杨浦二模CLOZE原文

How to Help Your Child Deal With Autism

There

are

many

things

parents

can

do

to

help

children

with

autism

overcome

their

challenges.

But

it's

also

important

to

make

sure

you

get

the

support

you

need.

When

you're

looking

after

a

child

with

autism,

taking

care

of

yourself

is

not

an

act

of

selfishness

--

it's

a

necessity.

Being

emotionally strong allows you to be the best

parent you can be to your child in need. These parenting tips can help by making life

with an autistic child easier.

A parent’s guide to

autism treatment and support

If

you've

recently

learned

that

your

child

has

or

might

have

an

autism

spectrum

disorder, you're probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent

is ever prepared to hear that a child is anything other than happy and healthy, and a

diagnosis of autism can be particularly frightening. You may be unsure about how to

best

help

your child or

confused by

conflicting

treatment

advice.

Or

you may have

been told that autism is an incurable, lifelong condition, leaving you concerned that

nothing you do will make a difference.

While it is true that autism is not something a person simply

many treatments that can help children learn new skills and overcome a wide variety

of developmental challenges. From free government services to in-home behavioural

therapy

and

school-based

programs,

assistance

is

available

to

meet

your

child's

special needs. With the right treatment plan, and a lot of love and support, your child

can learn, grow, and thrive.

Don

’t wait for a diagnosis

As the parent of a child with autism or related developmental delays, the best thing

you

can

do

is

to

start

treatment

right

away.

Seek

help

as

soon

as

you

suspect

something’s wrong. Don't wait to see if your child will catch up late

r or outgrow the

problem. Don't

even wait

for an official diagnosis. The earlier children with autism

spectrum

disorders

get

help,

the

greater

their

chance

of

treatment

success.

Early

intervention

is

the

most

effective

way

to

speed

up

your

child's

development

and

reduce the symptoms of autism.

When your child has autism: Tips for parents

Learn about autism.

The more you know about autism spectrum disorders, the better

equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions for your child. Educate yourself about

the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.

Become

an

expert

on

your

child.

Figure

out

what

triggers

your

kid’s

―bad‖

or

disruptive

behaviours

and

what

elicits

a

positive

response.

What

does

your

autistic

child

find

stressful?

Calming?

Uncomfortable?

Enjoyable?

If

you

understand

what

affects

your

child,

you’ll

be

better

at

troubleshooting

problems

and

preventing

situations that cause difficulties.

Accept your child, quirks and all.

Rather than focusing on how your autistic child is

different

from

other

children

and

what

he

or

she

is

―missing,‖

practice

acceptance.

Enjoy your kid’s special quirks, celebrate small successes, and stop comparing your

child to others. Feeling unconditionally loved and accepted will help your child more

than anything else.

Don’t give up.

It’s impossible to predict the course of an autism spectrum disorder.

Don’t

jump

to

conclusions

about

what

life

is

going

to

be

like

for

your

child.

Like

everyone else, people with autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their

abilities.

Helping children with autism tip 1: Provide structure and safety

Learning all

you can about

autism

and getting involved in

treatment

will go a long

way toward helping your child. Additionally, the following tips will make daily home

life easier for both you and your autistic child:

Be consistent.

Children with autism have a hard time adapting what they’ve learned

in one setting (such as the therapist’s office or school) to others, including the home.

For example, your child may use sign language at school to communicate, but never

think to do so at home. Creating consistency in your child’s environment is the best

way to reinforce learning. Find out what your child’s therapists are doing and continue

their techniques at home. Explore the possibility of having therapy take place in more

than one place in order to encourage your child to transfer what he or she has learned

from one environment to another. It’s also important to be consistent in the way you

interact with your child and deal with challenging behaviours.

Stick

to

a

schedule.

Children

with

autism

tend

to

do

best

when

they

have

a

highly-structured schedule or routine. Again,

this goes back to

the consistency they

both need and crave. Set up a schedule for your child, with regular times for meals,

therapy, school, and bedtime. Try to keep disruptions to this routine to a minimum. If

there is an unavoidable schedule change, prepare your child for it in advance.

Reward

good

behaviour.

Positive

reinforcement

can

go

a

long

way

with

children

with

autism,

so make an effort

to

―catch them doing something

good.‖

Praise them

when

they

act

appropriately

or

learn

a

new

skill,

being

very

specific

about

what

behaviour they’re being praised for. Also look for other ways to rew

ard them for good

behaviour, such as giving them a sticker or letting them play with a favourite toy.

Create a home safety zone.

Carve out a private space in your home where your child

can relax, feel secure, and be safe. This will involve organizing and setting boundaries

in ways your child can understand. Visual cues can be helpful (coloured tape marking

areas that are off limits, labelling items in the house with pictures). You may also need

to

safety

proof

the

house,

particularly

if

your

child

is

prone

to

tantrums

or

other

self-injurious behaviours.

Helping children with autism tip 2: Find nonverbal ways to connect

Connecting with a child with autism can be challenging, but you don’t need to talk in

order to communicate and bond. You communicate by the way you look at your child,

the way you touch him or her, and by the tone of your voice and your body language.

Your child is also communicating with you, even if he or she never speaks. You just

need to learn the language.

Look for nonverbal cues.

If you are observant and aware, you can learn to pick up

on the nonverbal cues that children with autism use to communicate. Pay attention to

the

kinds

of

sounds

they

make,

their

facial

expressions,

and

the

gestures

they

use

when they’re tired, hungry, or want

something.

Figure out the need behind the tantrum.

It’s only natural to feel upset when you are

misunderstood

or

ignored,

and

it’s

no

different

for

children

with

autism.

When

children

with

autism

act

out,

it’s

often

because

you’re

not

picking

up

on

their

nonverbal cues. Throwing a tantrum is their way communicating their frustration and

getting your attention.

Make time for fun.

A child coping with autism is still a kid. For both children with

autism

and

their

parents,

there

needs

to

be

more

to

life

than

therapy.

Schedule

playtime

when

your

child

is

most

alert

and

awake.

Figure

out

ways

to

have

fun

together by thinking about the things that make your child smile, laugh, and come out

of

their

shell.

Your

child

is

likely

to

enjoy

these

activities

most

if

the

y

don’t

seem

therapeutic

or

educational.

There

are

tremendous

benefits

that

result

from

your

enjoyment

of

your

child’s

company

and

from

your

child’s

enjoyment

of

spending

unpressured

time

with

you.

Play

is

an

essential

part

of

learning

and

shouldn’t

feel

like work.

Pay attention to your child’s sensory sensitivities.

Many children with autism are

hypersensitive to light, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Other children with autism are

―under

-

sensitive‖

to

sensory

stimuli.

Figure

out

what

sights,

sounds,

sme

lls,

movements,

and

tactile sensations

trigger

your

kid’s

―bad‖

or

disruptive

behaviours