Autism #8

 Accepting the Diagnosis of Autism

Receiving a diagnosis of Autism can seem overwhelming. You may be left with a lot of unanswered questions about the diagnosis. You might be thinking the diagnosis is wrong. This cannot be happening to your child. There are different feelings and emotions you will experience when dealing with a diagnosis of Autism. Here are some of the ways you might be feeling, and ways to come to terms with the diagnosis.

Denial

Denial is a  common feeling when dealing with any medical problem. Sometimes it is easier to deny that there is even a problem. Some parents do not want to consider that there could be something wrong with their child. So they pretend like there is nothing wrong. The doctor was wrong, their child is perfectly normal. Being in denial about the diagnosis will not help anything. The sooner that you accept that your child is Autistic the better both of you will be. The condition will not go away if you ignore it. Accepting the diagnosis and moving on will be a huge step for you as a parent to take. The quicker this is done the sooner you can start looking into treatment options.

Anger

Anger is one of the emotions you might feel when you get a diagnosis of Autism. You might be angry with yourself, or angry with God. Why is your child Autistic. You might be angry with other parents that have healthy children. This is a normal feeling to experience. Remember while you are feeling angry to think of all the great things about your child. Share your feelings with others. Keeping anger bottled up can be a bad thing.

Grief

Sometimes when a parent gets a diagnosis of Autism they go through a grieving period. They are sad that their child has something wrong with them. They may be feeling sad that the dreams they had for their child may have to change. They might be sad over the way the world will treat their child, and the hardships they will face. Grief is a normal emotion to go through. The key is to get through the grief, and on to the acceptance. Try not to look at the wrong things. There will have to be some adjustments made to your plans for your child's future. That is what life is all about, change. If you find yourself unable to move past the grieving stage you might need to talk to someone. It might help to have a few therapy sessions to deal with the feelings you are experiencing. 

Acceptance

Finally coming to terms with the diagnosis of Autism can take a while. Some people are just glad to have an answer to what is wrong with their child. Others have a hard time accepting their child is different from other kids. Eventually, you will accept that your child is different, and that is okay. Once you have accepted the diagnosis of Autism you can start to help your child. Do all the research you can on Autism. Think about how hard it is for your child. They need you to be behind them in their treatments one hundred per cent. The first step to doing this is acceptance.

Alternative Treatments for Autism

Usually, the first treatment mentioned for Autism is medication. This is changing. More people are open to trying alternative treatments. Medications can have terrible side effects, so more people are looking for natural products. Here are some alternative treatments used for Autism.

Nutritional

Several diets can be used when treating Autism. They range from eating Gluten-free products to eliminating dairy from the diet. Some Autistic children have a sensitivity to certain ingredients in food. These ingredients will contribute to behavioural problems, or meltdowns when eaten.

Omega 3's

Omega 3 helps treat Autism, as well as many other disorders. People using the Omega 3 have found better sleep patterns, social interaction, and overall health of their children. People wanting to try this alternative treatment can add fish oil to their children's diet. Fish oil can be found in capsules or liquid. Some children have trouble swallowing the capsule. The liquid form can be found in a flavourless type that is mixed in a drink.

Music Therapy

Several studies have found music therapy to be very beneficial to Autistic children. Sometimes an Autistic child will sing along with the music while they will not speak. This is one way of working on the child's speech. The music can be soothing to an Autistic child. It can relax them enough to take part in an activity with other people.

Sensory Integration

Children with Autism can be very sensitive to noises, tastes, textures, and smells. Sensory integration therapy helps the child to deal with whatever is causing them problems. It can also be used to calm a child with something like a certain smell or texture.

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is a must for any child with Autism. Children with Autism usually misuse words. They often have a hard time understanding the meanings of words like few or many. Speech therapists can help teach gestures and communication skills to nonverbal children. They can help the child to learn how to read other people's body language. 

Play Therapy

Play therapy can be very useful when treating an Autistic child. Play therapy allows the child to relax and focus on things they enjoy. A therapist working with an autistic child will play on the floor with the child. They will give the child various toys and see if the child takes a liking to one of them. If the child begins to play the therapist will then try to interact with the child. After the therapist has formed a relationship with the child they might bring another child into play therapy. This can be a great way to get the Autistic child to play with other kids. Usually, a therapist does the play therapy, however, the parent can do the therapy after they have learned the techniques used.

