Autism and Parenting

It is simply the application of behavioral principles, to everyday situations, that will, over time, increase or decrease targeted behaviors. ABA has been used to help individuals acquire many different skills, such as language skills, self-help skills, and play skills; in addition, these principles can help to decrease maladaptive behaviors such as aggression, self-stimulatory behaviors, and self...

It’s not just the parties and celebrations that let kids know they’re appreciated and needed. “Sometimes it’s the smaller changes that help to bond and give them a safe space, for they are more numerous in quantity and truly make up the bulk of our lives,”. Small moments are the cement that strengthens the relationships that will give back to us in the years to come! Don’t miss to celebrate these...

The causes of Autism are unknown and many people think it is caused by Genes. There had been a study on children with Autism. The group included identical twins (share 100% of genetic information and the same intrauterine environment), fraternal twins (share 50% of the genetic information and the same intrauterine environment), and Siblings. This study helped to understand the concordance rate – “...

All parents and caregivers need to understand that everything about the kid is not a challenge. There are many habits which might not look usual but are being followed by a large group unknowingly. We need to make our life easy and consider the kids as individuals. The have their own way of being and we must just help them, guide and be there for them when needed. #autism   #autistic   #actuallyau...

Often parents confuse discipline and control in their behaviour. They tend to control kids while teaching them  #discipline . Discipline means to add routine to make you and the kid better and it starts from self. Start by creating a daily routine for your own self and add kids activities to it. This will help you in folds. One you will have all the activities written at a place such that you don’...

One of the beautiful feelings I experience with my son, is the beauty of loving someone, the pleasure of giving love unconditionally and without expectations. His way to express his love is entirely different than mine and I open towards it. Usually it happens that due to our expectations we tend to ignore/ overlook the small things. Once someone lowers the bar of expectations then one enjoys the...

There comes a time when every parent struggles with how best to discipline their child. Whether dealing with a screaming toddler or an angry teen, it can be hard to control your temper. No parent wants to find themselves in such a situation and the bottom line is that shouting and physical violence never help. Repeated shouting and hitting can even adversely impact a child’s entire life. The conti...

Everyone has a different definition of success, failure, happiness, sadness, and even for love and hatred, etc. We often get into conversations with others and tend to prove that we are better off than them. We try to fit ourselves or our kids into their definitions, without knowing their story or considering our own. Everyone has a life filled with different situations of opportunities and failur...

Writing Skills Before developing writing skills, it is needed that you have worked on tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive senses. The kid must be made comfortable with holding something in hand and then applying pressure. The first activity is to develop hand-eye coordination along with some strength in the index and thumb. For this, you may use clay, and flour dough, and make the kid pat it....

Frustration Acceptance – We must “accept the ‘as is’ nature of our children”. We need to see and know them for who they are rather than who we expect them to be. Once we embrace our children and accept them “as is”, a new and powerful kind of connection emerges. Acknowledgment - When a strong feeling arises, observe it. Pause and take a breath. Know that as long as you accept the emotion, it has t...

Getting frustrated, irritated, giving up, walking away, getting angry, or scolding the kid; are easy options that result in nothing. We need to understand that putting in persistent efforts will result in something. Our life consists of choices we make, we need to choose a challenging way that might include struggles and responsibilities. We all want lovely moments in our life but these lovely mom...

Kids learn by exploring their environment by touching, smelling, moving, tasting, seeing, and hearing all the different things surrounding them. When constantly exposed to gadgets, kids will not be able to learn things about the real world. Virtual autism is a condition that occurs when young children below the age of two are excessively exposed to screens which leads to ASD-like symptoms. Symptom...

Social, Emotional and Play Dysfunction -Difficulty getting along with peers -Prefers playing by self with objects or toys rather than with people -Does not interact reciprocally with peers or adults; hard to have a “meaningful” two-way conversation -Self-abusive or abusive to others -Others have a hard time interpreting child’s cues, needs, or emotions -Does not seek out connections with familiar...

