The way I saw my sister, she had to handle her special
daughter, following the advice of the expert. Her whole family helped her,
because everyone in the family has to follow all the rules with love in the
same way, it is very difficult for one person to handle a special child alone.
To handle an autistic child, a lot of patience is
needed and one has to know the method of handling it carefully, otherwise the
hope of getting a healthy life will remain bleak.
Control has to be shared - Experts say, if you only go
as the child says, it will make the parent/mother or assistant
tired-tired-upset, and if the entire control is in the hands of the
parent/mother, it will create extra pressure on the child. So, if we can mold
them into certain rules, we can often maintain balance, since we have a right to
lead a healthy life.
For example, the child should be made to understand
that he has to eat sitting at the table, and that he should not run around or
focus on anything else while eating. After eating, he can run around or do
something else.
At first, the child will not like such specific and
formal rules - he will not want to obey them. In this, the helper or parent
cannot be harsh, but he must suppress his emotions and be patient and stand by
his words. In such a situation, it is necessary to talk to everyone in advance
and reach an agreement so that no one in the family or surroundings shows
excessive affection and does not speak or behave differently from this
statement. If this measure is not taken, you will not get what you want for the
child's good, but rather more trouble will arise.
Experts emphasize that daily routines and rules
provide security to autistic children. Because their own imagination, sense of
time, ability to plan a task or motor planning - all of these are very limited.
So they do not know how to use time. Routines and rules drive them because they
cannot move on their own.
When they get angry: - It is very important to know
what to do when autistic children get angry. When a child screams for a toy or
food, it is not right to try to calm him down by giving him that thing right
away. Then he will learn to get what he wants by vandalizing or showing anger.
It is very important to stay calm at this time. You
have to try to deal with his immediate problem. For example - if he is flailing
his arms and legs, you have to tell him to stop in a calm and steady voice,
take some time and reassure him by saying, 'Even though it is difficult, you
are there to help him’. Only after he calms down should you give him the
desired item or food.
TV and computer (if he knows how to use it) time
should be specified, and this time should be taught to adhere to.
The expert says - # What is often seen in these
children is that when he needs something very much, he loses contact with
others, gets angry unnecessarily without expressing his needs.
This happens even in the case of those who can talk.
Then, when he is angry, do not say anything, and then after he calms down, you
should explain to him in a few words, that he can say or show what he wants without
getting angry or shouting.
To solve the problem of those who cannot speak, a
board can be made with pictures of their favorite food, toys, places to go,
etc. The child should always be encouraged to express himself through speech
and behavior.
Since many of these children tend to learn by seeing
more than by hearing. Therefore, it is very important to teach the child to
read. Once the child can learn to read, it will be much easier to prepare him
for any situation by writing down many information, rules or necessary words.
You can check, as soon as they express their feelings
or establish communication, their aggressive behavior, anger, vandalism, etc.
will also decrease.
The child should be given the freedom to decide what
he likes or dislikes, it would not be right to impose any decision on him.
A noisy environment, such as a wedding or birthday
party, may seem unbearable to a child. In such a situation, it is not right to
try to keep him there by exerting pressure. He should be removed from there and
taken to a calm environment, pressure cannot be applied to accept him at all.
If he cannot explain the problem, then you need to see
if he has any physical problems, whether any sensory problems are causing his
fear, anxiety or pain. Because autistic people may have various sensory
problems. As a result, their sense of touch, hearing, smell, visual acuity,
balance of their body in the external environment, coordination between
different parts of the body, feeling of bones and joints, etc. may be
disrupted. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for many to do daily tasks.
This problem may fluctuate every day.
Some clothes can create discomfort for the child. For
example, there may be many other small things such as stiff collars of shirts,
labels and stitches on the neck, etc. that are not easily noticed, which need
to be looked at.
Psychotherapists say that time should be provided for
pure entertainment without addiction, focusing on mental and physical
well-being. Some time should be set aside every day for walking and physical
exercise, which can include any exercise, including running, jumping, laughing,
and joking.
If the child is more restless, then if necessary, you
can contact the place where you will go in advance so that he does not feel
uncomfortable.
On the other hand, you should identify the things that
cause the child's fear or anxiety and try to provide them with long-term
solutions. For example, let's think about - someone's fear of storms,
lightning.
In such a situation, you need to reassure him. In any
case, to focus his mind on something else and provide fearlessness, he can be
kept busy through a favorite song or story or anything available at hand, and
ear plugs or something like that can be used to avoid loud noises.
Food problems: Some autistic children (not all) may
have a major problem with some food ingredients. For example, sugar, food
preservatives, artificial colors, MSG (monosodium glutamate or tasting salt),
etc. can cause restlessness and aggression in some people. Therefore, when these
children go out to eat, everyone should be careful that the food menu does not
contain foods that are sensitive to the child. The child should be checked by a
doctor for any deficiency or excess (such as essential vitamins, proteins,
minerals, etc.) in the body, and food should be selected accordingly.
Regarding schools, psychologists say, - No matter
which method (ABA or TEACH) the school uses, the parents and teachers must
agree on the selection of different goals and methods for the child through
observation. A diary is used in most schools. With the help of this, a bridge
can be built between the parents and teachers, including other staff, so that a
healthy environment is created for this special child to lead a healthy life.
