Autism

[HitchHiker]

For those on the spectrum, what advice would you give to a parent of a young child who has high functioning autism. For now and for the future.

 

[Dreamcolleger]

Put time effort and money into them. Make sure they do some kind of sport that they like.

 

[Ko9]

Autism is like you said, a spectrum. Not all of them are the same and not all of them need the same. I know it is shitty and not a solid answer, but it is the honest one.

 

[Dead beat dad]

Listen to them, encourage them and be kind.
Actually not that different than I would a non-autistic child

 

[Kassender]

Dont let him hate himself

 

[Eren]

I can not say 100% sure that I have autism, I am in the process of diagnosis.

My advice would be:

1) Don't overprotect him

2) Do not downplay autism, it is something "invisible" but really annoying.

 

[foreverlikethestars]

Understand that some tasks might be impossible or require additional effort to achieve the same outcome, but that with some accommodation they can achieve anything the same. my parents saw this as me being lazy and took it as an opportunity to get angry and scream a lot. An IEP plan at school can help if you're in the US.

Making friends might be hard as we might get overwhelmed in social situations and it's difficult to pick up on social queues so encourage them to join clubs of interest.

Hyper-fixations are a thing. They might want to talk to you for hours on a subject you know nothing about.

I'd also like to add to that that stimuli (much being sounds in my case) were amplified dramatically in how i processed them and they can be very very overwhelming. Be mindful of this.

 

[Isadeth]

For those on the spectrum, what advice would you give to a parent of a young child who has high functioning autism. For now and for the future.

Thank you for bringing this up as a topic. I am the mother to one confirmed child on the spectrum, and one child that has yet to be diagnosed (wanting to making sure he isn't copying my eldest)... I often worry so much if I'm supportive enough, if I'm doing the right things, if I'm making a difference for him. Each thread I read that states another person with ASD has plans to ctb or already has... it takes my breath away. But my perspective is as a parent. Anyone here that can provide me with any and all resources or suggestions that you wished your parents did, you wished you were able to do or experience, or anything else that you feel would have improved your life, I'm all ears!

I'm so sorry to those on here that are struggling in general, as I am, but as a parent my heart breaks even more for those that are on the spectrum and want to ctb. I'm paranoid I'll find my son hanging in his closet, especially since his grandfather recently ctb whom he was very close to.

Again, thank you for bringing this up! I'll take anything I can get and try to help him. He's 9. The same age I had my first attempt.

I can not say 100% sure that I have autism, I am in the process of diagnosis.

My advice would be:

1) Don't overprotect him

2) Do not downplay autism, it is something "invisible" but really annoying.

Do you have any advice to not over protect? I have been giving him freedom here and there to ride his bike with his friend in our neighborhood. But what over freedoms should be considered? He's 9. The main aspects of being overprotective we do is extreme caution around water, stranger danger, etc.

Put time effort and money into them. Make sure they do some kind of sport that they like.

Would you suggest something like self defense as a sport?

 

[Mm80]

For those on the spectrum, what advice would you give to a parent of a young child who has high functioning autism. For now and for the future.

I think the biggest thing is teaching understanding, otherwise he or she may have secondary problems like low self esteem and depression. By understanding i mean explain that he has differences and its not his or her fault just tge way tgey were born.
I was diagnosed as an adult and for decades thought that most things that went wrong in life were my fault and i was just weird. Really hits the self esteem. Understanding things helps take away the blame.

 

[Eren]

Do you have any advice to not over protect? I have been giving him freedom here and there to ride his bike with his friend in our neighborhood. But what over freedoms should be considered? He's 9. The main aspects of being overprotective we do is extreme caution around water, stranger danger, etc.

Just do not treat him differently for being autistic, do not feel different.

 

[AllReturnsToNothing]

I think this is probably advice for every parent in general but it probably would've helped me out a lot when I was growing up: Make an effort to understand your child. Make sure to be totally transparent with them that it is okay to tell you anything at all and that it won't be used against them in any way. Kids are still kids but it is also important to treat them with at least some level of maturity in regards to their feelings, no matter how small, so they don't eventually grow up into an inferiority complex when all they know is how to be talked down to and belittled.