Saturday, April 13, 2013

Shy Child, What should to do?

Your  child might find it difficult to get along with other children because he may be shy or timid. You must be careful not to confuse the shy child with the quiet one.

Children differ very much in their personalities and in the characteristics that make it easy or difficult for them to play easily with other children.

Sometimes you may think of the child who is well adjusted to other people in terms of the picture, which is so often shown, of a popular child surrounded by other children, always the gay center of the group. This becomes their aim for your child. It is not necessarily a true picture of  your child who can get along well with others.

There are many quieter and less-outgoing children who get along very well indeed with other children, and who are liked and accepted by them. You are sometimes unnecessarily concerned about your quieter but still well-adjusted normal child.

The quiet child is often an independent youngster who is able to meet situations and make friends in his own way. He is not afraid of people; he likes them and will often have two or three good friends whose interests are the same as his. He is just not so boisterous or conspicuously active as some other boys and girls. He should not be called a really shy child.

Nor should you confuse your young child with the shy child. Your two- or even a three-year-old may not yet be ready to meet situations that involve leaving mother or father or playing with other children. He may still be in the stage in which he just wants to stand and watch the other children play. When he is a bit older, he too will enter in.

The really shy child is the youngster of four or five or older who finds it hard to go out toward other people. He always draws back to the shelter of mother and father and seems disturbed and upset by new situations. Such a child will hang back from entering into play with other children at an age when he would normally be ready and eager to be with others.

Shy Child

If a child is shy his father or parents should try to look behind the shyness for the cause, which again is often found in over anxiety or insecurity. This may have been caused in various ways, some of them, perhaps, unavoidable. If it is due to anxiety then there is a cool thing I can confidently recommend to over come anxiety among children.Check  here by clicking  now.

A child who has been ill during his early years and has not been able to play with other children is often a shy or more timid child. A child who has been moved around, or has had too many changes in the people who have taken care of him, has not had the opportunity to develop a feeling of security.

Perhaps the child’s first play experiences have been with bigger or older children, or with children who were so aggressive and rough in their play that he could not hold his own, became afraid, and did not want to play with them.

Competition with an older brother or sister in which the child has felt unable to keep up will often destroy his confidence and make him shy.

Over training, with too much criticism and disapproval from his parents, can make a youngster shy and timid. So, too, can a feeling on the part of the child that he will be loved and approved by his parents only if he is good, when good means not making a noise, not running or climbing, or not getting dirty.

An overprotected child, whose parents have kept him away from other children, is often a shy child. Or the child who feels inadequate because he cannot climb, throw a ball, or do stunts on the trapeze as well as the others may hold back out of embarrassment instead of joining in with the group. The shy child is almost always one who for some reason or other has come to fear other people or to doubt his ability to meet them.

Such a child cannot be helped to overcome his shyness by punish- ment or shaming. Talking about his shyness will only make it worse. Nor can his parents help him by suddenly forcing or pushing him into group experiences or play with other children. They must be willing to take the time to help him regain and rebuild his self-confidence.

The first step is to check up on their own relationship with the youngster. Are they showing him enough affection so that he is sure that they are devoted to him, like him, and are proud of him?

Parents may be very fond of a child but forget that little children are very literal and need to be shown much affection and proof that they are wanted. Sometimes very busy parents pay much attention to the physical needs of their children but forget to take time to play with a youngster and convince him that they love him.

Next, they should check up to see whether their standards have been too high. Have they expected too much from the child for his age? It is best not to talk to the shy child about being a “good child,” but to find things which he can do well and praise him for doing them, while at the same time overlooking his failures.

The shy child needs many outlets for his feelings. He should be given opportunities and encouragement to play with water and sand, to paint with a big brush and poster paints on large sheets of paper, to play with clay and get his hands into finger paints, to pound on wood with hammer and nails. The shy child needs encouragement to run and play and get dirty.

As a little shy child begins to get over his shyness, it often helps to let him go to a nursery school where he will meet other children each day in sympathetic and well-directed surroundings.

As your child gradually finds himself able to meet new situations, much of his shyness will be relieved if at the same time the over anxiety and the lack of security behind the original shyness are also being lessened. It takes time to help your shy child find his place with other people. Being a good father you need to help me in the process.

