Parenting an autistic child
It all starts with a doubt. You may have seen your child playing with friends or got feedback from a teacher at school - social interactions, language, certain behaviours, intensity of interest. Autism shows up differently for every human being so its difficult to have a single list for everyone. Even before a professional assesses your child, some early signs of autism could include avoiding eye contact, preferring to play alone, not understanding others’ emotions (eg being too direct/honest), not sharing toys, repeating phrases or behaviours (eg rocking or spinning), delayed speech/language, intensely positive or negative reactions to sensory stimuli (lights, sounds etc), difficulty with change in routine, accent/speed of talking. A high level of anxiety can result in distressed behaviour, meltdowns and mental health difficulties including becoming withdrawn.
Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means that the nature of symptoms can be very different from one child to another. Parents usually describe a gradual process of realization with time though stereotypes may lead to delayed diagnosis if the ‘usual’ signs do not present themselves. Further, there could be co-occurrence of other related conditions like ADHD, a tendency to think your child is behaving badly or is academically gifted or even ‘masking’ where the child hides the tendencies.
An early diagnosis is critical to help improve the quality of life for both the child and caregivers. It is usually never a single test and requires a combination of observation and assessment. A formal diagnosis requires a thorough assessment by a qualified professional like a psychologist (read here for our services in this area).
To many parents, discussing the concept of a ‘cure’ for autism is really very offensive. Curing or treating autism is not possible, but managing it, developing a child’s potential improving quality of life is very much possible with the right help.
If you have any concerns, it's always best to consult with your child's pediatrician or a qualified healthcare professional for guidance and further assessment. Some other credible sources are in the links below:
