How can Parents Help Their Autistic Child ?

Autism is a developmental disability that affects a child's brain function and ability to communicate and socially interact with others. Normally, the autistic symptoms can be diagnosed before the age of 3 and at the age of 1 if the parents are observatory enough. All in all the sooner the symptoms are found, the better. Currently there is no specific medical test that diagnoses autism but parents could take note of the observable characteristics of their child. The autistic child would demonstrate impairments in the following three areas:

1. Social relationship : the child with autism generally displays indifference to their surroundings. Normally a 1-3 year old child would be curious and demand attention from others. On the contrary, the autistic child has the tendency to enjoy his own company and seclude himself from others.

2. Communication : the autistic child demonstrates a distinctive failure at communication. He shows no development in sentence structuring and develops his own indecipherable language.

3. Restricted patterns of behavior : the child with autism would have a repetitive pattern of behavior. Some may be of above-average intelligence and independent, yet lacking in social skills and is restricted in terms of self-expression.

Parents can help their autistic child by adopting the behavior training therapy. The aids should be conducted in an extensive level so that it can be effective. Parents can start with playing with the child by using the following techniques :

- following the child's interest. If the autistic child shows interest in playing with a certain toy, parents should be attentive and play along with them.
- Developing a responsive play. When a child throws a ball back and forth, parents can show them how to throw it into a basket so that they can follow.
- Dubbing the voice in the play. When the child mimics cooking, parents should verbalize the kid's impersonation.
- Encouraging the child's interaction. Parents should draw attention of the child to themselves sometimes. When the child is making a fried-rice, parents may pretend holding a plate asking them to prepare you a dish of fried-rice.
- Making an eye contact with them. Every time parents give the child a new toy, try making an eye contact with them before handing them the toy.
- Encouraging the play that requires imagination. Due to the restricted scope of interest, the autistic child doesn't know how to develop a play that requires imagination. Encouraging the child to use his imagination helps abating the severity of the symptoms when he grows up.