Visual Input Dysfunction Over-responsive -Sensitive to bright lights; will squint, cover eyes, cry and/or get headaches from the light -Has difficulty keeping eyes focused on task/activity he/she is working on for an appropriate amount of time -Easily distracted by other visual stimuli in the room; i.e., movement, decorations, toys, windows, doorways etc. -Has difficulty in bright colorful rooms o...

Olfactory Dysfunction -Signs- Hyper-sensitive: - Reacts negatively to, or dislikes smells which do not usually bother, or get noticed, by other people - Refuses to eat certain foods because of their smell - Offended and/or nauseated by bathroom odors or personal hygiene smells - Bothered/irritated by smell of perfume or cologne / household or cooking smells Hypo-sensitive: - Has difficulty discrim...

Defensiveness: Picky eater, often with extreme food preferences; i.e., limited repertoire of foods, selective about brands Resistive to trying new foods May only eat “soft” or pureed foods past 24 months of age May gag with textured foods Has difficulty with sucking, chewing, and swallowing, may choke or have a fear of choking May only eat hot or cold foods Dislikes or complains about toothpaste a...

Auditory dysfunction, also known as auditory processing disorder (APD) or central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), is a condition that affects the brain's ability to process and interpret auditory information effectively. It is important to understand the historical and current understanding of auditory dysfunction to provide a comprehensive perspective. The concept of auditory dysfunction...

Proprioceptive dysfunction, also known as proprioceptive processing disorder, is a condition that affects an individual's ability to sense and process information about their body's position and movement. This sensory processing disorder can have a significant impact on a person's motor skills, coordination, and overall functioning. Individuals with proprioceptive dysfunction may strug...

It refers to structures within the inner ear (the semi-circular canals) that detect movement and changes in the position of the head. The vestibular system tells you when your head is upright or tilted, even with your eyes closed. Dysfunction of the vestibular system can manifest symptomatically as vertigo, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbance, hearing changes, and various cognitive deficits. Sign...

The word “tactile” refers to the sense of touch, and tactile dysfunction (also known as tactile sensitivity) is a form of sensory dysfunction that causes that sense to be heightened to discomfort or even pain. Children with tactile dysfunction feel certain sensations more strongly than most people do. What might be a minor annoyance to one person can be extremely uncomfortable for someone with tac...

Autism is something not new to the world. It has always been a part of society. As per a study conducted last year, 1 in every 100 kids below 10 years of age has Autism. The earliest recorded detection of Autism in India dates to 1944 when the English came up with the definition of the disorder. Over time the number increase does not necessarily mean cases increase, it is also because autism has b...

Brushing, nail cutting, and hair cutting are such activities that happen at regular intervals. It becomes a challenge if the kid is tactile hypersensitive. For brushing, you may start with a simulator toothbrush, as shown in the video. You may begin by giving a simulation on the lips and gradually move to the inner cheeks. You will need to increase the time duration gradually. Once the kid becomes...

Every parent is blessed with a sixth sense when it comes to observing kids. Parents are the first observers of any kid's behavior and 95% of the parents can identify if the kid needs help of some sort. This sixth will help and guide you throughout the life. I was able to identify the need to help during initial days and now this sense helps me while working with my son. Additionally, the impor...

It is not uncommon for people from all walks of life to feel sad or lonely at times. Everyone at one time or another will have the blues; with the blues, you can bounce back relatively quickly. You will not dwell on the situation and can focus on getting out of the slump. This could take some time, but it won’t linger if you try. Boosting your mood and helping yourself feel more positive is a grea...

As parents, we often go overboard in trying to give our children the best of everything. However, knowingly, or unknowingly, we also tend to demand a lot from them. We tend to commit the same mistakes when we ourselves become parents and set unrealistic, unachievable expectations for our children. We must expect something from the child based on one’s ability, capability, and level of expertise. A...