Dont Wait For A Diagnosis
As the parent of a child with ASD or related developmental delays, the best thing you can do is to start treatment right away. Seek help as soon as you suspect somethings wrong. Dont wait to see if your child will catch up later or outgrow the problem. Dont even wait for an official diagnosis. The earlier children with autism spectrum disorder get help, the greater their chance of treatment success. Early intervention is the most effective way to speed up your childs development and reduce the symptoms of autism over the lifespan.
When your child has autism
Learn about autism. The more you know about autism spectrum disorder, the better equipped youll be to make informed decisions for your child. Educate yourself about the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.
Become an expert on your child. Figure out what triggers your kids challenging or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your child find stressful or frightening? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, youll be better at troubleshooting problems and preventing or modifying situations that cause difficulties.
Dont give up. Its impossible to predict the course of autism spectrum disorder. Dont jump to conclusions about what life is going to be like for your child. Like everyone else, people with autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.
Discovery Ranch For Boys In Utah
Discovery Ranch may be a suitable placement for some male children ages 13-18 with high-functioning autism and behavioral challenges.
At the Discovery Ranch treatment program for troubled teens, boys enjoy the benefits of intensive therapy combined with powerfully effective experiential learning activities. Young men acquire the tools they need to recognize and regulate their emotions so that they can control their actions.
Contact Discovery Ranch through their website or by calling 855-662-9318.
Childcare For Children On The Autism Spectrum
Emerging data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the number of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses continuing to rise, surpassing the estimates in 2002 by roughly 120%. For childcare providers, this means an increasing influx of children into center based and group care settings whose needs are very different from those of their peers.
Learning how to properly care for children on the autism spectrum is crucial for todays childcare provider.
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Arrow Child And Family Ministries In Maryland And Texas
Arrow was founded in 1992 by a former foster child who grew up in a loving, Christian foster home. Their residential programs provide a safe, home-like place to evaluate, treat, and prepare abused or neglected children for a more permanent placement.
They also has an autism/ID program in Maryland.
Contact Arrow Ministries through their website or by calling 922-7769.
Benedictine School In Maryland
The Benedictine School offers co-ed education and residential programs for students ages 5-21 with intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, and autism.
Each students unique needs are met with high staff to student ratios and a multidisciplinary approach using research-based methods and techniques.
Learn more about Bens School through their website or by calling 634-2112.
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Tell The Child Specifically What You Expect And Allow Him To Earn Privileges For Complying With Your Expectations
For instance, if your child often has a tantrum in a store when he cant go to the toy aisle, tell him exactly what you expect of him before you go to the store and reward him with a privilege for following that expectation. For instance, you can say something like We are going to Target. We are going to the school supply aisle to buy paper and pens, and then we will pay and go home. Once in the store you can give reminders .
Let the child know that he can earn a privilege for following the rules. Privilege ideas include getting a sticker of a favorite character, playing a favorite game once at home, watching a favorite show, going on the computer, staying up ten minutes past bed time, etc. Try to think of a privilege that your child might like or ask him what he would like to work towards.
When the child earns the privilege, praise him with specific language. In the example above you could say, You followed the rules at the Target. We got the paper and pens, paid, and came home. Nice work! Now you can enjoy some computer time. Make sure the privilege is something the child wants. You can let the child choose what he would like to work for ahead of time. Children also benefit from nonverbal praise such as high fives, smiles, thumbs up, etc.
Funding For Residential Care For Children
How is residential treatment for autism and ID paid for? Funding for residential care programs may come from insurance, Medicaid, the local state or county Department of Mental or Behavior Health or Hygiene, or private sources such as from the family.
Click here for more details about how to pay for residential treatment for kids.
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Elk River Treatment Center In Alabama
Elk River specializes in treating adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder .
Elk River Treatment Center;provides care for boys and girls ages 12 18. Elk River Treatment Program has successfully helped hundreds of adolescents who were admitted with a diagnosis of high functioning autism, meaning they can read, write, and manage life skills without around-the-clock assistance. Elk River Treatment Program is unable to serve children who have a lower functioning and/or non-verbal ASD diagnosis.
Contact Elk River through their website or by calling;.
