Examples of different disorders under the Autism Spectrum:

Autism, AD/HD, Retts, Tourettes, Aspergers, Fragile X syndrome

TIPS FOR PARENTS

Learn about your child’s specific disorder. The more you know, the more you can help yourself and your child. See the list of resources and organizations in our resource library.

Praise your child when he or she does well. Build your child’s abilities. Talk about and encourage his or her strengths and talents.

Be clear, be consistent, be positive! Set clear rules for your child. Tell your child what he or she should do, not just what they shouldn’t do. Be clear about what will happen if your child does not follow the rules. Have a reward program for good behavior. Praise your child when he or she shows the behaviors you like.

Learn about strategies for managing your child’s behavior. These include valuable techniques such as: charting, having a reward program, ignoring behaviors, allowing them control over activities, natural consequences, logical consequences, and time-out. Using these strategies will lead to more positive behaviors and cut down on problem behaviors. You can read about these techniques in many of our books.

Talk with your doctor about whether medication will help your child.

Pay attention to your child’s mental health (and your own!). Be open to counseling. It can help you deal with the challenges of raising a child with autistic spectrum disorders. It can help your child deal with frustration, feel better about himself or herself, and learn more about social skills.

Talk to other parents. Parents can share practical advice and emotional support..

Meet with the school and develop an educational plan to address your child’s needs.

Keep in touch with your child’s teacher. Tell the teacher how your child is doing at home. Ask how your child is doing in school. Offer support to each other

Get time out for your self. No one can do it alone.