As more and more children are being affected by autism, the urgency to find ways to help these children grows. Services can be provided through private therapists as well as through the public school system in most areas. Some hospitals have staff and programs set up to provide therapy to those on the spectrum. Early intervention programs are in use to help children before they start school. However, what happens if you live in an area thin on resources, or you don’t have insurance or finances available to utilize private services?
Technology Lends a Helping Hand
Children with special needs are truly benefiting from the world of technology we live in, especially those with autism. In many situations, parents are taking control of their child’s future by learning how to do therapy at home, because they have to. Some don’t have the resources, but some have traveled the therapy route only to find out that it didn’t benefit their child. Not all kids will respond to a therapist or a particular way of learning, yet, they still need help to learn to cope with autism. In these situations, the internet can become a best friend.
As the parent of a child with autism, I have found online support groups and therapists who want to lend a hand by teaching me how to work with my child. I have watched many videos of therapy sessions showing different approaches that I could try. I have read articles on websites that explain how my child thinks and feels and gives me tools to use. I have educated myself about different dietary issues and supplements I could try. The Out of Sync Child and The Out of Sync Child Has Fun are two books which explain sensory integration (a big factor in autism) and lists therapeutic games developed by trained therapists. Relate to Autism is an online tracker that helps parents track the progress of different therapies to share with teachers or therapists, or to use on their own. All these tools help a parent put together a plan to do therapy at home, with or without outside therapy.
You Don’t Have To Be a Trained Therapist
Many people think that only a trained therapist can provide therapy. While that is ideal, sometimes parents have an upper hand over a therapist. A parent lives with her child 24/7. She knows her child, inside and out. She knows what’s normal for her child and what is out of the ordinary. A therapist is at a disadvantage in this area, because they only see what the child wants them to see. A parent also has more time to devote to his child’s therapy. The more time given to working with the child, the more progress will be made. Therapy for most children is no more than two hours a week, typically. However, when therapy is done in the home, every aspect of every day is used to teach that child about his environment.
Another aspect to consider is the lack of therapists specialized in autism training. According to disabilityscoop, "There are not enough therapists to handle the influx of children with autism, so researchers are looking to early intervention models like the Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters, or the P.L.A.Y. Project, to fill the void. This play therapy approach relies on parents being trained by a professional to be their own therapy provider. Then, parents conduct 20 to 25 hours of play therapy weekly with their child who has autism." Whether training yourself or having someone teach you to work with your child, parents are finally being recognized as an ideal therapist.
Regardless of how therapy is achieved, the ultimate goal is the health and well-being of the child. The earlier a child starts receiving therapy the brighter her future is. There is still so much about autism that is unknown and as parents, we need to be willing to think outside the box when it comes to finding ways to help our children. We need to have confidence that we know what is best for our children. It’s nice to know that there are so many options available to help us help our children.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her child's health should contact a doctor for advice.
References:
Relate to Autism, "Helping Parents Help Children" (accessed 1 January, 2011)
Disabilityscoop, "Parent Facilitated Autism Therapy Shows Promise" (accessed 1 January, 2011)
Join the Conversation