Please share your own ideas and suggestions in the comments section below!
Jamie’s comment, “Nobody is more of an expert on your child than you, ” gained the most likes, while Justina’s was, “Never underestimate the intelligence of autistic people!”
Adrian had a simple but important message for fathers of children with autism: “Dad, get involved. Yeah, you may have a demanding job, but not only does being involved benefit your child, but it benefits you as well. You are also your child’s advocate. Please make a commitment to attend as many Dr appointments, therapy sessions, and parent invites your child may have at his/her school as possible. You owe it to your child to be just as active as the mom is when it comes to ensuring your child gets the best care that he/she can. The burden of raising an autistic child shouldn’t fall squarely on the mom alone. Step up!!”
“Never beat yourself up or call yourself a bad parent. From experience, you will have easy days and not-so-good days. Have patience and get rest when you can. Get as much help and therapy for your child. Was Karen’s important message.
Tonya recommended “PATIENCE! It is very frustrating at times to be a parent or caregiver to someone on the spectrum. It is really easy to lose your patience with them at times, but you have to remember that they didn’t choose to be this way!” Sara suggested “ACCEPTANCE. Each child just wants to know they are loved and safe. Don’t try to change who they are; try to be more like them.”
Kyle said “Don’t shelter your child. Allow them to find their place in this world rather than protect them from it.”
On a practical note, Sherleen said, “Triple lock the doors or install alarms if you have an escape artist.” Amy shared, “Use first this, “then”….. that works well for my daughter.”
Another said, ” Always remember they will see and feel the world in their own way ! And it’s okay to be different !” Yet another reader said, “Always be prepared and have a good routine to avoid a meltdown.”
Dana suggested this, and I have to say I agree: “Make them live normally. Teach them right from wrong. Demand appropriate behaviour. Teach them to play and imagine. Colour therapy, speech therapy, and behaviour therapy. Autism doesn’t mean, no holds barred. My son 22 had full blown Autism. He’s a high-function Aspie now. Start each day with a clean slate.”
I’d like to end by quoting way more than on reader with a statement which gets my full support “Choose your battles!!”.
So what is your tip?
Why not share it in the comments section below?
I really appreciate any help you can provide.
| colleensaddress | Researchers around the world have done a great deal of work for the autistic child. But, just like we all know, they are in bits and pieces like a puzzle, and it’s up to us to put them together. My granddaughter is just now beginning to make eye contact and to say her first words after 4 years. Having studied root possibilities, we focused on eliminating toxins such as glyphosate-based herbicides used in GMO practices, overly-processed foods (refined sugars and starches) and chlorine. All of which are now directly linked to the development of autism in clinical studies. We have been introducing organic foods and natural supplements. We see a difference, her therapists see a difference. |
| Google
Very handful of websites that take place to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly nicely worth checking out. |
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| PHOTO LADY | I’m not a parent of autism, but I had an experience today that really threw me for a loop. I’m a youth sports photographer and while taking pictures today I noticed a young boy having a meltdown. He was kicking and punching his mother and throwing his bat towards one of my fellow photographers. My first thought was not autism, I just thought he was a brat and I was concerned hat he was going to damage one of our cameras. While trying to line his team up “tallest to shortest”, he was hitting and grabbing the hat off his teammate. He was crying and I was thinking his mom might pull him out of the group shot since he was so upset, but she didn’t? She just crouched down behind him, trying to hold him up as he flopped around swinging his arms. I went with it and took 3-4 pictures, but then tried to adjust the children to get a better photographic arrangement. I saw that the boy was again about to punch the teammate next to him and I put my hand between the boys to block the blow. The mom of the abusive boy started screaming at me, “How dare I grab her child with autism!” I told her I was sorry, it was a protective reflex. I just couldn’t stand by and watch the other child be smacked again (side-note: I never grabbed the boy. I just blocked the other boy from being punched yet again). She said she didn’t accept my apology. I apologized again and said it was wrong of me to intervene. She stormed off angry and screaming, “She couldn’t stand by and watch me grab her autistic child “. I in actuality do not feel as though I was wrong. Had I known he was autistic before I took the picture, I don’t think my reaction would have been any different. Why should he get a pass to be violent to another child? I’m asking you, the autism community, shouldn’t she have not forced him to be in the picture if it was upsetting him so? I feel very unsettled that she was so angry with me and so unconcerned for the welfare of the other children on the team. There are challenger sports leagues for special needs children. I’ve photographed many and have been praised for my patience and compassion, while attempting to get the best photograph possible. Any thoughts about this would be appreciated. I do not profess to know what you deal with day to day. I raised three healthy children, I’m an elementary school teacher, and a freelance youth sports photographer. I love all children and just want to be better educated on an appropriate response should I ever be in this situation again. |
10 things you should know about the autism spectrum
Autism Spectrum 10 things you should know
10 things you should know about the autism spectrum
What would you add? Have you say at our discussion page on Facebook called AutismTalk
We’re Partnering With The Mighty – A better service for people on the autism spectrum.
