“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I were neurotypical because I would have been interested in social things. Having a little autism helped me achieve my goals and not miss what most people thought I was missing out on.”
- Evan Delaney Rodgers (an Autistic Politician)
Autism is a mental and physical disorder consisting of a series of conditions. Some of the common characteristics of this syndrome are visible in early childhood or so. But at the same time, it remains non-diagnosed until it reaches a particular stage.
According to the World Health Organization, one in every 160 children suffers from ASD (autism spectrum disorder). The physical and mental abilities of an individual with autism are somewhere different from an ordinary person. Where some people with autism are good to live independently, on the contrary, others may be suffering from various disabilities requiring consistent support.
Fortunately, several evidence-based psychosocial interventions tend to improve the condition of autism in individuals belonging to different age groups and gender. Such interventions work on social skills the most. As a result, the sufferer can live a better quality of life while positively impacting the lifestyle.
How can parents contribute to improving the condition of an autistic child?
As a responsible parent, you must have spent enough time thinking about your child’s bright future. This static thought process goes rigorous when you find your little life is suffering from autism spectrum disorder.
Besides the ongoing medical procedure, there is a lot to do. You can line up different positive practices in your child’s life to let them see the best part of life and feel better. The journey may initially sound challenging for you and your child, but try keeping your child’s overall well-being in mind.
Here is how to get things back on track –
#1 – The positive outlook – Most children with autism see their world through their parents’ or caretakers’ eyes. So, all in all, they see the world how you treat them. The best thing is autistic children respond similarly to other children. They are good at responding to positive reinforcement the most. This makes the treatment process more accessible and practical. So, all in all, the more you praise their behavior, the more favorable outcome you receive. The whole story is about making them feel special, valued, and appreciated about everything they do.
#2 – Give them the teachings for a lifetime – Parenthood is all about feeding your child’s mind with positive reinforcement and valuable teachings. Feed them with a positive outlook on life and ways to live with a generous heart. During this course, you may find LDS Gospel Doctrine books as a great resource. Such books are good to summarize the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ. The goal is to fill their mind with positive energy helping them feel optimistic. This is important as autistic children see themselves differently from the crowd. This can be one of the ways to make them feel comfortable and valuable. And above all, you know you are feeding your children with the best of this world.
#3 – Be determined with the schedule – You won’t be seeing positive results in a day or two. Therefore, be consistent in your efforts to notice improvement. Make a pattern of teaching and monitoring. This approach is competitive and keeps your child in the learning flow forever. For instance – if you are teaching your child some new stuff today, make sure to interact and revise it on alternate days to note progress. This is the best approach to judge their mind’s improving condition.
Generally, autistic children are good to learn new stuff in a week or so. If you do not see any improvement even after weeks of teaching, it’s wise to consult a therapist or practitioner immediately. This is a sign that your baby requires a medical helping hand to get on track.
#4 – Keep play on priority – Autistic children are in love with fun artwork. The biggest blessing is they are blessed with a creative outlook on everything. This makes them unique and precious to the world in many ways. All you need is to recognize their talent and let them sample everything they want. It’s an essential part of their educational course, which works as a therapy for many minds. It is a progressive approach that lets them connect with you more easily and quickly. Their approach to fun activities and artwork may vary but so will be the results. All you need is to put your faith in their thought process and support them at every step.
Parental care is essential too.
It’s common for parents of autistic children to undergo stress and sorrow, especially while improving them. You may feel low, but that’s when you should overcome all negatives and look ahead with a positive perspective. While you may be doing every possible thing to keep your child in a good position, don’t neglect your health and mental peace.
Here’s how you can work on your health –
Cut down stress – See the positives in everything and wave off stress. Always remember your child needs your support in these stressful times. Thus, putting yourself in a stressful condition will only worsen the situation. Eliminate all negative aspects and cut down on people who look at you with wary eyes.
Exercise – Rather than worrying about your child’s health and future, it’s good to set a good example for them. Exercise and meditate to attain true mental peace. You never know you may influence your child to join you soon.
The final line –
You can’t decide if your upcoming generation will catch autism or not. As a parent, all you can do is contribute wisely to improving the current state. There are many positive practices to help you sail through the process. You may find it challenging in the beginning, but gradual changes are promised. Meanwhile, it’s wise to stay in touch with a practitioner to monitor the state timely while continuing the treatment at home.
Kori
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