Impact on Families with Autistic Children

The impact on families with autistic children is an important issue to address with parents of children who have been newly diagnosed with autism. Often, in the rush to get necessary services and to these children, the pressures felt by their family members are overlooked. While it is, of course, essential to ensure that therapies and services are put into place quickly, helping the family handle the changes in daily life that come with raising a child with special needs is just as important to the goal of providing the best possible outcome for children with autism.

Tips for Raising Kids with Autism

An autism diagnosis is a life changing event, one that has far reaching implications for the future of both the child who has been diagnosed and his or her family. Autism can bring changes in nearly every aspect of daily family life. Therapy sessions, medical appointments, and various other activities can dominate the family schedule, leaving little time and energy left for typical family activities. Stress levels associated with the issue of autism in the family make marital issues more likely, with divorce rates reported at as much as 85 percent. Monetary issues are often present, with the cost of therapies and treatments that are often not covered by health insurance placing strain on family finances.

Parents can be overwhelmed with the prospect of raising a child who has developmental difficulties, feeling under qualified and unsure of themselves. Disappointment, depression, denial, and even anger are common in the months following diagnosis, as expectations for the future must be adjusted. Parents often feel isolated, having little in common with the parents of average children, a feeling that often grows more pronounced as children get older and the differences in development as compared to other children in the neighborhood become more obvious. Behavior issues common to autism can add to that isolation, making interactions with friends and family difficult, and simple outings to the grocery store or mall stressful events.

Normal sibling rivalry can become more intense in a family with a mixture of typically developing and autistic children. Usually, such rivalry plays itself out during the first months of having a new brother or sister in the family, as new babies often monopolize time and attention. However, when that need for extra time and attention becomes a permanent issue, as often happens with autism, siblings can feel left out and resentment can build. Many children waver between resentment and guilt, unhappy with the situation that has befallen the family, yet ashamed of the way they sometimes feel about their brother or sister with autism.

Ensuring the well-being of the family goes a long way towards helping children with autism rise to the challenge of overcoming its effects to reach their full potential. Family strife is a setback that can upset the developmental progress of any child, especially one that faces the extraordinary challenges of a developmental disability.

Often, extended family members would be happy to help if they only knew what to do. Many feel awkward and unsure of the best way to support the family of a niece, nephew, or grandchild with autism. Simply listening is often enough, allowing stressed parents or siblings to express their feelings of helplessness, anxiety, fear, anger, or resentment without judgment. Venting these feelings is the first step in reaching beyond them to the more productive stage of acceptance.

Extended family members who lack experience with autism can overcome feelings of discomfort by educating themselves on the basics of the disorder, as well as the specifics of its affects on the child in question. Armed with a bit of information on what can be expected, the family can then step in to offer assistance with more confidence.

Offering a respite for parents and siblings is a great way to help, caring for the child with autism for an afternoon or weekend to allow some uninterrupted parenting time for other children, or much needed adult time for stressed spouses. Taking siblings away for a day of one-on-one attention can also be a great way to reduce the strain on both children and their parents. Offering to assist with day-to-day errands can be a great help as well, taking some of the pressure off parents whose days are full of appointments from morning to night.

Reaching out to an autism support group can be a great way to begin addressing the impact on families with autistic children. These groups include families that have been through the diagnosis, the emotional aftermath, and the day-to-day difficulties of accepting and adjusting to the circumstances of autism. Simply having someone to talk to who has a real understanding of the issues that come with living with autism can provide a much needed release valve to parents and siblings.

Support groups also offer a variety of valuable resources on autism, from daily coping strategies to new research, financial assistance to educational options, tried and true treatments and therapies to the latest experimental ones. Many families have journeyed through the world of autism successfully, and are eager to help others who are just starting down the path. Still others are new to autism, looking for others in the same situation with whom they can trade ideas and assistance. From national lobbying groups, fighting for the rights of the autism community to local play groups, support networks are available to help families make the most of their future, as well as that of their child with autism.

• Preschool Activities for Autistic Children
• Possible Causes of Autism
• Tips for Raising Kids with Autism
• What Is Your Autism Empathy Rating?

• Lesson Plans for Autistic Children
• Adult Autism Symptoms
• Social Skills Activities for Kids with Autism
• Speech Therapy Ideas for Autistic Children
• Famous Autistic People

• Activities for Autistic Children in Kindergarten
• Kids Magazine for Autistic Children
• Best Schools for Autistic Children
• Parenting an Autistic Child
• Speech Therapy Ideas for Autistic Children