Special Needs: Parenting a Child with High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome

Having a child given a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a very stressful event for parents. It is imperative to understand that there is much that can be done for both parent and the child. From the current literature we know that parents of children diagnosed with autism worry about many things like lifetime dependency to family dissonance. We know that these parents are distressed and angry, the parents of children with more unusual behaviors feel a lot more stressed than the parents of children with fewer unusual behaviors. However, having a strategy to approach it correctly and to get the best possible help for your child is probably the most important step, one can take to relieve stress and to aid the child’s development.

A lot of people don’t realize the challenges of living with a child who has been diagnose with Autism can be. It is a twenty-four-hour seven day a week job no vacation, no sick time and no pay. From the time the child is diagnosed it is a constant worry especially if the parents don’t know much about the condition. It starts with continuous Doctor visits, social services, and therapy sessions, just to figure out how serious the condition may be and what level of the disability the child has and this is only this beginning. Next, to find the tools the child needs to overcome the disability, like learning development and cognitive process, social skills, comprehension capabilities, and many more depending on the severity of autism.

Leo Kanner (1943) believes autism is a result of emotional deprivation. He notes that parents of autistic children are intellectually and analytically oriented, but lack emotional warmth (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009).Some psychodynamic theorist believe autistic children were born normal, but became autistic after experiencing painful interactions with hostile or cold parents (Hansell & Damour, 2008). The term autistic implies a failure to effectively relate to the environment. Autistic individuals are perceived as elusive and distant (Meyer, Chapman, & Weaver, 2009). Behavioral programs are most effective with autistic children and are used to teach them language, communication skills, self-care, and adaptation to the community (Hansell & Damour, 2008).

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. For grown-ups, an autism diagnosis may get alleviation terms of a clarification for their long lasting battles, for parents, the principal months in the wake of discovering that their youngster has a formative issue can be enthusiastic, confounding and testing. A kid 's autism diagnosis influences each individual from the family in various ways. Guardians/parental figures should now put their essential concentrate on helping their kid with ASD, which may put weight on their marriage, other

In another study, research was focused on how the family’s choices, social life, and other activities are affected by that fact that one of their children has autism. This study was performed through 9 families who all had a boy with autism, and these participants provided information through interviews and information about their family life. Some parents along with teachers and other specialists came up for the routine while others allowed their child to be a decision maker in what they wanted. In both cases, it seemed to be a fifty-fifty chance of it being a total success or needing more work. Once a routine was found successful, it became an integrated part of the family life. Parents had other siblings become part of the routines and moved things around in their own lives to help the child have better success

This hardships and struggles were focused on their child’s tantrums that are present in the condition ASD and how they cope up with it. Participants also described having to make lifestyle transitions in their life. One lifestyle transitions affected their careers for them to focus more in taking care of their child. Family activities and relationships with their non-affected children was also affected being involved in a child with autism. It was shown in the study how autism spectrum disorder give an impact in the primary caregivers’ life and his/her family. The findings suggest that professionals need to engage more with families when conveying a diagnosis of autism, particularly with families that is financially unstable. Thus, the findings suggest that there is a need to inform the future families who may experience the involved responsibilities of having an autistic child.This study gave several recommendations to three particular subjects the Families /Primary Caregivers, Government and the Community. All these subjects are selected for the enlightenment of this topic which is autism spectrum disorder(ASD). The findings from this study therefore provide hope and encouragement for parents of children with autism in particular, but also for parents raising children with intellectual disabilities

Having a child with disabilities dramatically impacts the parent 's role in their life. Disabled children require more attention because they face daily challenges

The ability for families to remain strong and thrive during difficult, emotional experiences in raising a child with ASD is new to ASD literature (Whitehead, et al. 2015). Families show individual coping responses such as avoidance, disengagement, self-blame, denial, and emotional venting (Whitehead, et al. 2015). In comparison, action oriented strategies include planning, acceptance, and positive transformations (Whitehead, et al. 2015). The combination of behavior and emotional problems exhibited by children with ASD are major contributors to family and caregiver stress (Whitehead, et al.

The author argues that a positive experiences of parents raising school-aged children with autism within the context of parenting stress. The author uses a piece of evidence to support this claim. First, when having a flexible or a planned schedule it make caring for the autistic child easy for all. Next, having everyone do their part relieves stress on parent and caregivers. Finally, having a routine schedule can take a huge change in the family.

The mission statement of the organization is to establish a partnership between parents that share similar situations. Counselors, who are parents of children with autism or other behavior disorders, are referred to another parent in need of guidance or information regarding interventions, resources. Though, there are testimonies that confirm the effectiveness

As there are no specific guidelines for parenting, nothing can prepare a parent to receive a first medical diagnosis of their child’s autism. . The burden that parents experience when receiving the diagnosis depends on the following: level of severity; level of the child’s dependency and intensity of needed care; the support that is available to the parents from their close environment; the parents negative views on caring for a child with ASD; negative view on the diagnostic process; levels of passive avoidant coping strategies (Stuart, & McGrew, 2008).

A pilot study by McLeod (1999) over three years, with a sample of eight adults, using case studies and both qualitative and quantitative methods of research (including questionnaires, interviews and follow-up) described parents of individuals on the Autism spectrum, as ‘the

This book review written by parent Gloria Doty, addresses the parenting and emotional challenges associated with Gloria’s youngest daughter Kalisha. Autism spectrum disorder specifically Asperger and how parenting is impacted by the emotional dissonance, mental and physical components of the disorder. Doty, presents early diagnosis and treatment as fundamental towards developing functional relationship with her daughter.

From the moment you find out you are expecting a baby, the main thing you want is a healthy baby. However, this isn’t always the case. Millions of children are born with disabilities yearly. Right from the beginning parents and their disabled children face many hurdles and struggles to obtain quality of life. Depending on the child’s disability, certain aspects of the world will be harder for them.

There is no doubt that raising a child with autism is challenging. There is endless research on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but a very limited amount on the costs and benefits of caring for a person with the disorder. In order to gain a comprehensive perspective on the biggest challenges parents and caregivers of autistic children face, a look into the private lives of these families and close networks is necessary. The only way to give support and provide the much needed services required to help, one must ask them what the most difficult parts about managing autism are. Below examines three of the most common struggles these families face when trying to understand and help their autistic children develop into the capable people they are certainly able of becoming.