How to Raise an Autistic Child

Raising a child is always a labor of love, but raising an autistic child is a life-long challenge. You must develop a thick skin to avoid the disapproving looks when your child is wreaking havoc in public and the patience of a saint when dealing with him at home. Despite this, parents of autistic children say they form a very close bond with their child.

Instructions

• 1

  Recognize the signs early. Autistic children often develop normally until the age of about two and then begin to regress in their behavior. They begin to have trouble eating, toilet training and dislike being touched or held. Often they do not learn to speak at all, which causes such frustration for them they frequently throw tantrums, while others continually repeat words or phrases and speak immaturely.

• 2

  Be patient, clear and concise when speaking to your autistic child. Autism has an effect on the gathering and processing of information so the child must be repeatedly and consistently reminded to perform certain tasks, and then praised when the task is finished. Gradually increase the difficulty of tasks as the child masters the easier ones.

• 3

  Find a preschool which provides the necessary behavioral and individualized attention your child needs. Autistic children have great difficulty with socialization and interaction with other children, so they often choose to play alone. If a school is equipped to deal with autistic children the child is capable of great progress.

• 4

  Follow a routine. This is extremely important to autistic children, because they are upset by change. They need to feel secure and to know their lives will remain predictable. Although many autistic children cannot stand to be touched they need a great deal of love, and it's important to find ways of showing them you love them in non-physical ways.

• 5

  Stay up to date on literature about autism. Researchers are coming up with new tests and possible treatments for autism, so never give up hope for a better future for your child and your family. One new injection doctors are working on is a hormone called secretin. There has also been improvement shown in autistic children using Vitamins C and B6.