Tip 3: Create A Personalized Autism Treatment Plan
With so many different treatments available, it can be tough to figure out which approach is right for your child. Making things more complicated, you may hear different or even conflicting recommendations from parents, teachers, and doctors.
When putting together a treatment plan for your child, keep in mind that there is no single treatment that works for everyone. Each person on the autism spectrum is unique, with different strengths and weaknesses.
Your childs treatment should be tailored according to their individual needs. You know your child best, so its up to you to make sure those needs are being met. You can do that by asking yourself the following questions:
What are my childs strengths and their weaknesses?
What behaviors are causing the most problems? What important skills is my child lacking?
How does my child learn best through seeing, listening, or doing?
What does my child enjoy and how can those activities be used in treatment and to bolster learning?
Finally, keep in mind that no matter what treatment plan is chosen, your involvement is vital to success. You can help your child get the most out of treatment by working hand-in-hand with the treatment team and following through with the therapy at home.;
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How Can I Help Teach My Child Social Skills
Every parent wants their children to form relationships that make them happy. Children with autism approach social situations with anxiety and frustration, but parents can help kids gain confidence, especially those on the high-functioning end of the spectrum.
Parents can model and explain social behavior to their child. After a particular interaction, they can provide a detailed, step-by-step explanation for their behavior, including their facial expression, tone of voice, and body language. Explanations and instructions that target the why of the behavior can be helpful since that understanding doesnt come naturally to those with autism.
Parents can discuss social situations the child sees on TV or ones theyre likely to encounter at school. The parent and child should take turns role-playing, so that the child practices playing both individuals in the scenario.
Scheduling play dates with kids in a support group can allow children to practice social skills while providing parents an opportunity to discuss strategies with other parents.
How Does Having A Child With Autism Affect A Marriage
Some research has identified a higher divorce rate for parents of children with autism, relative to the overall rate of divorce. A more recent study found no difference: 64 percent of children with autism had married parents, and 65 percent of children without autism had married parents. The idea that couples divorce due to autism may be overblown, or at the least, it merits more research.
Additionally, in a study of divorced parents of children with autism, 78 percent of respondents said that they divorced after their child was diagnosed, but 76 percent reported that autism wasnt the primary reason they divorced. About half considered the diagnosis to be a contributing factor.
Strong marriages may weather the storm and emerge stronger on the other side. Marriages that are already struggling may be unable to endure the additional stress, and couples may ultimately decide to divorce. Becoming aware of how the stress of a child with autism has influenced other couples may help parents of a newly diagnosed child to anticipate and overcome those challenges.
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How To Teach Your Autistic Child
As with anyone, teaching a child with autism is most effective when you consider how they are best able to learn. Whether youre teaching your child to communicate more, get dressed on his own, improve his social skills or become more independent, these strategies will help. These are generalizations based on common characteristics of children with autism. Adjust your approach as you discover what works best for your individual child.
Childcare Providers And Early Autism Spectrum Detection
Full-time childcare providers are likely to be with a child for the majority of their waking hours, which leaves them uniquely placed to pick up on the signs of autism spectrum disorder. Childcare providers can prove to be a very valuable resource for parents and medical professionals, and a child who may be on the autism spectrum, due simply to their presence and awareness. Caregivers who suspect a child may have an autism spectrum disorder should communicate their concerns to parents in order to facilitate earlier detection and intervention.
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Helping Your Child With Autism Thrive Tip 1: Provide Structure And Safety
Learning all you can about autism and getting involved in treatment will go a long way toward helping your child. Additionally, the following tips will make daily home life easier for both you and your child with ASD:
Be consistent. Children with ASD have a hard time applying what theyve learned in one setting to others, including the home. For example, your child may use sign language at school to communicate, but never think to do so at home. Creating consistency in your childs environment is the best way to reinforce learning. Find out what your childs therapists are doing and continue their techniques at home. Explore the possibility of having therapy take place in more than one place in order to encourage your child to transfer what he or she has learned from one environment to another. Its also important to be consistent in the way you interact with your child and deal with challenging behaviors.
Stick to a schedule. Children with ASD tend to do best when they have a highly-structured schedule or routine. Again, this goes back to the consistency they both need and crave. Set up a schedule for your child, with regular times for meals, therapy, school, and bedtime. Try to keep disruptions to this routine to a minimum. If there is an unavoidable schedule change, prepare your child for it in advance.
