Autism “AUTISM is a complicated neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs social interaction and communication and causes repetitive and stereotypical behavior patterns.” - Brown-Guttovz, 2008 Autism came from the Greek word authos which means self. The term was first used by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911 to refer to symptoms of schizophrenia. Generally, it was used to describe individuals who appear to have little to no capacity for healthy social interaction, and hence seemed isolated. In the past, autism is viewed negatively in the society. Most people would see it as a disease, a curse, or a malady. Because of their unusual social behaviors, they were rarely understood and were branded as freaks even by their own family members. They are most often sent to asylums and kept from the public. With the belief that pain would help treat their “disease”, they were subjected to intense torture and severe punishments. They were made to suffer inhumane experiments in asylums until the 1970’s. It was not until the late 1980’s that psychiatrists started to be aware about the real nature of this neural condition and how it can be treated. This medical breakthrough led the public to finally understand and accept the individuals diagnosed with this condition. Currently, 1 out of every 88 children in the US was diagnosed with autism. This is almost double of the initial rate recorded by the CDC in 1992.
Parenting and Autism As a parent, our main concern is to keep our children safe as much as possible. But this is not an easy task, especially if you’re children have the special mental condition called autism. Because they cannot communicate like most individuals, has lower ability to engage with social activities, they have lesser chances of protecting themselves. Their safety is more fragile and uncertain than other normal kids. .
Physical Safety Because their neural development is not normal, most children with autism are found to have disorganized motor skills. As such, tripping and stumbling is not an uncommon thing for them. Their attention span is also limited, which causes them to be easily irritated when they don’t get what they want. They will exhibit tantrums more frequently than other kids, throw things and hurt themselves or others. As such, it is most important that your kid’s surrounding environment is safe and free from potentially harmful things. This includes their school, your day care clinic, the play area, and your home. As much as possible, child-proof your home and make sure that there are minimal rough or pointed edges around the house. Instead of buying glass wares and other fragile materials, just settle for plastic wares as they provide lesser risks for your kid. Put away sharp and pointed objects as they can invariably throw this during their tantrums. But don’t just focus on the interior area; childproof even your lawns and gardens since it wouldn’t be healthy for them to remain confined at all times. Plan your garden space in such a way that all sharp objects are hidden or kept out of reach. Large material handling equipments and tools, like metal hoppers , lawn mowers, and spades should be removed from walk ways and/or stored properly in your keeping area. Insecticides and other poisonous chemicals should be kept properly as well. Hide all the wired and cover all electrical outlets. Always put the covers of grills and stoves as well.
Emotional Safety There are times when you’ll be frustrated because communicating with your kid will never be easy. Their condition often makes them incapable of easily identifying verbal (sometimes even facial) signals. As such, their speaking abilities and language recognition is compromised. But you have to endure this. More than your frustrations, think about how your child feels because he/she was put in such a difficult situation. They cannot say what they want, they cannot tell others how they feel, and their forced to contain most of what they think to themselves. Imagine how anxious and lonely they could become. As a parent, it is your duty to provide comfort and emotional security to your kids. You among everyone else should be able to make them feel loved and appreciated. Even if they can’t respond through words, do not deprive them of verbal communication. Tell them stories, talk to them lovingly, and laugh with them a lot. Even if they cannot understand your words, the tone of your voice and how you speak to them can make a difference to how they feel. Like any other kids, their parent’s soothing voice could sometimes put them at ease and comfort. Never raise your voice, hit them, or treat them coldly even if they did something bad. Unlike most kids, they will find it hard to understand their fault and why you did such things. Instead of negative reinforcements, rewards and positive feedback would work best for kids with this condition.
Financial Securing your special children’s financial future is one of your paramount concern. With their condition, you cannot expect them to effectively take care of financial issues even when they reach 18. Though the government has programs and allocates budget for people with their cases, those cannot sufficiently provide their special needs. So it’s better that you start securing it for them the earliest possible time. After all, there would definitely come a time when you’ll be unable to work even for yourself and there’s always the risk of your untimely death. It is imperative that you get them life and medical insurance that will sustain their treatments as well as basic needs if you can no longer provide for them. The price would surely be higher for your situation, but don’t mind that since it will be or your child’s future. If possible, secure the “ward” of guardianship for your kid. Most parents do not know this, but once your child reaches 18 years, you will no longer be allowed to take care of their financial and medical needs. If something happens to their bank account or insurance term, you don’t have authority to represent them and the bank is not required to answer your claims. Your children wouldn’t benefit from everything that you’ve worked for. That’s why ridiculous as it is, you need to obtain guardianship of your own kids to secure their finances. To do this, you need to ask help from a guardianship attorney in your area. The law varies from state to state, so I cannot really give you exact directions. They will know what to do.
Having a child with autism is not easy. Aside from the usual parenting struggles, you have to cope with their specialized needs and secure all aspects of their safety. Not just for the present, but for their future as well.
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