Raising a Child with Autism: 11 Tips to Promote Autism Acceptance

Raising a Child with Autism: 11 Tips to Promote Autism Acceptance

When parents hear the word autism for the first time in relation to their child, they are often overwhelmed and frightened. Many parents turn to reliable sources like Autism Speaks and the HEAL Foundation for help. Both organizations are founded on autism awareness. The research and services offered help parents, families and friends get all the information they need to truly understand autism. Your advice and information is accepted and used by many parents, doctors and teachers.

A different perspective on autism promotes not only an understanding of autism, but acceptance of the diagnosis as part of the child or person with autism. Autism Acceptance, also known as Autism Positivity, focuses on teaching that autism should not be viewed or treated as a disease. Autism is simply a part of the individual's personality.

A mother has spent hours compiling a list of tips for parents raising a child on the autism spectrum. She has spent thousands of hours learning through trial and error and offers these 11 tips to create a healthier parent-child relationship:

1. Listen with intention. Try to understand what your child is saying. Don't think about your answer.

2. Talk to adults living with autism.

3. Communicate with your child's teachers and offer information that you found helpful in your parenting moments. A helpful resource includesThe autism discussion pageby Bill Nasson. His compassionate tone and clear writing provide excellent tips, ideas, and resources for parents and caregivers.

4. Find ways to implement a reward system. TheToken management theoryis a helpful tool that can calm parents and children.

5. Look for examples of successful people with autism. This may take some research, but you can find real people who are successful in careers of different spectrums. Don't forget to check out the library for books and other resources.

6. Let your child learn more about successful people likeJoey Hudy,a childDr. Mad Sciencewho enjoys scientific experiments. Help your child understand that there are other people similar to him.

7. Find something your child likes and use it to connect with them. Learn more about their interest and use it as an opportunity for open communication. Check outRon Suskind, who helped his son use his love of Disney to make connections with the rest of the world.

8. Don't be afraid to test your child's comfort level. Encourage them to try new things. Expose them to things that make them uncomfortable.

9. Consider allowing your child to participate in cognitive therapy. One option arises from the work ofDr. Abraham A. Low. His book entitledMental health through will training, teaches a system that works for many families.

10. Understanding game time. When you fully understand the complicated nature of downtime like interaction, social expression, and other milestones, you can help your child at their own pace. Many children with autism do not learn by observing other people. By understanding how children learn through play, you can help your child connect through a different channel.

11. Teach your children self-confidence through narrative psychology. A good read is “This is your life and how we tell it.”The premise of narrative psychology changes the way you look at things. For example, instead of saying, "Children with autism don't like physical education," focus on activities they enjoy. This can encourage your child to participate in and enjoy physical activities. Fighting labels associated with autism.

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the perpetrator could have done better. The credit goes to the man who is actually standing in the arena, whose face is disfigured." through dust and sweat and blood, who strives bravely, who errs, who always falls short because there is no effort without error and deficiency, but who actually strives for action, who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions, who puts himself out for a worthy cause, who in the end knows best the triumph of great achievement and in the worst case, if he fails, at least fails with great daring, so that his place is never lost in the cold and fearful souls who know neither victory nor defeat. -Theodore Roosevelt (THE MAN IN THE ARENA)“

Inspired by Paul Napier, MA, BCBA