Engaging with a child on the spectrum can be difficult. It requires patience, meeting the needs of a child with autism, and can increase a mother's stress level, making them easily frustrated. If a mother is struggling mentally, emotionally, or financially it can be hard to nurture an autistic child.
How do parents feel? Parents of children with autism sometimes describe feeling “overwhelmed, guilty, confused, angry, or depressed.” Frustration is a common emotion. They may feel frustrated when their child is clumsy, unresponsive, angry, or disregarding of others.
Being a parent of an autistic child may cause you to feel guilt, grief, anxiety, frustration, and anger.
Autism can be a challenging condition, especially when you, as a caregiver, are not equipped with the right information to take care of a person who has the disorder. If you are the parent or guardian of a child with autism, it's crucial to educate yourself on the appropriate way to take care of an autistic child.
Studies have shown that more than 50% of mothers report a decreased ability to enjoy life as they face the challenges associated with raising a child with ASD. In fact, a low level of social support has been identified as the most powerful predictor of depression and anxiety in the mothers (Boyd, 2002).
A child with ASD can be challenging—they may be restless; have trouble sleeping, eating or speaking; experience seizures; or have meltdowns born of frustration or overstimulation. Expectations for a “normal” life may need to be adjusted.
Children with autism prefer their mothers to strangers and attempt to remain close to them as much as other children. However they do not engage in attention sharing behaviors such as pointing or showing objects. They also do not seem to recognize the meaning of facial expressions and emotions.
Free-range parenting is inappropriate for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children with ASD need higher levels of focused parental engagement, with parents who help them learn how to socialize, converse, pretend, ask questions, investigate the world, and build other important skills.
Making time for enjoyable family activities
When you have an autistic child, you might forget to make time for yourself. You can reduce the stress levels in your family by making sure that all family members – including you – have time to do things that make them feel good.
When Does Autism Get Easier? A new study found that around 30% of young autistic children have less severe symptoms at age 6 than they did at age 3. Interestingly, some children lose their autism diagnoses entirely.
Constantly worrying over the “unknowns” and the “what if's,” mothers of autistic children can also develop anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety. It makes the parenting experience much more difficult and challenging because they are often drained and do not have enough energy to give their child what they feel they need.
Not because they don't want to, but because they feel they can't. Research shows that just 11% of parents with autistic children work full-time, and 70% say they are prevented from working by a lack of appropriate care facilities.
For parents of such children, communication is a problem that compounds the stress & anxiety of parents. Parents face the challenge that their child is unable to communicate their needs and wants. With children at times unaware of nonverbal communication and cues, the challenges of parenting get compounded.
Autistic children and teenagers experience a range of emotions, but they might need support to recognise, understand and manage their emotions. For example, your autistic child might feel all negative or unpleasant emotions as anger. Or they might not recognise when they're excited.
Focus on the positive.
Just like anyone else, children with autism spectrum disorder often respond well to positive reinforcement. That means when you praise them for the behaviors they're doing well, it will make them (and you) feel good. Be specific, so that they know exactly what you liked about their behavior.
They usually prefer to play alone and have challenges working together with others. Various types of therapy are available to help kids with autism and their families to play together and build relationships.
In all, the findings from research suggest that children with autism are capable of forming secure attachments with their caregivers. However, it also suggests that autistic children may be more prone to developing an insecure attachment than typically developing children.
Parenting an autistic child is a challenging and stressful experience, especially where support is limited. The challenges of an autistic child's parent range from health challenges, financial problems, changes in family dynamics, and the absence of social life and a system of support.
Just like any other adults, people on the autism spectrum can be exemplary parents. An acceptance and appreciation of their autism and access to appropriate support for themselves and their families can help them to effectively manage the unique challenges they face.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
While both parents may contribute to a child's risk of developing autism, research has also shown that the mother's genetics may play a slightly larger role. This is because the majority of genetic mutations associated with autism are thought to occur spontaneously in the egg or sperm cells of the mother.
Many children with autism, even those with high-functioning autism, have difficulty learning to engage in everyday human interaction. They may avoid interactions or eye contact or even resist parental attention, hugs, or cuddling.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.