Autistic children and how to deal with them
Autistic children and how to deal with them
Contents
1 Way to deal with autistic children
1.1 Advice for the parents of an injured child
1.2 Tips for communicating and interacting with the child
1.3 Tips for a child’s diet
2 References
Ways to deal with autistic children
They define autism spectrum disorders, or the autism spectrum, or autism for short, or as it is also called autism spectrum disorder.
However, it is a disorder associated with the process of development of neurodevelopment of the brain
Which affects the way the affected person communicates with others and his ability to naturally perceive,
It should be noted that the responsibility for caring for an autistic child does not rest with parents only
Rather, it should be distributed among all family members,
This is to reduce the psychological pressure that will be generated on the parents, although the greater and more important responsibility will remain on them,
People with autism may face many problems with physical communication and verbal expression.
Therefore, it is necessary for parents and surrounding people to guess what their affected child wants in order to know his needs and desires.
And this may sometimes require giving up the normal social life of parents because of the difficulty of others understanding of the autistic child or his lack of acceptance among them,
Parents’ social difficulty is accompanied by feelings of helplessness and sadness about the future of their affected son,
But despite all these pressures, we must try to find ways to get rid of stress and maintain a happy family.
This can be achieved when parents are given special time from time to time to rest away from the duties of caring for their autistic child.
By supporting other family members and caring for the child for several hours
This would help recharge the parents’ energy and increase their ability to return to care for their son and maintain happy family relationships.
Advice for the parents of a child with autism
Having an autistic child in a family is a challenge for all its members.
To reduce fears and increase the ability to overcome difficult periods,
It is advised to follow some tips, and in what follows some of them:
First: cognitive education
Parents of a child with autism should read a lot about autism and ways to deal with it.
And that is through reliable scientific sources,
In addition to visiting governmental centers and organizations concerned with autism to obtain more information from specialists,
And since there are many misconceptions and myths about autism spectrum disorder,
The latest scientific research that is being conducted must be carried out continuously and permanently,
Knowing the truth and various details surrounding autism helps to deal with the condition and understand the affected child better.
Second: joining support groups
Sharing parents with others who have similar situations may have a great psychological and cognitive impact.
Therefore, it is advised to find groups and families with autistic children to share experiences
Reducing psychological pressures when sharing feelings and experiences with similar situations,
And search for a team of trusted experts of therapists, social workers and doctors
And knowing the most important help centers located near the residential area,
The most important support program is provided by the government for those afflicted with such disorders.
Third: Keeping records of medical visits
With the visit of service providers, some evaluations and reports are identified that are recommended to be saved in a file to monitor the development and progress of the case,
This helps keep things in check and order.
Tips for communicating and interacting with a child with autism
There are no specific rules that determine how to communicate with an autistic child.
But there are some tips that will help you achieve the best possible communication, including:
Patience:
It takes longer to process information for an autistic child than for others.
This calls for talking to him at a slow pace and being patient when discussing or giving him something.
Flexibility:
Children with autism have trouble expressing their feelings.
Therefore, they may produce some reactions that must be confronted with stability and flexibility and not taken personally.
Positivity:
Oftentimes, a child with autism responds best when supported positively.
And that by rewarding the good behaviors that result from it.
Interaction by physical activities:
Some physical activities can be used as a way to communicate with a child with autism, such as:
- Playing outside
- Running
- Share some times that help him feel happy and relaxed.
Show love and affection:
An autistic child needs to be hugged and loved like other children.
Therefore, if the child cannot express his feelings, he still needs care, love and attention,
But it should be noted that some autistic children do not like to be touched by anyone
Then their desires and personal spaces must be respected by not imposing physical emotion, such as hugs, etc.
Diet tips for an autistic child
A person with autism exhibits many symptoms such as speech delay,
Poor eye contact,
Not wanting to be cuddled,
Lack of interest in sharing activities with others,
These symptoms may negatively affect the person’s eating habits.
And for that, some of the most important tips about a child’s diet will be mentioned:
Overcoming sensitivity to foods:
A child with autism may have a specific sensitivity to the color, smell, taste, or feel of some types of food,
This may make his favorite food menu limited.
Often fruits and vegetables are not among his favorite foods.
In order to overcome this problem, it is recommended that the autistic child visit the grocery store to choose the foods he wants.
And discussing how to prepare it,
And avoid using pressure in the event that he does not want to eat a dish,
The positivity in these situations helps the child to become more flexible later on.
Follow a routine diet:
It is advised to make meals as routine as possible,
And provide meals and snacks at the same time every day,
That would reduce stress,
In addition to making the surrounding environment suitable for the child
If it is sensitive to light, for example, you should reduce the lighting as much as possible and stay calm.
And allowing the child to eat alone or to sit in his own seat if he so desires.
Avoid foods that cause constipation:
Constipation is a common problem for people with autism, due to the limited food options for the affected child.
For this, it is recommended to follow a diet rich in fiber,
And encourage him to engage in physical activities and drink more fluids and water.
Reducing side effects and drug interactions:
Some medications used to reduce autism symptoms cause a decrease in appetite
This leads to a decrease in the daily food intake that the child eats, which negatively affects his growth
On the other hand, there are some drug treatments that may increase the child’s appetite,
Others may affect the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body.
Therefore, the attending physician must inquire about the possibility of such side effects and the best advice and ways to reduce them.
İmportant notice:
The content of the submitted articles, including all text, graphics,
images, and other materials, is provided for educational purposes only.
The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice or professional diagnosis.
Moreover, the information on this website should not be taken as a final medical advice in relation to any case or individual situation.
We strongly recommend that you always seek the advice of
your doctor or other qualified health service provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition, your general health, or the health of your child.
References
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