AutismTalk has a new partner
We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership that will bring our resources in front of The Mighty‘s wide-reaching readership. Autism Talk will now have a growing home page on The Mighty where people can get involved with us.
The Mighty is a story-based health community focused on improving the lives of people facing disease, disorder, mental illness and disability. More than half of Americans are facing serious health conditions or medical issues. They want more than information. They want to be inspired. The Mighty publishes real stories about real people facing real challenges.
We’re dedicated to helping ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder stories on The Mighty’ in their lives. With this partnership, we’ll be able to help even more people.
We encourage you to submit a story to The Mighty and make your voice heard.
Here’s an example of the kind of stories on The Mighty: This Is My Definition of ‘Hyperlexia’
Special Needs Children and Common Core. Is Common Core effective for children with special needs such as autism? Please take part in our discussion blog.
Special Needs Children and Common Core. Is Common Core effective for children with special needs such as autism?
Autism and emotional connections
As some of my more regular readers with know I have been running an occasional blog post series called autism and education. You can here the previous posts here.
As the father of an eight year old boy on the autism spectrum I take the whole issue of special needs education very seriously. So I was very interested in the whole area of Common Core State Standards Initiative and how (if at all) it benefits those students, such as my son John, with special needs.
To those not based in the USA (where the Common Core curriculum is used in the vast majority of states) the initiative is defined as “an educational assembly in the United States that details what K-12 students should know in English language arts and mathematics at the end of each grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and seeks to establish consistent educational standards across the states as well as ensure that students graduating from high school are prepared to enter credit-bearing courses at two- or four-year college programs or to enter the workforce.”
So, in fact, it does have some similarities with the UK’s national curriculum.
Okay so how does this impact upon those students who have special needs?
Last week I asked our online discussion group AutismTalk if they felt that Common Core was suitable for student with special needs ( and children on the sutism spectrum in particular). I have to say that I found the results quite remarkable.
First of all the sheers numbers who replied suggest the subject is of great interest. Secondly the almost negative view of Common Core from our members.
Angela is pretty typical when she says “My 10 yo aspergers son is highly intelligent, has 136 IQ and he has meltdowns because he doesn’t feel it’s necessary to show three ways to get the answer for one problem. I doesn’t not set well with children with ASD…they want to answer a problem and move on. It boggles my mind why they do this in schools. Our children don’t need common core system…get rid of it!!!”
“I think Common Core for all children is useless. No child can be a “cookie-cutter kid”, especially not a special needs child. Thankfully my son is in a specialized classroom so he isn’t subjected to it. But, my two mainstream daughters are, and there are mainstream kids struggling with this new system because all kids learn differently.” is Nicole’s view.
But, on the other side, Marilee felt “common core hasn’t been here in NY that long and I am all for it. Because I’ve seen how much easier this pain in the $$$ way makes the transition to high school and college math. So while more steps are taken now, the math most kids get to and fail are easily learned because of the extra steps. Of course parents need to utilize common core classes so their able to help with homework and their own comprehension.”
Because of this I do think it is of value to open up the discussion a bit further.
So what do you think of Common Core?
It would be great if you could use this blog to share your thoughts and comment on the views of others. To do so please use the comments section here.
As always we would ask you to be charitable in your dealings with others on this important matter.
Many thanks in advance!
This is so moving. Just look at the children with Medical Helmets when they have been painted. So cute!
Cassie – shares a picture of her son Seiger
Last week I was giong through Facebook preparing some posts for our group AutismTalk. (Do join us if you have any interest in special needs or ASD). Because I support various different pages and groups by timeline gets filled up with all sorts of stuff.
But that day I found myself moved by a particular picture from the excellent page Stop Discrimination against Special Needs. They had shared one of those wonderful posts which are both moving and show that challenges faced by youngsters will serious medical conditions or special needs.
I forwarded a post which showed a before and after poster of a very young child who has to ear a medical helmet. In the first picture it is plain white. In the second it shows the medical helmet after it has been painted in the style of a pre-war motorcycle helmet. And our readers loved it.
In fact a few of them shared the photographs of their children with medical helmets.
We thought that they were both really cute but also a great way of promote awareness.
If you like them please feel free to share the page. If you have a picture of your own child with a medical helmet please feel free to share using the comments box or send to us at info@patienttalk.org.
Many thanks in advance.
Kerry share this great photo of a medical helmet
Jenipher’s child gives some useful advice about medical helmets
Mikayla says” Wish I would of known about this sooner #lovemyboy #helmetlove “
Sami – shares “My Son Happy as can be with his camo helmet”