How To Help Your Autistic Child
This article was co-authored by Hilya Tehrani, PsyD. Dr. Hilya Tehrani is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with over twenty years of experience. She specializes in working with children and adolescents. Dr. Tehrani also has expertise in supporting individuals with autism, ADHD, anxiety, behavioral challenges, and learning and processing differences. She holds a BA in Psychology from The University of California, Los Angeles, an MA in Clinical Psychology from California State University, Northridge, and a PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 71,029 times.
You can help your child with an ASD cope with the world, or even with the house. Use these tools to assist your child to live in a healthy and growth-oriented environment. Here are some of those strategies for helping.
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A Good Treatment Plan Will:
- Build on your childs interests.
- Offer a predictable schedule.
- Teach tasks as a series of simple steps.
- Actively engage your childs attention in highly structured activities.
- Provide regular reinforcement of behavior.
- Involve the parents.
Choosing autism treatments
There are many different options and approaches to ASD treatment, including behavior therapy, speech-language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nutritional therapy.
While you dont have to limit your child to just one treatment at a time, its unlikely youll be able to address everything at once. Instead, start by focusing on your childs most severe symptoms and pressing needs.
Tip 2: Find Nonverbal Ways To Connect
Connecting with a child with ASD can be challenging, but you dont need to talkor even touchin order to communicate and bond. You communicate by the way you look at your child, by the tone of your voice, your body language and possibly the way you touch your child. Your child is also communicating with you, even if he or she never speaks. You just need to learn the language.
Look for nonverbal cues. If you are observant and aware, you can learn to pick up on the nonverbal cues that children with ASD use to communicate. Pay attention to the kinds of sounds they make, their facial expressions, and the gestures they use when theyre tired, hungry, or want something.
Figure out the motivation behind the tantrum. Its only natural to feel upset when you are misunderstood or ignored, and its no different for children with ASD. When children with ASD act out, its often because youre not picking up on their nonverbal cues. Throwing a tantrum is their way of communicating their frustration and getting your attention.
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Signs My Autistic Child Will Talk
You may ask yourself will my nonverbal autistic child ever speak?. The answer to that question is not easy to give.
Research shows that nonverbal children of age 4 who were nonverbal until that point could produce single words and phrases without verbs.
The important thing here is to provide the right support and help to your child, suitable to their needs. If your child is babbling, or trying to convey something through their behavior, you should lean into it and practice speech exercises.
Many parents and caregivers report that they have had success with such exercises at home, along with the help of professional intervention like speech therapy.
Speech And Language Therapy
People with ASD may need help with communication skills. Some are very vocal while others may not speak at all.
Knowing many words does not mean that someone with ASD can communicate in a way that is easily understood. And knowing only a few words may mean that someone with ASD communicates in their own way.
Some people with ASD are well spoken when talking about their favourite topic. However, they may be unable to communicate effectively in other areas.
A speech-language therapist can help people understand and use words to:
- ask for help
- look at books and tell stories
- start, stop or take turns in a conversation
A speech-language therapist can also help people understand and use gestures to communicate. They may:
- work directly with the person using a personalized program
- teach the family, caregivers or teachers helpful skills
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Let The Child Know What Will Happen Next
For example, After you finish the puzzle, it is time to brush your teeth, or In five minutes it is time to turn off the computer and start your writing assignment. For some children it is helpful to set a timer so the child can keep track of how much time is left. So in the example above In five minutes it is time to turn off the computer and start your writing assignment you would set the timer for five minutes. Some children need reminders as the time is winding down to 2 minutes, 1 minute, etc.
For children who have trouble understanding the;concept of time or numbers, a visual timer can be helpful because the child can see how much time is left.
Visual timers can be purchased on or other online stores. Here are some examples below that you can click on to see prices and reviews.
With a red clock visual timer, children can see time running out as the red disappears.
Sand timers let children know that time is up when the sand at the top gets to the bottom.
You can even get a free visual timer app on your IPhone, IPAD, or Android device. Just do a search for visual timer in your app store.
See; 3 Ways to Use Timers to Encourage Homework and Chore Completion for more information on how to implement timers for children with and without autism.
You would need to get the paper laminated and purchase Velcro to make this kind of chart .