autismadvocates-blog

[autismadvocates-blog]

Always stay positive. Children with ASD respond best to positive reinforcement. Be sure to talk about or reward good behavior often.I was at the age of 10 when I had a male cousin who is a 6 year old, I was playing with him together with my other cousins as well at their own house in a province part. I notice a lot of differences in him, things such as speaking indirectly, in-cohesive, and usually throws tantrums over his toys when being borrowed. 

As a 10 year old, I was very distracted with his behavior. I would rather not speak to him at all because he shouts and somehow become violent. I couldn’t understand, same goes with my other cousins who find him weird. There were times that he’s just gonna be in the corner, having his own world and playing with his own toy. We let that encounters be just it but later that year, I heard that cousin of mine has a speech delay, he spoke like a 3 year old when in fact he is 6 years old, one sign for autism. I often heard words such as abnormal and other offensive names. But good thing, with the help of early therapies and interventions, my cousin can now cope up and living the best of his life together with his family’s support.

A little background for autism spectrum disorder? It is a neurological disability  that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.  Signs of ASD begin during early childhood and typically last throughout a person’s life.

Diagnosing ASD can be difficult since there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorders. Doctors look at the child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis.  Many children do not receive a final diagnosis until much older. This delay means that children with ASD might not get the early help they need.

I have been watching vlogs lately about Autism and there were a lot of things I have realized and learned on this developmental disability. We may see the hardships of the people taking care of them, but my sympathy goes to the child suffering the disorder itself. It is heart clenching that they couldn’t able to express themselves in the way they want, they cannot comprehend and the saddest thing is that they come in a lot of risk in safety and discrimination.

A diagnosis of ASD now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. These conditions are now all called autism spectrum disorder.

We have to be educated about this disorder, since kids suffering from ASD have a hard time in understanding and reacting, we normal people has to do that part. We are to see the blessings that we have therefore we must have the patience to interact and keep up with them. We see special kids having meltdown in public, and we often react negatively. In that case, we have to careful with the words we say when to complain. 

hence; here are the simple things to know so we can help communicate and engage with people or kids with autism:

They may only be able to handle one thought or idea at a time. Keep conversations focused and simple.

They may not be able to understand your nonverbal communications. They may not react to your smile or frown.

Always stay positive. Children with ASD respond best to positive reinforcement. Be sure to talk about or reward good behavior often.

Be affectionate and respectful. Children with ASD often need a hug, just like other children. Sometimes they need this much more than other children. But some children don't like to be touched. Respect their personal space. Never force physical affection on an unwilling child

Be patient. It often takes a child with ASD longer to process information. You may need to slow down your conversation to his or her speed.

‘a little reminder: be kinder to the people with special needs since they can be our ticket to heaven’