Children, no matter their capability, need support from their parents. If your child has been diagnosed with autism, they may need additional support from their parents to help them thrive. Providing this additional support can not only help them thrive in other therapies and their day-to-day lives, but it can also help build that essential parent-child bond. While there are many ways to support your autistic child at home, some options can even help them build specific skill sets or make the daily routine easier.
Keep on reading to learn some at-home therapies that can further support your child.
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Play Therapy
Building communication and social skills, play therapy can help your child engage in new activities and foster strong connections. Since many children with autism play by doing the same action over and over again alone, taking time to engage and play with your child can help them develop crucial social skills. The time spent together playing can also reinforce your caregiver-child relationship, even helping them to develop new skills surrounding imagination and creativity.
Food Diary
Some autistic children can be picky eaters, which can make mealtime difficult for those making the meals. Keeping a food diary that not only logs what they eat, but how much they eat, what they have trouble with, and other trends can help when it comes to meal time and talking to your child’s healthcare provider about their eating habits. Logging what they like can also help you create a plan for introducing new foods, colors, and textures into their diet as you can pair these new foods with reliable favorites.
Speech Therapy
Communication is another thing that autistic children may have a hard time with. So incorporating speech therapy practices into your daily routine can help them build these skills. Communicating with your child, both verbally and non-verbally, can help children develop their own communication techniques. Pictures, electronic speaking devices, and other tools can also help your child with their communication. To get started, trying an online coaching class can equip you with the latest techniques. They can also help you find ways to better communicate with your child and support the growth of new skills.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Researching different ABA techniques and incorporating them into your home life can help your child learn new skills. This enables you to set very specific measurable goals. It also allows you to break down tasks into smaller steps to make learning new skills more manageable. ABA relies on repetition and praise to teach these skills, meaning this technique takes patience and time to see results. Some skills to teach at home might include brushing their teeth or getting dressed on their own.
Finding ways to support your autistic child at home can help reinforce important skills learned during your child’s scheduled sessions. Simple techniques like logging your child’s favorite foods to more involved ABA therapy are all things you can do at home to help your child succeed. These actionable methods can create a more peaceful and stable environment in the home and promote happiness and well-being for everyone.
For more on this topic, check out the full Tough Times and Special Needs collections
