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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appears in early childhood between 2 and 3 years of age. It mainly affects a person’s social interaction and communication, with symptoms that can include speech disturbances, repetitive and compulsive behavior, hyperactivity, anxiety, and difficulty adapting to new environments.
Apart from a structured educational program and tailored therapy to help children develop skills, there are some simple everyday things we can do as parents to help our autistic child:
- Make your child feel good by focusing on the positive i.e. praise good behavior.
- Use simple and direct language in communication.
- Rely on drawings and other “show” techniques so you make communication with your child easier.
- Be alert for your child’s body language to know if something is wrong.
- Focus on routines to provide a consistent and on schedule guidance and interaction, for instance use the same method of interaction followed by teachers.
- Include more fun activities rather than just activities for the purpose of therapy.
- Be patient and give your child time to respond to treatment
- Help your child get used to the world around him/her, take them on everyday errands like grocery shopping, market visits…etc.
- Show your child unconditional love and do not compare him/her with others.
- Ask for help and get support from professionals or other families with autistic children.
- Give yourself a break and do things that you enjoy while a caregiver can take care of your child for a period of time.
References:
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/parenting-child-with-autism#1
https://childmind.org/topics-a-z/
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/autism/autism-symptoms-and-early-signs.htm