Many people think of autistic children as being difficult to manage, but the truth is that they are just different. The scope of their behavior can surprise even the calmest parent and it is important to understand what kind of child you have in front of you before making any decisions about how best to handle them. However, there are many ways a parent can work with their child’s autism and help them learn how to better regulate themselves. Here are some tips for getting started.
Playing with poop is just playing
Children who are autistic often engage in behaviors that are considered odd by most people. For example, they may line up their toys perfectly or play with the poop in their nappy. These children need to be taught how to behave properly, but this has to be done without shaming them and while making it fun for them as well. There is a certain pattern, dynamic, and reasoning why children take on such activities. It is your job as a parent to try to understand it, and this will help you to stop fecal smearing or any similar odd behavior. As awkward as it may seem, all children are highly intelligent to understand what you are thinking about them. They can easily feel whether you are annoyed, disgusted, or otherwise detached from them because of the way they behave. Instead of shaming your child for engaging in these activities, take it as an opportunity to teach alternative ways of playing.
Understand what autism is
Before you begin to teach your child how to regulate their behavior, you must understand what autism is. Autism can be a very complex disorder, and it affects people in different ways. There are certain commonalities associated with the condition such as difficulty communicating and understanding facial expressions. If you want to improve your ability to handle your autistic children, you need to understand how they think and what makes them tick. You may also check the fragile x syndrome symptoms to help you handle them well. You can’t make decisions about how best to approach their behaviors without understanding why they are doing it in the first place.
The power of autism
Many parents believe that autistic children lack empathy, but this is not necessarily true. Those with disabilities may have a very difficult time expressing themselves, but this does not mean that they don’t understand what is going on or what you are feeling. When children with disabilities act out, it’s possible that they feel threatened by the situation and simply don’t know how to react in another way. These children do not lack empathy; instead, they need an effective way to communicate their feelings without being judged by others. For this reason, you must remain patient with them even when they are unable to control their behaviors.
Be proactive
The best thing that you can do for your autistic child is to get involved in their lives early on rather than waiting until the behaviors become too much of a problem. Some parents wait until their child hits puberty before they attempt to get them the help that they need. This can be detrimental because it means that there are years of damage done to the child’s mental health before you even start working with them. At this point, it can be very difficult to get your child back on track and teach them how to better regulate themselves. Instead, it’s better to learn as much as you can about autism and how your child is affected by it so that you can start working with them long before puberty. This means being proactive in their lives and not waiting for things to get worse.
Different types of behaviors autistic children exhibit
Not all behaviors that children with autism may exhibit are problematic. This is part of what makes understanding them and getting help for them so difficult. For example, children who have autism become very skilled at repetitive tasks such as lining up their toys or spinning the same object over and over again. This might seem like a simple task to you, but it may be difficult for them because it helps them to focus and calm down. This doesn’t mean that doing these activities is bad, but your child may use them as coping mechanisms when they are feeling overwhelmed by their environment.
The next time you notice that your autistic child is engaging in stimming behavior or lining up objects, try to look at it as a coping mechanism that is being used to regulate their emotions. Instead of trying to get them to stop, think of ways you can make it more appropriate for the situation they are in. For example, if your child is lining up objects at the dinner table, try to give them something else to do instead. Children with autism are very skilled at focusing on one particular task, so you may need to redirect them when necessary.
The importance of routines
For children with autism, having a routine is very important. Children crave structure and order in their lives because it makes them feel comfortable knowing what will happen next. This can be extremely helpful for parents who are trying to better understand why their children are doing certain things and how they can react to them appropriately.
Routines help your child with autism better regulate themselves because it gives them a better idea of what is going on both in their lives and in the lives of those around them. It also helps show your child that you care about their comfort and happiness which can go a long way in the future. Routines will only be effective if you are consistent, so make sure that your entire family is on board by communicating with them about this new routine and what it means for all of you.
It’s also a good idea to make routines visual whenever possible because children who have autism learn best through their senses. For example, if your child has a difficult time falling asleep during the night, consider placing a stuffed animal in their bed as a nighttime routine. The stuffed animal can be moved from the bed to the floor each night until they are falling asleep on their own.
When your child with autism is doing things that bother you it’s easy to want to react negatively. However, punishing them will only make matters worse because they will become upset and may start having outbursts as a result. It’s also counter-productive because you will be teaching them that these types of behaviors are not okay, even though they might be acting this way for a good reason.
If your child is doing something that violates their routine, try to talk with them first and let them know what the routine is and why they need to follow it. This will allow them to understand what you want from them and how to go about doing it without getting upset or frustrated. Encouraging rather than punishing your child can be a good idea if their challenging behavior has become a result of them not understanding something or what you want from them.