Autism and Parenting

What if different is different- not right, not wrong just different? These kids aren’t the same as other people. They don’t have emotions the way other people do. They think differently. They don’t understand why people move so slowly and pretend not to know what they actually do know. They have a different way of looking at the world. And what if they actually have special talents and abilities?...

There are particular “cultures” of thinking or attitude with regard to the way people and especially kids should function. Those who don’t function according to the rules and regulations in play around them, are labeled by the advocates and promoters of those “cultures.” So often the conclusion is reached that children who don’t “fit in” need to be taught how to behave so they can learn to functio...

Imagine this. You’re about to embark on a journey to someplace you’ve never been before. Whether you’re using an old-fashioned roadmap, googling directions, or putting the address in your car GPS; the first question you’re asked is what’s your starting point. Logically that makes sense. You need to start to travel from somewhere. Knowing where you are, how you plan to travel, the road conditions a...

Changing your perspective is like changing the window through which you view the world. When you change how you view it, you change how you feel about it. You have a chance to find the bright side to your situation, no matter how tough it seems, by only changing your view and identifying the positive of every experience. There is a lesson in the pain and there is a beautiful rose in your thorn bus...

There are many resources available with examples of calming strategies and self management skills. When deciding on what coping strategies will work best for the individual, it is important to remember specific social and emotional support the person may have, along with their skill and knowledge level. With that said, there are numerous coping strategies to be explored and tried. Some of them inc...

People with autism spectrum disorder are sometimes described as lacking empathy (the ability to feel along with others) and/or sympathy (the ability to feel for others). While this is a persistent stereotype of all people with autism, these challenges are not experienced by everyone on the spectrum. A lack of expressed sympathy or empathy may not be the result of a lack of emotion in someone who h...

Expressing feelings can be a unique experience for individuals with autism. Autism can affect how someone processes and communicates emotions. Here are some points to consider when it comes to autism and expressing feelings: 1. Sensory Processing : Individuals with autism may have sensory sensitivities that can impact how they experience and express emotions. They might become overwhelmed by certa...

Understanding facial impressions makes social interactions between people easier. It is one of the ways we understand other people’s feelings, emotional expressions, and intentions. Autistic people often find it hard to read the tiny clues that a facial emotion expression gives – things like tone of voice, posture, and gestures. The root of the problem might lie in the different ways that autistic...

Pet and animal therapy has been shown to yield great benefits for people of all abilities and disabilities – encouraging social interaction, comfort, play, and joy. When it comes to autism animal-assisted therapy, the research is quite new and limited, but much of the evidence found so far suggests incredible positive effects for people on the autism spectrum. One of the most recognizable benefits...

Puzzles are a great way to create a fun learning opportunity for kids. Simple jigsaw puzzles help children develop finger strength, perseverance and problem-solving skills. Ask your child to turn, flip, slide and wriggle pieces into position. Picking up, moving and twisting the pieces of a puzzle helps children to develop finger strength and hand-eye coordination. As your child picks up and positi...

In recent years, many alternative or complementary therapies have evolved with time e.g. Art, Music, Group, and Aquatic Therapy. These therapies promote communication, self-exploration, emotional growth, sensory integration, helps in venting out emotions and feelings, improve social and interaction skills. These therapies also improve eye contact and self-confidence. Art: -Art-based therapy is an...

Stem cell therapy is not recognised for autism as per ICMR, officials said. “This treatment has given false hope, unrealistic expectations and led to exploitation...,” said a senior NMMC official. NAVI MUMBAI : The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) on Friday revoked the registration of NeuroGen Brain & Spine Institute (NeuroGen), Sector 40, Seawoods for “illegally conducting” and advert...

In recent years, caregivers have been seeking alternative or complementary therapies for autism and have a wide array of options available, one such is art-based therapy. It is a natural fit for autism. It helps the deficits associated with autism by channeling autistic behaviors into an expressive, creative outlet. -It promotes communication, self-exploration, emotional growth, and sensory integr...

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an umbrella term encompassing the communication methods used to supplement or replace speech or writing for those with impairments in the production or comprehension of spoken or written language. AAC includes strategies that improve communication for Non-verbal/speaking, natural speech does not meet their need for functional communication. Strat...

Motivation is the interest or desire to engage in some activity. We need to be motivated to play, work, study, and complete our daily activities. Motivation is necessary for our routine func-toning as well as to learn anything. Children with Autism are not motivated to engage in any appropriate behavior. Instead they have several behavior issues that take away their motivation from most activities...

The presence of a child with special needs in the family involves significant time and resource demands. In addition, stress and conflict accompany the challenges of raising a child with special needs. It may turn into many things: -Stress on families can occur at each stage of a child’s life. -Each family member and their family relationships face challenges throughout the time period. -Siblings...

The role of a speech therapist is not just limited to the development of language skills, but they employ a holistic approach to developing communication skills (both verbal-nonverbal), cognition and social skills. “Remember, the aim is effective communication and not speaking.”. speech therapy can help develop the ability to express their wants and needs using: -Real objects: The child uses vario...

The specialist to assist your child in speech regard is a speech and language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist’s role is planning and executing a program for autistic children that emphasize the development of communication and interaction skills. The role of a speech therapist is not just limited to the development of language skills, but they employ a holistic approach to developing...

Since Autism is characterized by a deficiency in nonverbal and verbal social skills, implementing Effective Communication between the parents/caregivers/therapists and the child with Autism is especially important. We need to keep in mind the basics before getting into in-depth training: >Be emotionally available to your child, let him know-“I am here for you.” >Do not forget to establish co...

It is important for a parent/caregiver to understand this “bad” behavior. Labeling something as “bad” behavior does not help reduce the behavior. Children with Autism often engage in excess behaviors that serve no function. These behaviors can be classified into two categories: -Harmful behavior: behavior that will hurt the child or others around him. Such behaviors are dangerous and as parents, t...

Consequence: Anything that happens after the behavior has occurred. It could be a reaction from the parent/caregiver/therapist, access to a favorite toy, or attention, e.g., getting a break after completing an activity, getting scolded for misbehaving, people smiling or disapproving, etc. Reinforcement: Addition of a stimulus to increase the frequency of behavior. It is used to help increase the p...

Impairments in communication are another important hallmark of Autism. The underlying cause is that the individual with autism does not naturally pick up gestures, facial expressions, appropriate eye contact, or tone of voice. They do not easily acquire speech and language or if the language is developed, it is used in unusual ways, with a “marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a...

Shaping a child’s behavior involves three steps: tell, show, do. Tell: Give an instruction to the child such as “ put your toys back” , wait for few seconds for the child to comply, if the child complies at that point provide a huge reinforcement (verbal praise, clap, favorite food), if not then move to the next step - ‘Show’. Show: Repeat the instruction by modeling or gesturing what you want the...

To have a situation in control, one need to have control over self and have patience. This applies to various aspects of life, including interactions with autistic children. Maintaining self-control and practicing patience can help create a calm and supportive environment, which is beneficial for both the child and the caregiver or educator. It allows for better communication, understanding, and p...

Basic principles of ABA: Antecedent-Behavior-Consequences - Antecedent: These are events that occur immediately before a behavior. Antecedent is what was happening right before the behavior occurred. It may be an instruction given by the parent/caregiver/therapist for the child to perform an action, e.g., touch your head, do the puzzle, match the picture etc. -Behavior: Everything a person does, s...