Baby loves to eat ,Toddler too shy too eat

Friday, April 12, 2013

Ten reasons why a baby wakes up at night

Many parents claim that their baby wakes up during the night and they cannot understand the problem(s). Several reasons have been coined which include the following:

Learning new skills.
Sleep patterns of the baby is normally disturb, often disturbed when learning new skills like pulling herself up to a standing position and can practice this in her crib at night thus can frequently can wake up.
2.Getting used to comfort objects.
The baby might have gotten used to, to some specific objects like fondness to a particular blanket, stuffed toy or pacifier. If these objects are kept away from the baby, she might wonder where they are during their sleep and keeps waking up.
3.Leaving the lights on.

Bright light confuses the baby and could result in a flip flop for baby’s hours especially during the night.
4.Night feeding.
Frequent feeding during the night will cause the baby to adopt this new sleep cycle quite naturally. Adopting this behavior will cause the baby to wake up at night time.
5.Prompt lulling.
This happen when the baby is abruptly lull when she whimpers or groan which convinced the parent that she is awake but reality, she does so but not really awake.
6.Medically unfit.
The baby fill pain and uncomfortable when he is sick. This cause him to wake up at night because of disturbing ailments.
7.Dreaming.
The baby too dreams, recalling what she does during the day. Some dreams which has great impacts either negative or positive wokens the baby at night.
8.Change of environment.
Change in place or routine activities cause the baby to get mixed up and sleep more at day time thus baby wakes up at night.
9.At two months,the baby is more alert and more social thus spend more time at day time and less at night.
10.The baby also wake up at night when she is hungry since she cannot cope being patient till daytime like an adult.

View the original article here

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Characteristics of Smart Kids

Do you have wild and crazy dreams for your darlings, ones that may have started in the cradle? Perhaps you envision any or all of the following:
1. Babies who spring from the womb talking and walking
2. Preschoolers who read encyclopedias and compute algebra problems
3. Kids who make the honor roll every semester and receive so many first-place blue ribbons in the science fair that NASA calls
4. High schoolers who lead the school play, are first chair in the orchestra, and score so well on college boards that every Ivy League college sends four-year scholarship offerings
These goals, in addition to being a bit unrealistic, demonstrate only one aspect of being smart. Truly smart kids need more than lofty goals and pipe dreams to make it in today's cutthroat world.

The idea of raising well-rounded, smarter kids can be daunting, and, sadly, no easy formula exists. Kids are as complex, varied, and exciting individuals as you are. The good news is that your child has a natural desire to do well. Your job as parent is to bring out this quality and cherish it until the day your kids leave home, and then some. Doing well involves your nurturing traits such as drive, optimism, creativity, and common sense.

Nothing beats drive
Being smart involves the drive to succeed, no matter which or how many obstacles cross your child's path. Drive gets you started, and then keeps you going. It challenges you to succeed. Even if your child proves exceptionally book smart, without drive to use the information in a practical way, the facts lead to nowhere.

The best part about drive is that it fuels itself. Interest in throwing a ball leads to pitching little league, which leads to playing on a school team. Some unidentifiable inner resource creates the quest for knowledge. Call it a love of learning or an adventurous spirit. The pleasure is as much — or more — in the doing as in reaching the goal.

Encouraging kids
Children drive themselves almost from birth. They reach for the next step along the path to independence. Your healthy baby:
-Cries to communicate to you when he needs attention
-Roots until he finds food to suck
-Pushes and pulls until he rolls over, sits, and stands
-Moves about until he crawls, walks, and climbs stairs

Keep encouraging your child, and the drive to succeed kicks in. Potty training, picking out numbers and letters, drawing pictures, tying shoelaces, reading a book independently, playing an instrument — all are important milestones. With each achievement, your child gains the strength and confidence to try new adventures (although some, like drawing on walls, you may not appreciate). Encouraging these endeavors builds motivation to succeed that lasts a lifetime.

Not squelching drive
Every child possesses drive — unless it's stifled. Repeated putdowns, disinterest on your part, or minimizing what your child finds important goes a long way toward smothering drive.