These are just a few of the many alternative treatments available for Autism. Medication does not have to be the first resort. These can also be combined with medication for a better treatment plan.

Autism and the School System

Autistic children will have special needs when it comes to schooling. Many children with Autism go to public school and do just fine with some special modifications. There are laws about kids with disabilities. Here are some of the things you will need to know about Autism and school.

The Individuals With Disabilities Act

The Individuals with Disabilities Act was passed to make sure all children receive a  free and appropriate public education that meets their needs. The act requires children with special needs to have special education services as long as they meet the requirements. Autism meets that requirement.

Free and Appropriate Education

This is an education that meets the special needs of your child. It allows them to make progress in learning.

Least Restrictive Learning Environment

This means that your child will be placed in an educational setting that is right for their special needs while allowing them to socialize with kids that do not have a disability.  The school will do what it can to meet the needs of your Autistic child while keeping them in regular classrooms.

To figure out what special needs your child will need the school will evaluate your child. This evaluation can be requested by the school or the parent. If you think there is a problem write a letter to the school asking them to evaluate your child. They will send a paper home for you to sign that gives permission for the evaluation to take place. During the evaluation, your child will be tested for learning disabilities along with any mental, or behavioural problems. After the evaluation is complete the school will have a meeting with you to discuss their findings, and what can be done to help your child. 

IEP

An  IEP is used when a child requires special education services. The group that evaluated the child will be part of the team that creates the IEP. The parents will also have a say in what is included in the IEP. An IEP will state the needs the child has to get an appropriate education. They will also list the services the child is going to receive in the IEP. The IEP can be evaluated at any time if the services are not working for the child. An example of some services that might be included in an IEP is the extra time when completing classwork, have tests read aloud to the child, or having an aide is provided for the child. Each IEP will be different for each child. The IEP will be evaluated every year unless the parents request it sooner. The parents have the right to be at every IEP meeting held.

You are your child's best advocate when dealing with the school system. Some schools will try to give you the runaround. They will do whatever they can to keep your child from having any special services in school. You have to be the one to stand up for your child. You are their voice. If you do not feel comfortable dealing with the school alone some lawyers and advocates are there to help.

Autistic Children Need Schedules

Schedules are an important part of every child's life. This is especially true when dealing with a child with special needs like Autism. Having a schedule will help the Autistic child feel a sense of structure. Children with Autism often have anxiety issues they are dealing with. Having a schedule helps the levels of anxiety to drop. They know what to expect daily.  They know at a certain time of the day what they will be doing. 

If there is no schedule or structure in an Autistic child's daily life things will be very hectic. An Autistic child has lots of doctor and therapist appointments. Sometimes there will be more than one appointment a day. Keeping a schedule can help you and your child to make sure they do not miss any appointments.

Some Autistic children have trouble with reading. You can use a visual schedule. Have pictures of all the daily activities. This allows them to see what is coming next. Having a schedule for your Autistic child will help avoid some breakdowns. Keep the schedule posted where your child can see it. If you have to change the schedule explain the changes to your child. Autistic children like routines, and a change could throw their whole day out of whack.

Schedules can be a help when trying to get the child to do something they do not want to do. Simply show them that after they do this they will get to move on to something else. Tell them they cannot move on until this activity is completed.

There will always be things that come up. Try to stick to the schedule as much as possible. When things come up try to get back on schedule as soon as you can. This includes weekends. If your child is used to getting up at seven in the morning continue to do so. Keep their bedtimes close to the same time each night. Your Autistic child will be happier when they have had enough sleep.

Schedules will make life much easier for you and your Autistic child. Keep them posted for your child to see, and stick to the schedule the best you can. An example of a schedule you can use is found below.

7 AM Wake up, get dressed and ready for the day

8 AM Breakfast

9 AM Therapy Appointment at home

11 AM Free time/ Playtime

12 PM Lunch

1 PM Outdoor Play

2 PM Arts and Crafts

3 PM Free Time

5 PM Dinner

6 PM TV time

7 PM Bath time

8 PM Bed Time

This allows the child to know what is going on during the day. Include doctors or therapy appointments on the schedule. An older child can still benefit from a schedule. It has to be adjusted for school time, and any extracurricular activities. You can include homework time, and chores into the chart. Once you start using a chart for your Autistic child you will see an improvement in the flow of your day. This also leaves little time for boredom. There is always something planned to do.