St. Louis, Missouri, Jan 9, 2021… No parent ever wants to hear that their child has a complex neurological condition, such as Autism. When parents receive an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis for their child, the early reactions may include fear, shock, sadness, and financial concerns related to treatments. After absorbing the initial news, most families strive to get a better understanding of ASD by joining support groups, researching treatment options, and exploring applicable funds, grants or assistive services.
While high-functioning children with ASD may need minimal assistance and therapy, parenting a low-functioning child may be an uphill battle that requires significant grit and patience. Parents may have to manage the child’s sleep problems, destructive or aggressive behavior, and lack of social or emotional reciprocity. Other complications where the child is completely non-verbal or has self-harming tendencies could lead to family stress, social isolation, and emotional and physical exhaustion. However, early diagnosis and timely interventions in the form of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy can go a long way in helping parents raise a child with ASD.
AB Spectrum (Autism and Behavioral Spectrum), the world’s first ReggioABATM clinic provides Autism services to families in St. Louis, St. Charles, Chesterfield, Missouri. Focusing on Natural Environment Training (NET) and combining numerous ABA-based techniques, the experts at AB Spectrum are helping children with ASD thrive. Founder Naina Aijaz Haider says she and her team at AB Spectrum are committed to creating meaningful, sustainable changes in the lives of parents and children dealing with Autism. “It is possible to identify ASD in children as early as 18 months old and therapy can start as soon as you receive a diagnosis. We create individualized treatment plans and use positive reinforcements and rewards to build the child’s socio-economic makeup, verbal skills, essential life skills, cognitive abilities, and self-confidence. The ultimate goal is to reduce interfering behaviors, promote function and independence and help the child assimilate better in society,” says Haider.
“We work with thousands of parents of children with mild, moderate, or even severe Autism. While some have already read up every brochure and blog about ASD, others are still struggling to make sense of the diagnosis. Besides counseling families on how to manage Autism in their child, we encourage parents and caregivers to actively participate in their child’s ABA programs,” Haider explains.
The idea is that they should learn and imbibe some of the ABA techniques in real-world situations so that the child’s therapy extends beyond the formal sessions. Whether they are new to the Autism journey, or have years of experience in raising a child with ASD, these tips will always come in handy for every parent:
• Read, read, and read. The more you learn about Autism, the better equipped you are to make informed decisions for your child.
• Join support groups. There is no better way to receive parenting tips than to mingle with other parents who are at various stages of the Autism journey. In fact, they may just become an addition to your social circle, leading to beautiful and lasting friendships between the parents, as well as the children.
• Don’t compare your child to neurotypical individuals. Accept and embrace your child for who they are. Often, they excel at something which can be quite extraordinary. It is only a matter of time till you realize what that is.
• The only one who knows your child best is you, hence it is important to become an expert on your child’s specific condition. Identify aspects that elicit a positive response, along with triggers that lead to difficult behaviors.
• Watch out for a sensory overload. Keep track of incidents, activities, or stimuli that cause your child to become anxious, stressed, agitated, or afraid. A sensory-integration trained therapist can help in easing such sensory overload by increasing the child’s tolerance to the sensitivities.
• Make time for yourself. When you feel at the end of your tether, find ways to pamper or treat yourself and elevate your mood.
• Most importantly, stay positive and remember that children always feed off the energy of their parents. A happy and encouraging environment will help your child learn, grow, and prosper, and allow your family to overcome the day-to-day challenges associated with ASD.
Besides Haider, the experienced ABA therapy practitioners at AB Spectrum include Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) who develop tailor-made ABA therapy programs, and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) who administer the one-to-one therapy. They provide best-in-class Autism services through their Autism treatment centers in Chesterfield and St. Charles, Missouri, as well as in-home ABA therapy sessions throughout St. Louis, Missouri.
To learn more about AB Spectrum’s ABA therapy clinics and comprehensive behavioral interventions and programs, please visit https://www.abspectrum.org/.