What Not to Do with an Autistic Child - the “inside information” guide
Intro
Raising an autistic child can be confusing.
There are so many ways that their behaviours and needs are unique to what we’re told standard development looks like. It’s hard knowing what to do and what not to do when raising autistic kids.
Information circulating outside the autistic community can be conflicted, riddled with judgements and stigmas, and ultimately far less helpful than it hopes to be.
To combat this, many autistic adults have dedicated their time and energy to sharing their experiences so that parents, kids, and other autistic adults can have help understanding and meeting our unique needs.
Parents can find a lot of comfort and information from other autistic adults.
Here’s a compilation of some of the most commonly asked questions or issues raised by parents with an autistic child, as well as some general advice about what to do and what not to do on each topic.
Since it is written by an autistic adult, you can think of it as ten things every child with autism wishes you knew.
Contents
What is it Like to be Autistic
Is Autism a Disability
How to Handle an Autistic Child
How to Calm Down an Autistic Child
How to Deal with an Aggressive Autistic Child
How to Discipline an Autistic Child
How to Teach an Autistic Child
How to Teach an Autistic Child to Talk
How to Get an Autistic Child to Eat
How to Get an Autistic Child to Sleep
Keep Asking Autistics
Keep Asking Autistics Specifically About Your Child
These ideas are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding and approaching your autistic child’s needs.
My biggest recommendation is that you keep reaching out to actually autistic folks to learn more.
So many of the researchers and medical professionals are neurotypical with very little insight into an autistic mind. They think they know, but they very often don’t, especially when it comes to the nuances involved in understanding one particular child.
Autistic people will tell you that every autistic person is different and will work with you to help you have a compassionate understanding of your child, one not rooted in discipline and rejection.
About me
I’m a writer, artist, and advocate who loves living in Maine among the trees and oceanside villages. I’m also autistic, ADHD, and PTSD. My education, both academic and personal, has centered around mental health and neurodevelopmental disabilities, as well as discrimination and the socioeconomic consequences of living disabled in America. I work to plant seeds and spread ideas through my writing. You can find me on Twitter @ladysnessa.