Autistic individuals account for around one out of every hundred people on the planet. For many, the figure is higher than they expected. And, although autism is often accompanied by a range of difficulties, the vast number of individuals living with the condition provides some solace to those who have the condition and their support systems since, chances are, there is always someone around who can relate.
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, you may be experiencing a range of emotions. Stress, anxiety, sorrow, and bewilderment… These are all natural post-diagnosis emotions and feelings, and they are entirely normal to feel. However, continuing to feel like this isn’t helpful to you or your child, who is just the same child as they ever were; you simply have a name for their state of being.
After you’ve recovered from your first bout of emotions, it’s critical to take proactive measures to prepare you better, your child, and your family for what’s ahead. We’ll go through some of those stages in more detail below.
Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels
Choose Whether To Talk To Your Child
There is no ideal moment to inform autistic people that they have autism. Some parents discuss this subject with their children as soon as they are diagnosed. Others wait till their children are older before having the conversation.
It is entirely up to you as a parent to decide what to do. Just be aware that your youngster may begin to discover distinctions between themselves and other children at school that they will be unable to explain unless they are made aware of their uniqueness. Not knowing could be more upsetting than knowing, as they might wonder what’s ‘wrong’ with them compared to their peers. Plus, this is part of them.
It’s not a disease, it’s not an ailment – it’s them.
Talk To Your Family
Autism is not a condition that just affects one individual. It is a condition that has an impact on both the child and their entire support system, most of all those in their family. Your autistic child will, without question, need more care and patience than other members of your family.
Coming to grips with this fact as soon as possible and talking with your spouse or partner and any other children you may have will guarantee that your autistic kid grows up in a secure environment. It may also assist in alleviating any frustration that other members of your family may be feeling. It’s good to talk things through. Just as you would learn more about investments and retirement funds, about schools, about vacation destinations, about anything at all, you should learn more about autism.
Do this research as a family, and it will become easier to understand and make plans for.
Arrange School Support
Most public schools provide specific assistance for autistic children who have been clinically diagnosed. Some schools may even be willing to provide these services to your child before any official diagnosis if you arrange a meeting with your school’s counselors to discuss your concerns.
One-on-one assistance in class and in the playground are examples of special services. It may also include transferring your school to a learning setting that is better suited to their specific requirements. Understanding all of this and seeing how it could benefit your child will help you make the right choices should you need to.
Look Into Out Of School Resources
When your child is diagnosed with autism, the school should not be the only place where they get help. You should also look at after-school programs to provide your little one with important resources in a variety of settings.
Many towns offer after-school programs geared at special needs children. Larger groups, such as Autism Speaks, may offer monthly community activities in your region that are worth investigating.
Ask your child’s teachers whether they are aware of any after-school programs that your child might benefit from. You could also call your city hall to find out if any local services are often suggested to people in your region.
The actions outlined above are practical things you can do once your child is diagnosed with autism to help them reach their full potential and to prevent the condition from negatively impacting them, you, and other family members.
In addition to all we’ve already said, make sure you never lose sight of your own requirements. It’s perfectly acceptable to feel irritated or need to take a break every now and again. Give it your best, be kind to yourself, and continue to learn all you can about autism.
Kori
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