Autism is a complex brain disorder that affects the ways in which a person communicates and relates to the world around him. In a regular brain, the different parts work together to enable normal functioning, but when a person suffers from autism, the various parts fail to work in coordination. There are varying degrees of autism, so one person diagnosed with the disease might be highly functional, whereas another might require round-the-clock supervision.

Common challenges of autism include relating to others and having the ability to express feelings constructively. Though this is often a problem with all degrees of autism, early diagnosis and treatment have helped people with autism live functional and often highly productive lives.

What should you know about autism treatment if you suspect your child has the disorder or has been officially diagnosed?

Treatment

As a parent of a child with autism, it is essential you ensure a treatment program for your child:

Pertains to his interests
Includes a consistent schedule
Uses structured activities to engage your child
Breaks lessons down into simple steps
Includes you in the planning and implementing process
Uses reinforcement for behavior

This last item, reinforcing behavior, is especially effective for helping your child develop useful skills. Research shows cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective methods for helping autistic individuals overcome anxiety. One study conducted at the Department ofChildand Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Healths ChildGuidance Clinic in Singapore showed childrenshowed lower levels of anxiety after 16 formal sessions of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT). The treatment was also effective for helping parents and teachers deal with stress related to working with a child with autism.

In addition to behavioral therapy, there is a wide variety of treatment options available for helping children with autism. Research has shown autistic children benefit from speech and language therapy, physical therapy, play-based therapy, nutritional therapy, and occupational therapy.

Strategy

Your strategy for helping a child with autism includes more than just choosing the correct treatment program. As a matter of fact, more than one treatment program might be necessary to help your child. For instance, one program might focus on teaching your child basic life skills, while another might help him learn to communicate with others, while still another can help his body achieve optimal health, as is the case with nutritional therapy.

When determining the best strategy for helping your child, consider his strengths and weaknesses, what behaviors are the most problematic for him, and what skills he lacks. These questions allow you to make decisions based on priorities.

Tips

Suspecting or learning your child has autism is a difficult experience for a parent, but with effort and treatment, it is possible for your child to lead a functional and rewarding life. There will be challenges, but these tips can help you overcome many of the obstacles families coping with autism face:

Parents should learn as much as possible about autism. There are varying degrees and different versions of the disorder. As a matter of fact, the collection of autism spectrum disorders covers a great deal of ground. Gather information and determine how it applies to your child.

Accept your child and learn as much as possible about what makes him tick. Recognizing your childs triggers can go a long way in creating peaceful, productive situations. Accept that no matter how familiar you are with your childs quirks and what you do to make life easier, your child is different than any other. Of course, this is the case for any parent! Embrace your childs differences and provide an unconditionally loving environment.

Provide a safe, structured environment for your child. People with autism find comfort in routine and need to feel safe to function. Create consistency and familiarity for your child. Having a consistent schedule each and every day is also part of keeping things structured and feeling safe. Children with autism tend to embrace highly structured environments.

Reward good behavior. An important part of behavioral therapy is rewarding the positive performances of your child. He will respond to praise and make an effort to repeat positive behaviors.

Children with autism often have difficulty communicating. Find ways to connect with your child that do not involve talking. Learn his personalized way of communicating and respond in kind. Just because you and your child cannot have a heart-to-heart discussion does not mean you are not communicating.

When your childs frustrations result in a tantrum, learn what triggered the behavior. Your child is trying to communicate with you and the only option he thinks he has is to act out. An outbreak signals there is something frustrating your child and figuring out what it is can diffuse future situations.