Autism action
Autism action: Just received an autism diagnosis for your child – what now?
Parents will go through a wide range of emotions after receiving an ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) diagnosis for their child. Grief and loss are of the most common emotions experienced as parents invariably imagine all the wonderful things that lie ahead in their child’s future, as the diagnosis may involve having to readjust some of these expectations.
So now that your child has received the diagnosis, where do you go and what do you do next? Let’s get informed.
1. Autism action: dealing with the diagnosis.
The first step is usually, as they say, the hardest step to take. This is because, as a parent of a child with autism, your diagnosis now makes that your reality. Some parents may experience denial of the diagnosis. This can be a perfectly normal reaction to the sudden shock experienced. Some parents will experience relief in finding the reasons behind their child’s delay in reaching developmental milestones.
No matter what your reaction, here are some steps that can help a parent deal with the diagnosis:
- Be sure that all your options are explained to you by the professional/s who diagnosed your child
- Begin steps for assessments and early intervention
- Do as much research as you can about what interventions are available to your child
- Join a parents support group
2. Autism action: school.
The next big question parents usually ask is, “how am I going to educate my child?”
ASD leads to delays in your child development, but autism is treatable and recovery is possible. Early interventions are encouraged, as they are focussed on trying to close the gap created by these delays, encouraging your child to be as independent as possible. By giving your child this early intervention, it will prevent them from becoming more delayed in reaching those developmental milestones.
To date, ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) is the only research/evidence – based theory proven to be effective for treating children with autism.
Secondary interventions that may assist in managing your child’s autism diagnosis are as follows:
- Biomedical interventions
- Sensory integration therapy
Parents can sometimes feel disappointed and that they are letting their child down if they don’t send their child to the most expensive place of therapy, or if they are not providing all the effective therapies for their child, but remember, the most important therapy usually takes place right at home. Apply the basic principles of the therapy you choose to give your child at home. Consistency is imperative, so applying this at home along with therapies outside the home will be a huge benefit for your child.
Consider making small lifestyle changes that will assist with the payment of some interventions. Early intervention therapies take sacrifice, but the hard work will be worth it in the long run. Furthermore, it is likely that the more you invest now, the shorter term your investment will be.
The Star Academy
The STar Academy founded by Ilana Gerschlowitz is a centre for autism that provides one-on-one ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) to children with autism. This means that your child will receive intervention with Board Certified Autism Technicians, trained in the principles of ABA. They will have a team of instructors fully educated and equipped in managing your child’s specific needs, who receive regular trainings, ensuring that they are always up to date on current research and effective treatments. While the academy offers on site therapy programmes with already trained staff members, they also cater for parents looking to train their own staff and will gladly assist you with this endeavour. The Star Academy is based in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban and has affiliate centres across Africa. For further information visit: www.thestaracademy.co.za
