Tips For Parents With Autistic Children.

[Guest guest]

First 5 tips on 10 tips for parenting an autistic child

June 11, 11:00 AM

·http://www.examiner.com/x-11593-DC-StayatHome-Moms-Examiner~y2009m6d11-The-fir\

st-5-tips-on-10-tips-for-parenting-an-autistic-child

(Kindly circulate for benefit of all. However please please remember that autism

can be tackled to a great extent through ayurveda, homeopathy and naturopathy.

Pray that all autistic children are guided towards good doctors. - Jagannath)

1. PUT YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH FIRST

If parents do not tend to their own emotional needs fist it could

interfere in their ability to facilitate positive development in their

child. A major issue for parents in giving up the dream of a perfect

child. In addition, they must knock out of any expectations they had

for their child - including college,

marriage, and procreation â€" they are no longer “givens.†Suddenly

parents must face the facts, that their child will depend on them for

most if not all his/her entire life. What happens when parents are no

longer able to care for the child? In a hear tbeats time, parents are

flooded with having to learn about a disability they had never or only

vaguely heard of. Parents encounter professionals, teachers, doctors,

and other individuals to give advise and teachings but they would

rather not have to deal with these professionals in the first place!

All these professionals are like knives digging into the parents back

while they are still in the grieving stage. It is sometimes very

tempting to launch into a knowledge acquisition phase and ignore their

most important feelingsâ€"the loss of the typically developing child they

once dreamed about. If you take care of your own emotional well-being

first, you’ll have lots more energy

to move into the next stages. It is very important for parents to work

through their own emotional reactions. Both parents as individuals, and

the marriage, will surlely be affected by the child’s developmental

challenges. Seek professional help as soon as you can, to ensure that

you can give your best to your child. You may not wabt to listen but

with open ears your childs voice will be heard.

2. TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S EMOTIONAL RESPONSE SETS TO A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS, INCLUDING HIS/HER REACTIONS TO YOUThe next common challenge that faces most parents of children with autism

involves the child’s emotional reaction to the parent. Parents by

nature are programmed to respond to vulnerable creaturesand thus in

turn eliciting a response in us. Developmentally challenged infants and

toddlers do not necessarily provide us with the responses that trigger

our innate impulses to care for them. Some children initially don’t

respond much at all, others have responses that we don’t understand,

and many respond in a different way every time the parent approaches.

These unexpected and confusing response styles leave parents with a

sense of inadequacy.All parents instinctually, spend time

observing their child. But, as parents of a child with autism, it is

important to remind yourself on a regular basis that, although your

child is not responding in the way you thought he/she would, they still

are responding. You’ll need to obtain the role of detective,

discovering clues and solutions to optimize responses from your child.Find

out what gives your child pleasure and what turns your child off. Even

a non-response is a response. It usually means that the baby/child is

some what uncomfortable with the approach or with the stimuli, and

instinctually pulls away for protection. Monitor how he reacts to

various people, places and things. Keep a diary or a record and you’ll

start to discover patterns of behavior. With such record keeping

techniques you will learn to adapt yourself to your child’s changing

moods. Keep in mind that your everyday child’s emotional responses may

be what you want or anticipate but they do not mean that you are a

failure.

3. PARTICIPATE WITH YOUR CHILD IN THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT BRING HIM/HER

PLEASUREJoining your child in their world requires an essential parenting

skillâ€"imitate and follow. Don’t make demands, don’t ask him/her to

perform (i.e., “What color is this?†or “What does a cow say?â€), and

don’t direct the play. This will not be an easy task though it might

sound simple. As parents we all want to feel proud of what our

children know and do. We get great sattisfaction in asking them to show

off, especially in front of others so they can see what great parents

we are. However, most children don’t like to be drilled (nor do adults,

for that matter), and when too much of this occurs, the child with

autism may simply withdraw, or do the opposite, have a tantrum. If you

are able to enjoy what comes from your child he/she will in turn enjoy

the world they live in more. Granted, as parents we will always be

tickled by our child’s responses to our approaches and or questions,

but expecting too much of this will backfire on you. Instead, join in,

talk about what you and the child are doing. Finally, don’t be afraid

to add

to the play with your own creations in the hope that your child will

someday become interested in you, too. If your child has limited

awareness of others, you can gently create situations in the playing

process to get your child to notice you.Most children with

autism develope special interests. Parents are often encouraged by

professionals to distract the child from their particular special

interest. However, sometimes making use of that special interest is a

great way to achieve long periods of engagement with your child. There

is a fine line between discouraging a child’s special interest and

passing along the message that what interests him/her iin turn

interests you. Encouraging your child’s interest can lead to emotional

engagement and provide the child with the sense of being valued.

