Saturday 10 January 2015

By Enid Hinton





Having a child with a disability is never easy. There are a host of challenges that face the parents of a child diagnosed as autistic. These can range from securing the right services to finding help with employment. The entire family must work together to ensure that their child gets every possible assistance. Working with a good advocacy group is one of the best ways to find the most appropriate help.



Parents must realize that they are their child's voice. Finding a good autism advocate Bay area will make all the difference in their lives. Connecting with families who have already been through this challenging situation will prove invaluable. After all there is no need to reinvent the wheel, whatever they are looking for someone else will already have found it and be able to help.



The majority of children are diagnosed around the age of two. This is a key developmental area. Most children are talking in sentences and enjoy interacting with others. Two key areas that give rise to concern are a significant delay in spoken language skills and a lack of interest in socializing. In addition strong reactions to sensory stimulation such as sound or light are also indicators of a problem.



In many cases the family will only begin to realize that something is wrong as they child reaches the age of two and is not yet talking. Although there can be many other reasons for this it is still important to get a referral to an experienced neurologist. These highly trained specialists will run a battery of tests that include many markers for social and emotional development. When the diagnosis finally comes in the family will often feel exhausted and devastated. Their lives will have changed forever.



Many parents of newly diagnosed children feel devastated. They may have spent weeks or months worrying about their child, but when the diagnosis finally arrives they feel over whelmed, confused and alone. Joining a local support group is the most beneficial thing to do. They will meet other parents facing the same challenges and dealing with the same issues. They will quickly realize that they are not alone and in fact have a lot of knowledge and support around them.



An autistic child will typically require intensive speech and language services. With a young child this might begin with sign language. Signing has been scientifically shown to prompt speech skills in many children and has enormous value. It allows a child to communicate with those around them, even before they are ready to talk. Sign language is quite easy to learn and the whole family can participate.



Navigating the school system is one of the biggest challenges for most families. An autistic child may need a specialized placement in a smaller facility with specially trained staff. Advocacy groups typically have access to special education attorneys who really understand the law.



Help should be provided on an individualized basis for each child. Having an experienced advocate attend all meetings with the school can be the single most effective factor in securing the best placement. They know which questions to ask and most importantly how the system works.









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