Tips for Parenting a Child With Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterized by social differences or challenges and restrictive, repetitive interests, activities, and behaviors.

Parents of kids with a recent diagnosis of ASD often want to know what they can do to be the best caregiver they can be with the characteristics of the condition in mind.

In this article, we will go over tips for parenting a child with Autism, such as the resources you may be able to utilize, routines, and positive reinforcement. Lastly, we'll talk about how to manage your own stress as a parent and what to avoid in the process of caring for your child.

Tips for Parenting a Child With Autism

Below we'll walk through tips for parenting a child with Autism.

Accept your child for who they are

Acceptance matters both for your child and you. There is no known singular cause of Autism, and while many obstacles can be addressed, Autism does not go away. Sometimes, parents experience grief, worry, or sadness after an Autism diagnosis.

It can be advantageous to have a safe space to talk about that away from your child. Even if not intended, discussing Autism in a negative way in front of your child can make them feel like something is wrong with them as a person.

Utilizing your resources and getting the right support and place can also help mitigate worry. If your child is receiving behavioral health treatments, remember that ups and downs are normal. 

Utilize resources

Every child with Autism is different. There are many different resources out there to explore, depending on what's ideal for your child and family. Here are some resources that may be beneficial:

• School and educational resources. This can include tutoring, an IEP or 504 plan, speech-language support, and so on. 
• Behavioral or mental health care. Different therapies can help children with Autism. If you have health insurance, it may cover these supports and often will. 
• Occupational therapy. In addition to behavioral or mental health care, occupational therapy can be incredibly helpful for those with Autism and can increase functioning in daily life activities as well as other areas.  
• Safety tools. If your child is at high risk for self-injurious behavior or otherwise risky behavior, you might make changes to your home or use other tools to prevent injury. This is a common worry among parents of children with Autism.

The CDC has a list of resources that parents of children with Autism can review. It includes links to resources that can help with education, understanding Autism, early intervention, getting through an initial diagnosis, and more.

Your state government website may also have state-specific resources if you're in the US. For referrals or recommendations to professionals such as occupational therapists and mental health therapists, you may consult with your insurance company or your child's pediatrician.

Take care of yourself

Self-care matters, even when there's limited time. This is true for all parents. Self-care practices for parents may include:

• Sharing responsibilities with another parent or family member, if possible.
• Time management. You may build a schedule of your own to use throughout the week. In this schedule, make sure that your basic self-care needs (e.g., time to eat, time to sleep) are being met.
• Turning to your support system (friends, support group members, family members, mental health professionals) in challenging moments.
• Other coping skills for tough moments. Progressive muscle relaxation, radical acceptance, positive affirmations, thought reframing, physical activity, and paced breathing are all examples.

Embrace your child's qualities and differences

Your child will have unique strengths, as every child will. Embrace their qualities, including the ones that make them different. One way to highlight this is to teach a child about differences from a positive standpoint in general - e.g., through books. 

Keep a routine

Routines can be particularly crucial for kids with Autism; not only do many people with Autism struggle with change in their routines, but they also often thrive on routines.

This can be used as a strength, especially if there are habits and tasks you want to implement into your child's daily life. For example, hygiene, chores, and tasks related to school.

It's not to say that these will be enjoyable just because they are routines, but keeping a routine and making it a normal part of life can help your child stick to behaviors that promote overall health and success.

Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a tactic used by many professionals who work with kids who live with conditions like Autism and ADHD. Positive reinforcement can include words, experiences (e.g., time to play a game, time at the park or another desired location), and small or inexpensive physical objects. Behavior and reward charts are another popular tool and choice. Using positive reinforcement can help with:

• Building and maintaining new routines.
• Breaking bad habits.
• Implementing new, positive habits.
• Symptom management and improvement.

Handling the Stress

Alongside self-care, it can be helpful to have a therapist to work with. Many parents benefit from parent training, which can help you find tools and tips to use at home. Professional support can help you feel more confident in your approach.

Independent of that, individual therapy can help with stress management, provide a safe space to talk, and give you time to focus on yourself. Support groups for parents or guardians of kids who live with ASD can be helpful as well.

Support groups for parents and families of kids with Autism might meet remotely or in person. Meetups and groups are other options. It can make you feel less alone to know other parents who are going through the same thing and understand what you're going through. 

Disciplining a Child with Autism

Disciplining any child can be hard. It can be particularly tricky for disciplining children with ADHD or autism since they are mental disorders with difficult symptoms. Here are some tips for disciplining a child with Autism: 

• Provide straightforward, specific expectations.
• Make consequences clear in advance. 
• Follow through with what you say.

Additionally, it can be beneficial to provide explanations if your child asks why they need to do something or why they will reap a specific consequence.

Things to Avoid

There are a couple of things to avoid when it comes to parenting children with disabilities. First, comparison to others. It's human nature that we do compare ourselves to others, but it's important to be mindful of how it can affect you and reframe things when necessary.

Your child is not another parent's child. Every child progresses at a different rate. Another thing to avoid is permissive, neglectful, or authoritarian parenting. Research shows that the balance of rules and unconditional love seen and authoritative parenting is most favorable. 

Takeaway

Autism is a common condition and disability. Parenting a child with Autism can come with unique challenges. Having the right resources and support can help a parent feel confident as they raise their child. For individualized guidance, make sure to speak with a licensed medical professional for advice.