4. PUT WORDS TO YOUR CHILD’S FEELINGS.Whenever possible, label your child’s feelings. Children who are able to

identify their internal experiences have a better sense of who they

are. Many children with special needs have a difficult time identifying

abstract concepts, and feelings are abstract. Therefore, as a young

child learning about the world and about himself, one important area of

learning has to do with emotions. If you limit your child they will

most likely exhibit anger (i.e., throwing things, tantrumming, etc.).

As a parent you are incouraged to label your child's emotionâ€"“You’re so

mad when mommy says you have to stop playing.†You may, of course, need

to make other interventions, but don’t forget to label that

feelingâ€"even for young infants!

5. PRAISE YOUR CHILD’S APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.As a parent it is easy to be a critic of our child, especially when we are

overwhelmed and faced with difficult behaviors. However, we must

remember the basic behavioral principles: whatever behavior you pay

attention to - and attention can be either positive or negative - will

increase. Therefore, if you are criticizing and not praising, the

behavior you criticize will increase. However, if you add praise to the

positive, you’ll get more of it. You need to put yourself on a diet.

No, not a weight loss diet but a behavioral dietâ€"challenge yourself to

praise your child every 2-3 minutes. Think of praising your infant or

child as providing him/her with a “gleaming†mirror of himself/herself

in the gleam in your eyes when you look at him/her, in the gentleness

of your voice when you talk to him/her, or in the soothing sense of

your touch. Let your child know that they are wonderful and special in

their own way and worthwhile at least 100 times each day! For final important

tips:Â http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11593-DC-StayatHome-Moms-Examiner~y200\

9m6d11-The-last-tips-on-10-tips-for-parenting-an-autistic-child

These (scientific) studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food

consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging,

dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis,insulin regulation,

cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen

and gastrointestinal system. Because GM foods pose a serious health risk, the

AAEM believes that it is imperative to adopt the precautionary principle. -

American Academy of Environmental Medicine.Jagannath Chatterjee

[Guest guest]

Respected Sunil Nair ji,

 

Thanks for the article for the guidance of the parent and even doctors too. I

assure the parents that the homeopathic medicines do act but parents need

patience.

 

--- On Sat, 6/13/09, sunil nair <astro_tellerkerala wrote:

 

 

sunil nair <astro_tellerkerala

Tips For Parents With Autistic Children.

 

Saturday, June 13, 2009, 12:42 AM

 

 

First 5 tips on 10 tips for parenting an autistic child

 

 

June 11, 11:00 AM

·http://www.examiner.com/x-11593-DC-StayatHome-Moms-Examiner~y2009m6d11-The-f\

ir\

st-5-tips-on-10-tips-for-parenting-an-autistic-child

 

(Kindly circulate for benefit of all. However please please remember that autism

can be tackled to a great extent through ayurveda, homeopathy and naturopathy.

Pray that all autistic children are guided towards good doctors.  - Jagannath)

 

 

 

 

  1. PUT YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH FIRST

 

If parents do not tend to their own emotional needs fist it could

interfere in their ability to facilitate positive development in their

child. A major issue for parents in giving up the dream of a perfect

child. In addition, they must knock out of any expectations they had

for their child - including college,

marriage, and procreation †" they are no longer “givens.�

Suddenly

parents must face the facts, that their child will depend on them for

most if not all his/her entire life. What happens when parents are no

longer able to care for the child? In a hear tbeats time, parents are

flooded with having to learn about a disability they had never or only

vaguely heard of. Parents encounter professionals, teachers, doctors,

and other individuals to give advise and teachings but they would

rather not have to deal with these professionals in the first place!

All these professionals are like knives digging into the parents back

while they are still in the grieving stage. It is sometimes very

tempting to launch into a knowledge acquisition phase and ignore their

most important feelings†" the loss of the typically developing child they

once dreamed about. If you take care of your own emotional well-being

first, you’ll have lots more energy

to move into the next stages. It is very important for parents to work

through their own emotional reactions. Both parents as individuals, and

the marriage, will surlely be affected by the child’s developmental

challenges. Seek professional help as soon as you can, to ensure that

you can give your best to your child. You may not wabt to listen but

with open ears your childs voice will be heard.

 

2. TAKE  THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S EMOTIONAL RESPONSE SETS TO

A  VARIETY OF SITUATIONS, INCLUDING HIS/HER REACTIONS TO YOU

 

The next common challenge that faces most parents of children with autism

involves the child’s emotional reaction to the parent. Parents by

nature are programmed to respond to vulnerable creaturesand  thus in

turn eliciting a response in us. Developmentally challenged infants and

toddlers do not necessarily provide us with the responses that trigger

our innate impulses to care for them. Some children initially don’t

respond much at all, others have responses that we don’t understand,

and many respond in a different way every time the parent approaches.

These unexpected and confusing response styles leave parents with a

sense of inadequacy.All parents instinctually, spend time

observing their child. But, as parents of a child with autism, it is

important to remind yourself on a regular basis that, although your

child is not responding in the way you thought he/she would, they still

are responding. You’ll need to obtain the role of detective,

discovering clues and solutions to optimize responses from your child.Find

out what gives your child pleasure and what turns your child off. Even

a non-response is a response. It usually means that the baby/child is

some what uncomfortable with the approach or with the stimuli, and

instinctually pulls away for protection. Monitor how he reacts to

various people, places and things. Keep a diary or a record and you’ll

start to discover patterns of behavior. With such record keeping

techniques you will learn to adapt yourself to your child’s changing

moods. Keep in mind that your everyday child’s emotional responses may

be what you want or anticipate but they do not mean that you are a

failure.

 

3. PARTICIPATE WITH YOUR CHILD IN THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT BRING HIM/HER

PLEASURE

 

Joining your child in their world requires an essential parenting

skill†" imitate and follow. Don’t make demands, don’t ask

him/her to

perform (i.e., “What color is this?� or “What does a cow

say?�), and

don’t direct the play. This will not be an easy task though it might

sound simple.  As parents we all want to feel proud of what our

children know and do. We get great sattisfaction in asking them to show

off, especially in front of others so they can see what great parents

we are. However, most children don’t like to be drilled (nor do adults,

for that matter), and when too much of this occurs, the child with

autism may simply withdraw, or do the opposite, have a tantrum. If you

are able to enjoy what comes from your child he/she will in turn enjoy

the world they live in more. Granted, as parents we will always be

tickled by our child’s responses to our approaches and or questions,

but expecting too much of this will backfire on you. Instead, join in,

talk about what you and the child are doing. Finally, don’t be afraid

to add

to the play with your own creations in the hope that your child will

someday become interested in you, too. If your child has limited

awareness of others, you can gently create situations in the playing

process to get your child to notice you.Most children with

autism develope special interests. Parents are often encouraged by

professionals to distract the child from their particular special

interest. However, sometimes making use of that special interest is a

great way to achieve long periods of engagement with your child. There

is a fine line between discouraging a child’s special interest and

passing along the message that what interests him/her iin turn

interests you. Encouraging your child’s interest can lead to emotional

engagement and provide the child with the sense of being valued.

 

4. PUT WORDS TO YOUR CHILD’S FEELINGS.

 

Whenever  possible, label your child’s feelings. Children who are able

to

identify their internal experiences have a better sense of who they

are. Many children with special needs have a difficult time identifying

abstract concepts, and feelings are abstract. Therefore, as a young

child learning about the world and about himself, one important area of

learning has to do with emotions. If you limit your child they will

most likely exhibit anger (i.e., throwing things, tantrumming, etc.).

As a parent you are incouraged to label your child's

emotion†" “You’re so

mad when mommy says you have to stop playing.� You may, of course, need

to make other interventions, but don’t forget to label that

feeling†" even for young infants!

 

5. PRAISE YOUR CHILD’S APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR.

 

As  a parent it is easy to be a critic of our child, especially when we are

overwhelmed and faced with difficult behaviors. However, we must

remember the basic behavioral principles: whatever behavior you pay

attention to - and attention can be either positive or negative - will

increase. Therefore, if you are criticizing and not praising, the

behavior you criticize will increase. However, if you add praise to the

positive, you’ll get more of it. You need to put yourself on a diet.

No, not a weight loss diet but a behavioral diet†" challenge yourself to

praise your child every 2-3 minutes. Think of praising your infant or

child as providing him/her with a “gleaming� mirror of

himself/herself

in the gleam in your eyes when you look at him/her, in the gentleness

of your voice when you talk to him/her, or in the soothing sense of

your touch. Let your child know that they are wonderful and special in

their own way and worthwhile at least 100 times each day! For final important

tips: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-11593-DC-StayatHome-Moms-Examiner~y2\

00\

9m6d11-The-last-tips-on-10-tips-for-parenting-an-autistic-child

 

These (scientific) studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food

consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging,

dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis,insulin regulation,

cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen

and gastrointestinal system. Because GM foods pose a serious health risk, the

AAEM believes that it is imperative to adopt the precautionary principle. -

American Academy of Environmental Medicine.

 

 

Jagannath Chatterjee