For example, a parent can stifle drive when a child spontaneously offers creepy treasures, such as a large caterpillar cocoon. Your first reaction, if you're truly bug-phobic and ignorant about the subject, may be, "Yuck! No bugs in this house. End of story." Stifled. Completely. Instead, consider Plan B: Tuck away the bug house in a safe haven to watch it hatch. Go to the library to find books about the care and feeding of future butterflies and moths. Have your child invite friends to see her treasure. And when a colorful winged creature emerges months later, set it free and celebrate.

Think about the following ways to encourage drive in your kids:
Cherish mud pies, lightning bugs, and dandelion fuzz. Consider your responses to the gross stuff kids bring home and whether these reactions establish, or squelch, the drive to learn more and the interest to deepen.
Let the laundry wait another day, if you see the first sun in six days. Take time to explore your kids' discoveries when they happen.
Talk with helium you inhale from a balloon or concoct a baking soda volcano. Figure out what's happening in these and other situations. Help your kids find magic in everyday scientific endeavors.
Encourage effort and always giving a best effort over results. When your child shows you a picture or story, ask questions to decipher and extend the learning involved in creating the work. Ask what else could be added. Praise the hard work to make whatever treasure you are witnessing.
Reinforce how earning money helps to buy CDs, books, and other valuables your child wants. Plant seeds of desire that can be satisfied through hard work and increased knowledge.
Expose your child to volunteer work, such as at a food bank. Talk about helping those who are less fortunate, but also discuss how to stay out of similar situations.
Allow a healthy dose of competitiveness and challenge to creep into your family activities once in a while.
Even when you give textbook responses to all your kid's curiosities (and no parent does that), your job of instilling the drive to do the best isn't easy. Many forces work against you. The most obvious are TV, the stress of two-wage-earner and single-parent families, and less family time together for any number of reasons.

Consider, too, the rich and famous who boast how they managed to succeed without doing well in school. President George W. Bush tells Yale graduates that being a C student gets you elected president. Actor George Clooney boasts to television viewers that he ducked out of college early. Although you may believe these folks epitomize drive because they achieved success without being the sharpest tool in the shed, they don't send the right message to kids that the drive for knowledge equals success.

Willingness to work works magic
The sooner your kids appreciate the value of work, the more successful they will be. Work is part of life. You work to earn money, put food on the table, and keep your homes orderly and clean. For your kids, work involves schoolwork, homework, and teamwork at home and in the community. Becoming a responsible, committed worker is one of life's lessons.

Clear links exist between a positive work ethic and success. Studies show that your hard-working 10-year-old has a greater chance for success later in life than the slacker kid next door. In fact, the willingness to work overrides IQ or family economic levels. Establishing a work ethic at an early age brings less unemployment and more fulfilling relationships all around later.

When your kids are able to cheerfully labor at a task until it's complete, they beat their chests and say, "I did it!" Developing a positive work ethic provides other benefits, too:
-Sense of achievement
-Self-confidence
-Awareness of strengths and weaknesses
-Respect for rules and authority
-Skills to cooperate with others to get a job done
-Ability to conscientiously continue until a mental or physical task is complete, in other words, self-discipline

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

How Is Autism Treated?


Each child or adult with autism is unique and, so, each autism intervention plan should be tailored to address specific needs.

Intervention can involve behavioral treatments, medicines or both. Many persons with autism have additional medical conditions such as sleep disturbance, seizures and gastrointestinal (GI) distress. Addressing these conditions can improve attention, learning and related behaviors. (Learn more about Treatment of Autism’s Core Symptoms and Treatment of Associated Medical Conditions.)

Early intensive behavioral intervention involves a child's entire family, working closely with a team of professionals. In some early intervention programs, therapists come into the home to deliver services. This can include parent training with the parent leading therapy sessions under the supervision of the therapist. Other programs deliver therapy in a specialized center, classroom or preschool. (Learn more about Early Intervention.)



Typically, different interventions and supports become appropriate as a child develops and acquires social and learning skills. As children with autism enter school, for example, they may benefit from targeted social skills training and specialized approaches to teaching.

Adolescents with autism can benefit from transition services that promote a successful maturation into independence and employment opportunities of adulthood. (Learn more about Transition in our Transition Tool Kit.)

What Early Intervention Therapies Are Currently Available?

Objective scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of two methods of comprehensive behavioral early intervention. They are the Lovaas Model based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the Early Start Denver Model. Parents and therapists also report success with other commonly used behavioral therapies, including Floortime, Pivotal Response Therapy and Verbal Behavior Therapy. For still more information, also see the “Treatment and Therapies” chapter of our 100 Day Kit.

Treatment Options for Toddlers and Preschool Children

Scientific studies have demonstrated that early intensive behavioral intervention improves learning, communication and social skills in young children with autism. While the outcomes of early intervention vary, all children benefit. Researchers have developed a number of effective early intervention models. They vary in details, but all good early intervention programs share certain features. They include:

-The child receives structured, therapeutic activities for at least 25 hours per week.

-Highly trained therapists and/or teachers deliver the intervention. Well-trained paraprofessionals may assist with the intervention under the supervision of an experienced professional with expertise in autism therapy.

-The therapy is guided by specific and well-defined learning objectives, and the child’s progress in meeting these objectives is regularly evaluated and recorded.

-The intervention focuses on the core areas affected by autism. These include social skills, language and communication, imitation, play skills, daily living and motor skills.

-The program provides the child with opportunities to interact with typically developing peers.

-The program actively engages parents in the intervention, both in decision making and the delivery of treatment.

-The therapists make clear their respect for the unique needs, values and perspectives of the child and his or her family.

-The program involves a multidisciplinary team that includes, as needed, a physician, speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist.

Do Children or Adults Diagnosed with Autism Ever Move Off "the Spectrum"?

 Growing evidence suggests that a small minority of persons with autism progress to the point where they no longer meet the criteria for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Various theories exist as to why this happens. They include the possibility of an initial misdiagnosis, the possibility that some children mature out of certain forms of autism and the possibility that successful treatment can, in some instances, produce outcomes that no longer meet the criteria for an autism diagnosis.

You may also hear about children diagnosed with autism who reach “best outcome” status. This means they have scored within normal ranges on tests for IQ, language, adaptive functioning, school placement and personality, but still have mild symptoms on some personality and diagnostic tests.

 Some children who no longer meet the criteria for a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder are later diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorder or a relatively high-functioning form of autism such as Asperger Syndrome.

Currently, we don’t know what percentage of persons with autism will progress to the point where they “lose their diagnosis.” We likewise need further research to determine what genetic, physiological or developmental factors might predict who will achieve such outcomes.

We do know that significant improvement in autism symptoms is most often reported in connection with intensive early intervention—though at present, we cannot predict which children will have such responses to therapy.

We also know that many people with autism go on to live independent and fulfilling lives, and that all deserve the opportunity to work productively, develop meaningful and fulfilling relationships and enjoy life. With better interventions and supports available, those affected by autism are having better outcomes in all spheres of life.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Overprotecting A Child With Autism


How it all started: Anna’s Story…

“My son, Harry, was born on Christmas Eve 2002. Although he was small, he was perfect in every way – with thick, blond hair and piercing blue eyes, he was like a miniature version of my husband, Tom, and we fell in love with him straight away.

Harry was hardly any trouble at all – he was a contented baby, whose sunny personality attracted compliments from everyone who met him. An energetic toddler, his happy chatter filled our lives and he would rush around, talking to everyone he met. He had a wide vocabulary and soon learned to express himself, telling anyone else who would listen what he thought about the world he was exploring.

But, over time, Harry became less chatty. At first, we thought it was a phase. Then, we began to notice more changes: Harry struggled to calm down after his tantrums, which were happening more and more frequently. He couldn’t get to sleep at night and spent hours tidying his toys into rows, only settling one they were all neatly in order.

As Harry’s mom, I tried my best to soothe him, giving him the kisses and cuddles that I thought he needed in a bid to show him how loved he was. But, as time went by, he became anxious, distant and, eventually, untouchable. He reacted violently to the affection that Tom and I would show him, pushing us away and then punishing himself with angry words, scratches, bites and slaps. I tried to reach Harry, to understand what he was experiencing, but he wouldn’t let me in.

“Just after Harry’s second birthday, our Doctor confirmed our fears: Harry was on the Autism Spectrum…”

So many emotions ran through us: fear, anger, confusion and, more than anything, guilt that we hadn’t been able to protect Harry from this condition.

Life after the diagnosis was tough. People who we considered good friends began to avoid us.

They no longer saw a beautiful, intelligent little boy – they only saw the anger and rage when he threw a tantrum. They couldn’t know that, when I looked into his eyes, I saw that my baby was frightened by the world around him and struggling to cope.

Harry didn’t notice the stares and tuts coming from the people around him. Instead, he carried on in his own little world, fulfilling the little rituals and habits that brought him comfort, lining up his toys and humming to himself. But, the uneducated responses and cruel comments from people around us took its toll on me. I felt so incredibly guilty that I couldn’t give Harry the care-free life I so desperately wanted him to have.

“As Harry’s mom, I felt a strong duty to protect him from the outside world, and from other people, who I worried would only see the negative side of his condition.”

Over the next couple of years, I kept Harry close to me as often as possible, turning down the few play-dates we received, rejecting invitations to parenting groups and encouraging him to play at home rather than taking him to the park. I was sure that other parents would look at him and notice the differences in his behaviour.

In a bid to keep him from falling behind with all the milestones that other kids were passing, I would help Harry get dressed in the morning, ignoring his anger when I did his buttons up for him because it was taking him too long. At mealtimes, I’d cut his food up into bite-size pieces for him. Eventually, he stopped trying to get dressed or feed himself, and waited for me to do it for him.

It took a heart-to-heart conversation with my husband to make me realise what I was doing was wrong – not just for me, but for Harry. One night, when I had bathed and undressed Harry, cleaned his teeth for him and put him to bed, Tom asked me to come and sit by him in the sitting room. He told me he’d watched a webinar by a childhood Autism specialist, who explained the seven most common – and dangerous – mistakes that parents of children with Autism can make.

“In the webinar, he discovered that over-protecting Autistic children can have a serious negative impact on their long-term development.”

Feeling stung by my husband’s words, I finally agreed to watch the webinar with him. I was sure that whoever this so-called ‘expert’ was, she wouldn’t understand the challenges that Harry and I were facing. She wouldn’t know that, when I did Harry’s homework or tied his shoelaces for him, I was trying to help my little boy.

As I watched the webinar, I felt tears well in my eyes. I realised that, by protecting Harry from the world, I’d stopped him from growing into the independent little boy that I wanted him to be. Instead of letting him take on new challenges and celebrating when he did a good job, I did everything for him.

In the webinar, renowned childhood Autism expert Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed., explained how over-protecting children on the spectrum can stop, or even reverse, their development. Often motivated by feelings of guilt or fear, parents wrap their Autistic children up in cotton wool and keep them away from challenging experiences that help children to grow, learn and achieve.

As I listened to Sandra outlining the other six mistakes that parents of children on the spectrum often make, I felt a sense of relief and comfort.

“After twenty years working with Autistic children, Sandra understands the difficulties and encourages parents to look forward to their child’s future, not back.”

As my wonderful little boy lay sleeping next door, I opened my mind to what Sandra was saying and vowed to let Harry have all the experiences he should have.

While I would be there forever to
support him, I would no longer live his life for him…

Raising a child with Autism is hard. It’s a long-term commitment but I’ve learnt that, by encouraging your child to be independent, you can achieve hope, joy and freedom that you didn’t think was possible.

I’d encourage anyone out there to watch the completely FREE webinar by Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed to find out how to unlock your Autistic child’s potential starting now. Supporting your child appropriately from the earliest possible age is crucial.

Today, you can learn more about the seven most dangerous mistakes, and learn to avoid them.

“Remember: you are the key to your child’s future.”

Children with Autism need strong parents and carers who will give them love, support, boundaries and structure. It’s time to take action, and you’re not alone.

“Join Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed for her FREE webinar, and help your child become one of the success stories.”

Register for your FREE webinar training with Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed now and discover the key to unlocking childhood Autism.

