Tips on Parenting a Child with Autism

Parenting itself is hard, but parenting a child with a spectrum disorder can pose some extra challenges. For a child, autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that no parent can ever prepare themselves for. Aside from recurring roadblocks, your autistic child has some impressive strengths that can help them learn to live independently.

ASD is not something that your child will grow out of. However, several treatment options can help your child overcome their developmental disabilities and acquire new skills. Here are some effective tips that can help you get through autism challenges and prepare your child for an independent, successful life.

Early diagnosis and interventions

As a parent with an autistic child, or any other related developmental delays, getting your child treated right away is the best option. Don’t wait for your child to outgrow a condition or prolong the diagnosis.
Early diagnosis and interventions play a decisive role in speeding up your child’s development and abating symptoms of autism over the years.

Provide pattern and security

Knowledge and understanding of ASD and its treatments can help you work on your child’s disabilities at home as well.

Here are some parenting strategies that you can try to support your child`s needs:

Be consistent

Children with ASD are unable to follow the same techniques in different settings. For instance, they might use sign language at school to communicate but do not feel the need do it at home.

To reinforce effective learning and skills development, make sure that you create consistency in your child’s environment. Try incorporating your therapist’s techniques into your child’s daily settings, like school and home. Also, be consistent in how you interact and deal with your child’s behavior.

Stick to routine

Autistic children thrive best in a highly-structured routine because of their need for consistency. Plan your child’s everyday routine carefully for meals, therapy, playtime, school, and bedtime.

Avoid changing this routine; even if you do, prepare your child beforehand by letting them know.

Praise and reward good behavior

For autistic children, reinforcing positive behaviors with rewards and praise can go a long way. Whenever you find them doing something good, praise them for their behavior and give them candy, chocolate, or extra playtime as a reward.

Set up a safe zone within the home

Set up a separate space for your child to feel safe where they can relax, feel secure, and be isolated. This will help create safe boundaries with your child when they act out and help them understand their limits.

Additionally, mark the objects or spaces with colorful tapes to help your child understand what is off limit. Childproof your house if your child is inclined to throw tantrums and harm himself.

Find non-verbal ways to build a connection

Building a nonverbal connection with your autistic child can be very taxing, but know that you do not essentially have to touch or talk to your child to do that. You need to understand your child’s body language and watch your tone and body language whenever you engage with them. Here are some ways to connect with your child:

Look out for nonverbal cues

Be observant and aware of your child’s non-verbal cues that they use to communicate. Take note of their sounds, facial expressions, and the gestures that they use when they are about to throw a tantrum, feel fussy, tired, hungry, or overstimulated.

Learn to understand the motivation behind their outbursts

Children with autism react the same as any other child when they feel left out, ignored, pressured, or misunderstood. Their triggers and outbursts are mainly because of your lack of awareness of their nonverbal cues.

Knowing that their hysterics are their way of getting your attention and communicating their frustration will help you understand and mitigate these tantrums effectively.

Schedule fun time

Children love Fun times, and for autistic children especially, life should be more fun than therapy. Know what sights, colors, smells, sounds, and tactile sensations upset your child and trigger their disruptive behaviors and what elicits positive behavior.

Knowing your child’s sensitivities can help you troubleshoot problems, avoid triggering situations, and create thriving experiences.

Teach them calming techniques

Disruptive outbursts are not always after math of emotional dysregulation; they could also be linked to anxiety and depression.

Know that your child’s tantrums are not meant to manipulate you or seek attention. Instead, your child could be feeling overwhelmed and has lost the ability to regulate their emotions.
Regulate your child’s coming tantrums by giving them space or offering them help like:

It looks like you are getting tired. Do you want to go for a walk or have something to eat?

Research has shown that electronic wearables like smartwatches can greatly help provide emotional tools to regulate moods. These watches are able to track the child’s internal cues like heart rate and help them soothe with a calming intervention, like a soft melody or images.

Devise a tailored autism treatment plan

Figuring out the right approach for your child’s treatments can be tough when there are many treatments and therapies to choose from.

While devising a treatment plan for your child, know their strengths and weaknesses. No child on autism spectrum disorder is similar, and no single treatment can help your child’s unique disabilities.

Make a personalized plan with your child in mind to make sure his needs are met. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of my child?
• What are the most troubling disruptive behaviors?
• What skills does my child lack as compared to children with normal development?
• What does my child love to do the most?
• What activities can help him learn better?

By working hand-in-hand with your therapist, you can reinforce positive behaviors that will facilitate him for the rest of his life.

     An effective treatment plan is the one that is:

1. Built around the interests of your child.
2. It is consistent and predictable for your child.
3. Teaches them skills in terms of simple steps.
4. Actively engages your child in highly structured activities.
5. Provides regular and positive reinforcement of behaviors.
6. Involves parents and teachers in both home and school settings.

Socialize with other parents

You can learn a great deal by socializing with parents who have been in your shoes. Networking with parents in the autistic community can help you find support and resources to make your life easier.

Ask your therapist for information on parent support groups within your location. 

Some of the online autism organizations and resources are: 

• Autism Society of America
• Autism Self Advocacy Network
• Autism Women and Nonbinary Network
• Autism Research Institute
• Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered
• Sesame Street and Autism
• Wrong Planet

Take away

Raising a child with autism and understanding their needs can be extremely rewarding yet, at times, challenging. Parents can help their autistic child thrive by simply staying consistent with routines, understanding non-verbal cues, enforcing good behavior through rewards, and devising effective treatment plans.