Autistic children and how to deal with them

Autistic children and how to deal with them?

How do deal with autistic children?

Autism spectrum disorders, autism spectrum disorders, or autism for short, or as it is also called autism, is defined as a disorder related to the process of neurodevelopmental development of the brain that affects the way the affected person communicates with others and his ability to perceive normally.

In the context of the conversation, it is worth noting that the responsibility for caring for a child with autism does not lie with the parents only, but must be distributed to all family members, to reduce the psychological pressure that will be generated on the parents, although the greater and more important responsibility will remain on them.

People with autism may have many problems with physical communication and verbal expression, so parents and surrounding people must guess what their child wants to know about his needs and desires.

This may sometimes require abandoning the normal social life of the parents due to the difficulty of understanding the autistic child by others or not accepting it among them.

The social difficulty that parents face is accompanied by feelings of helplessness and sadness about the future of their injured son, but despite all these pressures, you must try to find ways to relieve stress and maintain a happy family.

This can be achieved when parents are given special time from time to time to take a break away from the duties of caring for their injured son, by supporting other family members and taking care of the child for several hours.

Advice for the parents of the affected child

 Having an autistic child in the family poses a challenge to all of its members, and to reduce fears and increase the ability to overcome difficult periods, it is recommended to follow some tips, some of which are as follows:

• Cognitive education: Parents who have a child with autism should read a lot about autism and ways to deal with it, from reliable scientific sources, in addition to visiting governmental or non-profit centers and organizations concerned with autism to gain more information from specialists, and since there are many Of the misconceptions and myths about autism spectrum disorder, it must be constantly and permanently carried out about the latest scientific research that is being conducted, knowing the truth and the various details surrounding autism spectrum disorder helps to deal with the condition and better understand the affected child.

• Joining support groups: The participation of parents with others who have similar cases may have a great psychological and cognitive impact, so it is recommended to search for groups and families with children with autism to exchange experiences and relieve psychological stress when sharing feelings and experiences with similar cases, and to search for a team of trusted experts from therapists And social workers, doctors, and knowledge of the most important help centers located near the area of ​​residence, and the most important support programs provided by the government to those affected by such cases of disorders.

• Keeping records of visits: with visiting service providers, some assessments and reports are identified that are recommended to be kept in a file to monitor the development and progress of the case, this helps to keep things under control and organized.

Baby diet tips

A person with autism has many symptoms such as delayed speech, poor eye contact, unwillingness to embrace, and lack of interest in sharing activities with others, and these symptoms may reflect negatively on the person’s eating habits, and for that, some of the most important tips about a child’s diet will be mentioned: 

• Overcoming sensitivity to foods: A child with autism may have a specific sensitivity to the color, smell, taste, or texture of some types of foods, and this may make his favorite food list limited, and fruits and vegetables are often not his favorite foods, and to overcome this problem It is recommended that the autistic child visit the grocery store to choose the foods he wants, discuss how to prepare them, and avoid using pressure if he does not want to eat a dish. Positivity in these situations helps the child to become more flexible later.

• Follow a routine diet: It is recommended to make meals as routine as possible, and to serve the main and light meals at the same time every day, which would reduce stress, in addition to making the surrounding environment suitable for the child. Allow the child to eat on his own or to sit in his seat if he wants to.

• Avoid constipation: Constipation is a common problem for autistic people due to limited food options for the affected child, and for this, it is recommended to follow a diet rich in fiber, encourage him to engage in physical activities, and drink plenty of fluids and water.

• Reducing side effects and drug interactions: Some medications that are used to reduce the symptoms of autism cause a decrease in appetite, which leads to a decrease in the amount of daily food that the child eats, which negatively affects his growth. On the other hand, some drug treatments may increase the child's appetite, and others may affect In the process of absorbing vitamins and minerals in the body, so you should ask your doctor about the possibility of such side effects and the best tips and ways to reduce them.

Tips to improve a child's sleep

More than half of children with autism face chronic sleep problems, and these problems lead to an increase in behavioral challenges that the child is going through. Lack of sleep and poor quality affect the person’s ability to learn and exacerbate some negative behaviors such as hyperactivity, lack of focus, attention, and increased aggression, but there are Some the ways and tips that help improve sleep, and the following are some of them:

1. Finding a suitable environment for sleeping: Since children with autism have sensory problems, especially with noise, it is recommended to prepare a bedroom that is quiet, away from sounds and noise, and appropriately dark and cool.
2. Doing a routine before bed: It is recommended to adopt an easy and relatively short routine before bed that does not exceed 20 to 30 minutes, such as practicing a specific activity such as listening to music or reading, and you should stay away as much as possible from electronic devices such as television and others.
3. Refrain from consuming caffeine: Caffeine is found in tea, soft drinks, and chocolate, in addition to coffee, so you should stay away from consuming these foodstuffs, especially hours before going to bed, because caffeine makes the child alert and makes it difficult for him to sleep.
4. Sleeping and waking up at a specific time: Bedtime and waking up should be scheduled at specific times, and the sleep schedule should not be significantly disturbed between weekdays and holidays.
5. Exercise and make effort: Exercising and making effort during the day can help facilitate the process of sleeping for children, so it is recommended to practice some kind of sports during the day.