AUTISM SOLUTION

         

Monday, October 15, 2012

AUTISM: Why Acting Quickly On Your Child's Behalf Is Essential - And How To Do It Now


As incidences of childhood Autism increase, experts are warning parents to act swiftly in the event of early indications in order to ensure the best possible outcome for their children.

According to a new report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of children diagnosed with Autism in the United States has increased by an alarming 78% in the last ten years.

Where previously only 1 in 110 American children was diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum, the latest data indicates that 1 in 88 now has some form of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

At the current population level, it is estimated that 1,000,000 children in the United States is on the spectrum.

When questioned on the reason for this startling increase, Autism experts have suggested that better diagnoses, a broader definition of the disorders that make up ‘Autism’ and increased awareness of ASDs account for around 50% of the newly diagnosed cases.

However, that still leaves 50% of cases unaccounted for, which places ASD on an ‘epidemic’ level in the United States.

While the increasing rates of Autism diagnoses vary according to gender and ethnic background, one thing is clear: symptoms typically appear before the age of three and need to be recognised as early as possible to ensure the best possible outcome for the child in question.

As Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that typically leads to impaired language, communication and social skills, early intervention helps to give children the best chance of a positive outcome.
Sandra Arntzen M.Ed., who works as an Educational, Behavioral and Social Skills Educator for children with Autism, had this to say about early intervention:

“When a parent or carer hears the news that their child has Autism, it’s completely normal for that person to experience a wide range of contrasting emotions: anything from fear, confusions, resentment, bereavement or even guilt.

“While these feelings are completely natural, it’s important that the parent or carer puts them to one side as early as possible and focuses on the needs of their child. There is every reason to be hopeful about the future of a child with Autism, as long as the appropriate support is started early.”

Dr Thomas Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agrees:

“Early detection is associated with better outcomes. The earlier kids are detected, the earlier they could get services, and the less impairment they’ll have on their learning and in their lives on a long-term basis is our best understanding.”

Anna and her husband, Tom, started to notice some changes in their son’s behaviour when he was 15 months old. Harry, who had previously been a contented and chatty toddler, began struggling to calm himself after tantrums and started fixating on the position of the toys in his nursery, throwing screaming fits if they weren’t arranged in a certain way.

He started to reject physical affection and became withdrawn, talking only when he needed to and avoiding eye contact.

While they dreaded the diagnosis, Anna and Tom took Harry to see a pediatric specialist on the recommendation of their personal physician. After conducting a large number of tests, she confirmed that Harry was suffering from Autism.

“So many emotions ran through us”, says Anna. “Fear, anger, confusion and, more than anything, guilt: we felt so guilty that we hadn’t been able to protect Harry from this condition.”

Following a strict behavioral program that is tailored to his specific needs and abilities, Harry is now showing significant progress in terms of his communication and social skills, and is demonstrating an increased awareness of how to manage his emotions in situations that he finds challenging.

And, while at first Anna and Tom struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis, they are pleased that Harry was diagnosed relatively early.

Most Autism diagnoses in the United States are still made when the child is between four and five years old. At this stage, the child’s brain is substantially more developed – more of the ‘hard-wiring’ has been put in place – and entrenched habits are harder to change.

Possible signs

A child with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder may:

- Repeat actions or motions over and over again, such as rocking back and forth or tapping their hand or foot.

- Avoid direct eye contact and prefer not to have hugs and kisses.

- Not respond when people speak to them, but respond to other sounds around them.

- Not look at objects when someone points to them.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

While there is no known way to prevent occurrences of Autism in children, it does seem that early intervention is the single agreed method of ensuring the most positive outcome.

Once a diagnosis is made, it is important for carers and parents to adhere to a structured behavioral program to give their child the best chance of improvement.

Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed., has produced a free webinar for the parents and carers of children on the Autistic Spectrum, which outlines the seven most common mistakes to make when raising a child with Autism.

And, while the webinar focuses on these mistakes, the message is undoubtedly a positive one. Arntzen is clear:

“Children with Autism need strong parents and carers who will give them the love, support, boundaries and structure they need. These mistakes are easy to make, but also easy to correct with simple and effective strategies.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that these strategies are critically important for ensuring a happy future for a child with Autism. My aim is to offer parents and carers of children on the spectrum the clarity and encouragement they need to realise that they’re not alone and that there is hope.”

