My Child is Autistic

Join an online forum or local support group that specialises in autism. You can get lists of good places by contacting the National Autism Society of America. They will give contact information for their branches local to you, alot of them will actually provide support groups themselves, for parents and families with an autistic child or children. It is helpful to be in contact with families and parents in a similar situation to you, not only to make you feel less on your own, but also to share tips and ideas with others to make things easier. These support groups will also provide you with contact information for intervention programs and workshops your whole family if need be. You should also try to find a support groupp or network for any other children you might have. Alot of parents and carers will forget it is not only them that have to learn to deal with autistic behaviour, but the other members of the family are also obviously, strongly affected. A local support group for you other children will educate them more about the disorder and perhaps make them more aware of any difficulties you might have as a parent. It is your job as a parent, to create a family environment, that will be more aware of how to deal with your childs autistic behaviour.

Maybe you should try a relationship counseling session if you are with a partner. An autistic child can put a tremendous strain on any marriage, often exasabating arguments, neglecting eachother, and sometimes even blaming one another for the situation. Relationship counseling from the very start can make a huge difference through this tricky and big transition, and help build a more supportive environment for your whole family. Your relationship should not end because you feel it difficult to cope with an autistic child, but it is a sad fact is that many do end this way. To try to prevent this find and seek counceling before things get too bad.

The most important thing you must do is, start down the road of becoming an expert. Many times doctors, pediatricians or psychiatrists are not an expert in the field of autism.This can end up with an incorrect diagnosis or not the right treatment being suggested . It is your job as, the person with the autistic childs best interests at heart, to learn everything you can about the disorder. Parents of Autistic Children can be a great place to start; this organization offers courses and workshops. The ASA does a newsletter which offers alot of great of information, from diagnosis to treatment. Dont forget the support groups can be a great resourse also. Do your best to educate yourself and others around you to give the best chance of a stable environment for you autistic child and everyone else involved.