognize if your child feels safe and enjoys the therapy. If you see that your child is not growing or is not learning enough, it is better to ask for help from your doctor or find better therapy providers to suit what your child needs.