Register for your FREE webinar training with Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed now.

AUTISM SOLUTION

         

Friday, October 12, 2012

Seven Dangerous Mistakes When Dealing With Childhood Autism…


The first time a parent is told that their child has Autism will be a moment that they never forget.

Often, the moment has been preceded by months – or even years – of concern, guilt and even anger as their once happy and outgoing child becomes less communicative, less expressive and often less able to control their emotions.

Physical comfort, such as hugs and kisses, that used to soothe your child are no longer welcomed and unusual habits and obsessions become an important part of your child’s life. As a loving parent, you try everything to draw your child back out of the little world they’ve created for themselves, but nothing seems to work.

You talk to doctors, nurses, child-care specialists, positive parenting groups – anyone who can help you find the key to your child’s behaviour. And finally, it’s confirmed: your child is diagnosed with Autism.

But, while it can be a relief to finally discover the reason for your child’s difficulties – and to realize that it’s not your fault – a diagnosis of Autism can feel like a life sentence. Parents of children with Autism experience a wide range of emotions – confusion, resentment, maybe even guilt that they were somehow unable to ‘protect’ their child from this condition. Many parents fear for their child’s future and feel certain that life will never be normal or enjoyable again.

It is vital at this difficult time in your child’s life that you put aside your fears and anger so that you can realise this one important truth: you are the key to your child’s future.

Children, especially children with Autism, are vulnerable little people and they rely on you, their parents and carers, to protect them and do what’s best for them. And, while you can’t protect your child from Autism, you can give them the tools they so desperately need to help them to live with the condition and realise the potential that’s locked up inside of them.

BUT – to be able to help your child, you need to make sure that you’re ready to work with them in the right way.

Seven dangerous mistakes – easy to make, impossible to undo

Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed, specialises in helping children with Autism. Using her twenty years of experience, Arntzen has identified seven dangerous mistakes that parents and carers can make when they are faced with a diagnosis of Autism. These mistakes, while easy to make, can halt your child’s progress or even undo the steps they’ve taken so far.

Failing to accept the diagnosis

One of the most common – and natural – responses that most parents have when they learnt that their child has Autism is to go into a state of denial or shock. Many parents and carers don’t really know much about Autism, and what it means for them and their child, but it’s important to accept the diagnosis, embrace the diagnosis and work on moving forward with that diagnosis.

Once you accept and understand that Autism is part of your child’s life – and part of who they are – you can start working with them to unlock the potential that’s trapped inside them.


Feeling guilty about your child’s condition

While it’s natural for parents and carers to want the best for their child – and to mourn the loss of their life ‘before’ Autism – it’s important not to let this guilt get in the way of responsible, positive parenting.

Parents who spend their lives feeling guilty about their child’s Autism – rather than accepting it as a part of who their child is – risk spoiling their child as a way of ‘making up’ for the diagnosis. While parents may feel that their Autistic child needs to be wrapped up in cotton wool and protected from the world, this dangerous tendency can keep children with Autism from progressing and can even undo the steps that they’ve taken towards leading their own lives.

Even though your child has Autism, it is important to raise them with structure, discipline, challenges and boundaries. Just like any other child, a child with Autism still needs to be pushed to become independent. Whether it’s doing their own homework, learning to feed and dress themselves or simply communicating their needs to you, your child needs to learn how to grow.

Supporting your child appropriately from the earliest possible age is crucial. Today, you can learn more about these, and the other, dangerous mistakes and learn how to avoid them. Using this completely FREE webinar by renowned Autism expert Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed, you can be the positive change in your child’s life.

Remember: you are the key to your child’s future.

Children with Autism need strong parents and carers who will give them love, support, boundaries and structure. While you might still be feeling shell-shocked by your child’s diagnosis, it’s time to take action. You can start helping your child right now.

Register for your FREE webinar training with Sandra Arntzen, M.Ed now and discover the key to unlocking childhood Autism.  

AUTISM SOLUTION