When your child is diagnosed with autism, it can drastically change your life. Life with a child on the autism spectrum can be full of joy, but it can also have many difficulties. If your child was just diagnosed with autism, use the following tips:
Make Time for Yourself
As a parent, it is natural to use a majority of your time and resources to care for your child. But when you have a child on the spectrum, especially one with severe autism, it is easy to get burned out and frustrated. Don't feel like you have to do absolutely everything for your child-- it is okay to rely on other family members and friends to help you with your child. Taking some time for yourself and getting enough rest will make you a better parent in the long run.
Understand That You Will try things that Don't Work
Since autism is a spectrum disorder, each child with autism is unique. Treatment options that work well for one child with autism may not do anything for another child with autism. It is important to be realistic and understand that you will likely try many things to soothe your autistic child and help him or her thrive, and a lot of those things won't work. Try not to get frustrated-- keep trying until you find the routine and treatments that work best for your child.
Know that Raising an Autistic Child Can Be Expensive
Compared to a neurotypical child, raising a child with autism can be quite expensive. While health insurance may cover most of it, many autistic children require counseling and occupational therapy to help them manage and do well. Overtime, copays and insurance deductibles can add up. Make sure that you carefully budget your finances to help cover these recurring costs.
Be Prepared for Unsolicited Advice
If you're a parent to a child with autism, it is best to develop a tough skin. Other people who are not raising an autistic child will often give unsolicited advise; most mean well, but if they don't have experience caring for autism, they may not understand how children with autism are different than neurotypical children.
For example, if your child is autistic, he or she may be an incredibly picky eater. The techniques used to work with a neurotypical child that is a finicky eater often don't work with an autistic child. Try not to let what others say affect you!
Share2 July 2017
From the time I was born to the time I graduated high school, my parents were very overprotective of me and shielded me from all of the "bad" things in the world. When I decided to go to college out of state, they wanted me to stay closer to home, but gave into my wishes eventually. Once I got settled at college, I realized just how attached I was to my parents. I began to feel so homesick that I almost quit before the first semester ended. I decided to visit a counselor to see if she could help me get through the semester, and after just a couple of visits, I began actually enjoying my time away from home. I know there are others in tough situations like I was who need guidance, so I decided to start a blog to share my tips for coping with stressful situations.
