How to handle a child with Autism?

Question

what is your expirence living with a child with autism and dealing with the challanges and how to overcome them

Answer 1

In my experience, there's nothing to deal with. Except in severe cases, people with autism tend to be extremely intelligent, extremely interesting conversationalists, and many could probably teach you a thing or two. The best answer I can come up with is that it's a huge mistake to think that autism is a handicap. It's just another of the many varied paths we humans go down.

Answer 2

My son has pdd nos which is considered mild autism. You are not saying how old is your child and are his delays. My son was diagnosed by 3 and had speech delay and other developmental delays as well. He is high function , which means he is alert to his surroundings, look at people's eyes, is a little verbal and social with people. He does need verbal prompting to do certain things by himself. he goes to a special needs school since he is 3 years old and receives Speech and occupational therapy 3x and 2x a week.

Challenges with an autism child are quite a lot,depending on the child. Overcoming them, i guess i would call more like learning to live with certain characteristics your child may have... some are very loud, they are jumpy, dont socialize, live in their own little word,dont play with other kids,doesnt look at you in the face etc... so many things we go through. You do have to have a routine with these kids and be consistent when you say no, its no! Dealing with temper tantrums ,you just have to pull them out of that situation cause most dont like noisy places ,crowded etc..

If you want to contact me, email through here and you can ask me anything you want and i will try to help you.

Answer 3

Right where do i start , my twin son is 8 and has severe autism non verbal also,
leave him alone if he needs you to be there for him just be there and don't crowd his space (my son loves to be alone) don't raise your voice it doesn't work talk very easy and simple words or sentences like , do you want drink, shall i help , if he is trying to do something, bath time, easy to understand is the best way, and if we are out Thomas tends to throw himself on the floor its tantrum behavior, the way i deal with it as long as he is some where he is leave him to stop (yes people stare but keep calm) but above all else love him cuddle him when he allows you too, and tell him you love i did this a few times and he blew me a kiss i was in tears x

Answer 4

My experience in working with autistic kids is that they do not like change, keep things on a routine, stick to the routine as much as possible, when there is going to be a change in routine, try to prepare them for the change, or avoid the change when possible, like when there will be a substitute teacher. Accept the child for who he is, they are not the way they are to mess with you. Avoiding outside distractions are helpful at school, have a place where they cannot see out the door or window, or other students who are distacting. We have a whole page of strategies to use in the classroom, but when we show them to the teachers, they say, Is that all you have? We do that anyway.

Answer 5

Our son is 12 now, and "high-functioning," so I don't have experience with kids on the lower part of the spectrum. Each day is both an adventure and a challenge: I've never engaged in a project both so rewarding and interesting, and so frustrating as raising and educating Will. I agree with all the good advice you've received so far: schedules, patience, picture boards, patience, communication skills, patience, etc. Let me share just a few things I'm learning from Will that are more general coping mechanisms.
1. He or she is your dear child first, and a child with autism second. Autism has a way of taking over our view of the individual, and we begin to respond to the behaviors rather than the person.
2. Learn to let go of your parental ego, the part of you that seeks gratification through your child's successes and accomplishments, and that requires your child's obedience just because "you said so." Parental ego causes us to be embarrassed when the child makes a scene in public, or refuses to obey. It gets in the way of seeing what the child needs because we're blinded by what we want.
3. Develop a deaf ear and a blind eye to the opinions of people who don't understand autism, who think it's just another excuse for poor parenting. A pleasant smile and a brief, informative response is about all they deserve.
4. Let go of the notion that you're going to cure your child, or make his or her symptoms so mild that no one will notice. That's parental ego, again.
5. Read good material from reliable sources, then apply it as it seems good and useful for your child. Sometimes the material would depress me, and I'd have to leave it for awhile and go play with Will. His uninhibited approach to life could always restore my optimism.
6. Take each minute as it comes. Worry about your child's future will bring all your fears down on his and your heads, and cause you to require behavior that can only come one step at a time, if at all.
7. Keep track of yourself. If you show signs of depression, see a doctor, take medication, make room in the day for exercise and good eating, whatever you need to do. You must be emotionally present and capable of engaging with this child, your husband, and any other children you may have. My depression manifested itself mainly through anger, not sadness.
8. A sense of humor will see you and your child through many tough things. A funny response instead of an angry one can help you both find the light side of any situation, even if you have to explain what you said, then explain why it's funny. Eventually, he or she will catch on to humor, and start using it, too.
9. Break down your requests or tasks into their component parts, and work on each part. The TEACCH program (you can ask your psychologist about this) is an excellent system for training parents to do this.
10. Never tire of explaining things to your child--through words, pictures, stories--over and over again, as often as necessary.
I wish you and your family the very best as you all help this child become whatever he or she can be.

Answer 6

Treat the child comewhat like a normal child. When they meltdown, don't automatically comfort the child either. It's rough, but the stronger the parent is the better the child will become.

Answer 7

There is an easier and valuable resource to teach a child with autism.
Visit www.montessori-book.com, a guide to teach Montessori especially to a child with autism.
Don't miss reading the "feedback" page!

Answer 8

Here are some tips:

1. do not overstimulate them (loud noises, bright lights, etc.)
2. help them communicate with you anyway they can (sign language, flashcards, picture book, etc.)
3. get respite services; it can be difficult to handle on your own (call 211)
4. give them a 'time out' if they become aggressive; some time alone usually helps them regroup
5. find out about allergies they might be suffering, since food allergies usually affect their behavior
6. keep a structured schedule; it helps them keep calm
7. be loving and patient; they know more than anyone thinks
8. join a support group or other moms to vent, exchange tips, etc.

Answer 9

Don't push things.

If you do not respect them they will throw a fit.
If you are not prepared to stand your ground and be consistant then they will act up more.

They need stability. They thrive for consistancy.
Do not force them to be placed in situations where they are very afraid of something. Try your best to steer around the situation if you can.

Frightening them will only make the situation worse for longer.

Nicole- 10 years mental health/behavioral

Answer 10

I just wanna pull my hair out some days. It seems no matter what we do my son doesnt get it, but then the next day he will come up and has totally figured out what you were trying to do yesterday. Patience and understanding have really come a long way here. I also haev to remember a lot of times he isnt doing things to be bad or embrassing its just he gets over stimulated or is very uneasy and cant tell us he is.