Parents’ battle against autism

Maria Mohsin :
‘Autism,’ is the most known word for us Bangladeshi people from last few years. The person who has Autism is called Autistic. Though in Bangladesh ‘The child has Autistic’ or ‘The child is Autism’ – these two sentences are still very common which interprets the range of knowledge about autism people have, still everyone know about the word. I even heard well-educated people addressing a child with any mental or physical disorder by autistic. No matter how narrow the road of knowledge about autism is, almost very Bangladesh people know the name of Autism and know an autistic child as the syndrome has a huge impact in our county.
People usually call it autism, but the official name is Autism Spectrum Disorders.
These problems happen when the brain develops differently and has trouble with an important job: making sense of the world.
Every day, our brains interpret the things we see, smell, hear, taste, touch, and experience. But when someone’s brain has trouble interpreting these things, it can make it hard to talk, listen, understand, play, and learn. Autism affects the brain and makes Interpretations, communicating and interacting with other people (chatting, playing, hanging out, or socialising with others) more difficult. People on the autism spectrum often have trouble talking and understanding language from an early age.
It can be hard for them to play games and understand the rules when they are kids. As they become teens, people on the autism spectrum might have trouble understanding what clothes are cool to wear, or how to play sports, or how to just hang out and talk.
Not everybody with autism spectrum disorder has the same difficulties. Some people may have autism that is mild. Others may have autism that is more severe. Two people with autism spectrum disorder may not act alike or have the same skills. Some people with autism are especially good at music or computers or art – just like other teens. Others may have trouble with speech and balance and coordination just like other people.
A kid’s symptoms could be very mild, severe, or somewhere in the middle. For example, some kids might be upset by too many noises or sounds that are too loud. Kids who have milder symptoms don’t mind loud noises so much. Someone with mild symptoms might need only a little bit of help. But a kid with severe symptoms might need a lot of help with learning and doing everyday stuff.
Kids with autism often can’t make connections that other kids make easily. For example, when people smile, you know they feel happy or friendly; when people look mad, you can tell by their face or their voice. But many kids who have autism spectrum disorders have trouble understanding what emotions look like and what another person is thinking.
They might act in a way that seems unusual, and it can be hard to understand why they’re doing it.
A kid with an autism spectrum disorder might:
n have trouble learning the meaning of words
n do the same thing over and over, like saying the same word
n move his or her arms or body in a certain way
n have trouble adjusting to changes (like trying new foods, having a substitute teacher, or having toys moved from their usual places)

About 40 per cent of people with autism spectrum disorder have average or above-average intelligence. The other 60 per cent have intellectual disabilities that range from mild to severe.
Imagine trying to understand what your teacher is saying if you didn’t know what her words really mean. It is even more frustrating if a kid can’t come up with the right words to express his or her own thoughts, or tell a parent what he or she needs or wants. Sometimes this can make a kid very upset and frustrated.
Some issues – like not wanting to try new foods or not wanting anyone to move your toys – affect lots of kids, not just those who have an autism spectrum disorder.
But kids with these disorders have more trouble ‘growing out of it’ and learning to handle stuff that’s challenging and annoying.
What actually causes Autism? According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 kids have an autism spectrum disorder, but no one knows what causes them. Scientists think that there’s a connection to genetics and the environment. Some kids might be more likely to get autism because it runs in their families. Other kids get it even if nobody in their family has these types of problems.
Knowing the exact cause of autism is hard because the human brain is very complicated.
The brain contains more than 100 billion nerve cells called neurons. Each neuron may have hundreds or thousands of connections that carry messages to other nerve cells in the brain and body.
The connections and the chemical messengers they send keep the neurons working as they should. When they do, you can see, feel, move, remember, experience emotions, communicate, and do lots of other important stuff.
In the brain of a kid with autism, some of those cells and connections don’t develop normally or don’t get organised like they’re supposed to. Scientists are still trying to understand how and why this happens.
Autism is usually diagnosed when a child is between 18 months and 4 years old. The earlier kids are diagnosed with a spectrum disorder, the sooner they can start getting help with their language and learning skills. There are no medical tests for autism, but doctors may do certain tests to rule out other possible problems, including hearing loss and difficulties with learning and paying attention.
Diagnosing autism can involve lots of health care professionals – such as psychologists, neurologists, speech therapists, psychiatrists, and developmental paediatricians. To decide whether a child has autism spectrum disorder, doctors and other professionals compare the child’s levels of development and behaviour with those of other kids the same age.
The earlier a child starts getting help, the better. But figuring out if a kid has an autism spectrum disorder can be difficult at the beginning. A parent is usually the first to think that something could be wrong. Maybe the child is old enough to speak but doesn’t. Or a kid doesn’t seem interested in people, has a hard time playing with others, or acts in unusual ways.
Often, specialists work together as a team to figure out if there is a problem. In addition to the doctor, the team might include a psychologist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, and teacher.
There is no cure for autism, but doctors, therapists, and special education teachers can help kids learn to communicate better. A kid might learn sign language or get a message across by pointing at pictures. The care team also can help improve a kid’s social skills, stuff like taking turns and playing in a group.
Some kids who have mild symptoms will graduate high school and may go to college and live on their own. Many will always need some kind of help. But all will have brighter futures when they have the support and understanding of their families, doctors, teachers, therapists, and friends. So be sure to be a friend.
The brains of kids under 5 years old often adapt more easily. That’s why it’s best to start treatment for autism as early as possible. A treatment program might include:

