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 though 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 things that are wrong. 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 having a few therapy sessions to deal with the feelings you are experiencing.
Acceptance
Finally coming to terms with the diagnosis of Autism can take awhile. 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 percent. 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
There are several diets that 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 behavioral problems, or meltdowns when eaten.
Omega 3's
Omega 3 has been found to be helpful in treating Autism, as well as many other disorders. People using the Omega 3 have found better sleep patterns, social interaction, and over all health of their child. People wanting to try this alternative treatment can add fish oil to their children's diet. Fish oil can be found in capsule for or liquid. Some children have trouble swallowing the capsule. The liquid form can be found in a flavorless type that is mixed in a drink.
Music Therapy
Several studies have found music therapy to be very beneficial to the Autistic child. Sometimes an Autistic child will sing along with 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 it 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 a 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 pertaining to 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 service 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 is one that allows them to make progress 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 behavioral 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 has a need for 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 are extra time when completing class work, have tests read aloud to the child, or an aide is provided for the child. Each IEP will be different for each child. The IEP will be evaluated on a yearly basis 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 run around. 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 there are lawyers and advocates that 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 of special needs like Autism. Having a schedule will help the Autistic child feel a sense of structure. Children with Autism often have anxiety issue they are dealing with. Having a schedule helps the levels of anxiety to drop. They know what to expect on a daily basis. 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 doctors 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 for 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 onto 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 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 if 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/ Play time
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 extra curricular activities. You can include homework time, and chores into the chart. Once you start using a chart for your Autistic child you will see a improvement in the flow of your day. This also leaves little time for boredom. There is always something planned to do.
Can Autism be Cured
This is a question that every parent of an Autistic child will ask at some point. The answer is no. There is no cure for Autism. While you may see ads for books, or products that promise a cure for Autism, they are misleading you. Autism has no cure. There are lots of treatments that can make living with Autism easier.
Here are some of the treatments that help with Autism.
Therapies
There are several types of therapies that can help with the treatment of Autism. Occupational, physical, behavioral, speech, music, sensory, drug, play, and many other types of therapy can make a big difference in the life of an Autistic child. The therapies will not cure your child's Autism. They will just help teach them different ways of coping with it.
Alternative Treatments
Natural and alternative treatments are on the rise. These can include the use of herbs instead of prescription medications. The herbs do not have the side effects found in traditional medicines. Vitamin and mineral supplements are being found to help in treating Autism. Always notify the doctor of any natural products you are using with your child. Some herbs can have interactions with prescription medications. Remember again these herbs and vitamins are not cures. They are just to help with some of the symptoms of Autism.
Nutritional Methods
Some people turn to the diet when treating Autism. They eliminate certain foods that could cause sensitivities. Some of the foods the remove from the diet are Gluten, dairy, and artificial dyes. The idea behind this method is that removing the foods that cause sensitivities will remove the behavior problems. You can have your child tested for food allergies. Ask your child's doctor about allergy testing. This will let you know if your child could be having behaviors due to a food allergy. It will also give you an idea of which foods to eliminate from their diet.
There is no cure for Autism, but there are lots of treatments that can help with some of the symptoms. When trying a new treatment only try one at a time. This will let you know if it is helping or not. Allow enough time for the treatment to work. Usually two or three months is enough time to tell if a new treatment is working. There will be no miracle treatments that give immediate results. If you are using a herbal or vitamin treatment inform the doctor. They need to be aware of the things you are trying. Herbs and vitamins can cause reactions with other medicines. It is important that the treatment team be kept informed and on the same page. This will make your child's outcome a more positive one.
Do not waste your money on products that claim to cure Autism. If there was a cure available it would be told to you by your doctor, instead of some guy on a late night infomercial. Continue to help your child by treating the symptoms of Autism. This will help your child have a better life.
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