n behavioural therapy (using rewards to help kids learn all kinds of skills)
n educational interventions (school-based help with academic subjects)
n speech therapy (to help kids talk and understand words)
n occupational therapy (to help kids with things like balance, coordination, and handwriting)
n social skills therapy (to help kids learn how to play and talk with others)
n medication (for problems with things like attention, hyperactivity, and sleep)
Many other types of therapy (including diet, music, and art therapies) can help people with autism spectrum disorder.
Teens with autism who don’t attend regular classes in middle school and high school can also benefit from going to special-education classes or separate schools for students with disabilities.
There are many things parents can do to help children with autism overcome their challenges. But it’s also important to make sure you get the support you need.
When you’re looking after a child with autism, taking care of yourself is not an act of selfishness, it’s a necessity. Being emotionally strong allows you to be the best parent you can be to your child in need. These parenting tips can help by making life with an autistic child easier.
If one recently learned that his/her child has or might have an autism spectrum disorder, that parent would be probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a child is anything other than happy and healthy, and a diagnosis of autism can be particularly frightening. The parents may be unsure about how to best help your child or confused by conflicting treatment advice. Or they may have been told that autism is an incurable, lifelong condition, leaving you concerned that nothing you do will make a difference.
As the parent of a child with autism or related developmental delays, the best thing you can do is to start treatment right away. Seek help as soon as you suspect something’s wrong. Don’t wait to see if your child will catch up later or outgrow the problem. Don’t even wait for an official diagnosis. The earlier children with autism spectrum disorders get help, the greater their chance of treatment success. Early intervention is the most effective way to speed up your child’s development and reduce the symptoms of autism.
Tips for parents who have child with autism
n Learn about autism. The more you know about autism spectrum disorders, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions for your child. Educate yourself about the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.
n Become an expert on your child. Figure out what triggers your kid’s ‘bad’ or disruptive behaviours and what elicits a positive response. What does your autistic child find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, you’ll be better at troubleshooting problems and preventing situations that cause difficulties.
n Accept your child, quirks and all. Rather than focusing on how your autistic child is different from other children and what he or she is ‘missing,’ practice acceptance.
Enjoy your kid’s special quirks, celebrate small successes, and stop comparing your child to others. Feeling unconditionally loved and accepted will help your child more than anything else.
n Don’t give up. It’s impossible to predict the course of an autism spectrum disorder. Don’t jump to conclusions about what life is going to be like for your child. Like everyone else, people with autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.
New research suggests that parents who have autistic children can learn to better handle tantrums and aggression, which may improve their child’s overall functioning.
Senior study author Lawrence Scahill, a professor at Yale University School of Nursing and Child Study Centre in New Haven, says “Parent training is one of the best, evidence-supported treatment interventions in child psychiatry for other conditions, such as for children with ADHD or children with oppositional defiant disorder. But strangely enough, it had never really been tried with children with autism or with developmental disabilities, so we had to make our own manual.”
A study has been done to prove Lawrence Scahill’s words. The study involved 124 children aged 4 to 13 with an autism spectrum disorder and serious behavioural issues, including daily, prolonged tantrums, aggression or self-injurious behaviour. The children were prescribed risperidone, an antipsychotic drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating severe behavioural problems in children with autism.
Half the children and their parents were also assigned to a six-month, structured ‘parent training’ programme. Parents were asked to identify the most difficult, disruptive behaviours and to think about what preceded the incidents and why the child might do it. They then worked with counsellors to devise strategies to avoid the triggers and help the child respond better to the everyday stressors.
Parents who underwent training reported a greater decrease in problem behaviours than the parents of children on medication alone, researchers found. By the end of the study, the average dose of risperidonewas lowers for kids in the parent-training group.
Parents who received training also reported improvements on a test known as the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale, which measures how well a child does everyday activities, such as communicating, socialising, dressing, eating at the table and going to school.
By diminishing serious problem behaviours, such as tantrums and aggression, children’s skills in other areas improved, but the difference was not statistically significant.
(The study is published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.)
Parents shouldn’t take the term ‘parent training’ to mean they are doing something wrong. Rather, with an expert’s help they may learn tricks that make their life and their child’s life a little easier.
If a parent had a child with a serious medical condition like diabetes or asthma, there are all kinds of things that parent would have to learn that average parents don’t, and so it is with children with autism spectrum disorder. There is no reason to think a parent would automatically know how to manage these problems. One important thing to remember that, the autistic child will always be a child for the parents, no matter how old he/she is. Basically the best treatment for autism is the well trained parents to control and manage the autistic child. The more the parents have the ability to shape you their child life the most the child can fight against his autism. So it is must to start up parent training centre for the parents who have autistic child, if our county really wants to make the condition batter for the autistic children. n