Toddlers and Autism

Toddlers and Autism

Dealing with the behavior of any toddler can be
challenging, but when that toddler has
developmental disabilities, the stress load
increases.

With autistic children, they may begin to use
verbal communication and then that skill can
gradually disappear, often around the age of 3.

Autistic children are wired differently and early
intervention can be the key to success.

This is an opportunity for parents to establish
some ground rules, create some lines of communication,
and learn what areas your child struggles in.

Pay attention to when behavior problems occur and
what the circumstances are.

There are generally clues to behavior, but
sometimes we need to really work hard at working
out what exactly those clues are.

Children with autism need routine, thrive
on routine, and need to be prepared for transitions.

This should be established from a very young age.

While you monitor your child's behavior, you should
be observing what occurs immediately preceding the
behavior.

For the child with autism, behavior often occurs
because they are overwhelmed and are unable to
control their emotional response to what is
occurring.

Over time, you may detect a pattern in their
behavior.

Once you establish why those behaviors are occurring,
you can begin to intervene prior to the behavior.

Be consistent with your response to behavior.

Even though your child may be non-verbal, you
should continue to use your words.

Much of the inappropriate behavior of autistic
children is due to sensory dysfunction.

Their senses don't function smoothly to help
them interpret the world around them.

It would be appropriate to try to obtain a
formal assessment by an occupational therapist.

This assessment would help identify if your
child has sensory dysfunction and help to
establish some techniques to help them integrate
their senses.

With the use of sensory integration techniques,
you can help your learn to interact with the
world around them in an appropriate manner.

For some children, this can be done by providing
sensory input on a routine schedule throughout
the day, perhaps every 2 hours initially and
also at transition times.

Using a variety of techniques, this can help a
child go through transitions smoothly and calmly.

There are a variety of sensory toys available.

For the child who craves sensory stimulation, this
is the child who likes to bump and crash into
things, this provides them with an outlet for all
of that energy.

For the child who avoids sensory input, doesn't
like to be touched, this can desensitize him or her,
so that they can tolerate touch.

The Parenting Autism Resource Guide:

A Complete Resource Guide For Parents
Who Have Children Diagnosed With Autism.

How can we get him to change his eating habits?

Question

My grandson has Asperger’s. He is age 7. His diet consists of cheese, eggs, bread, milk, juice, wieners, fish, hamburgers, chicken, mashed or French fried potatoes and, on occasion, chocolate and bananas. He will eat no pasta, vegetables, or any other fruit. Does this eating problem go along with Asperger’s? How can we get him to change his eating habits?

Answer

Your grandson’s Asperger’s Syndrome may cause unusual reactions to new foods and he may not want to eat them.

To him, they may taste bitter, salty, or just awful.

They may smell bad (to him).

He may dislike the textures of new foods.

Consequently, he doesn’t want to eat foods that cause these reactions.

Surprisingly, your grandson’s diet isn’t terrible as it is now.

He gets protein from eggs, milk, cheese, wieners, fish, hamburger, and chicken.

He gets grains, which provide B vitamins, from bread and hamburger and hot dog buns.

He gets some vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, from juice, potatoes, chocolate, and bananas.

He gets calcium and vitamin D from milk and cheese.

All in all, his diet could be worse and is not much different from what many children eat.

However, his diet would be more nutritious if he ate more fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Perhaps he would try some whole grain cereals.

Many children like Life cereal or Cheerios.

See if he likes popcorn (a whole grain).

Don’t load it up with a lot of butter, though.

Try whole grain breads, hamburger and hot dog buns; he may eat them.

He might like whole grain rice.

Try it mixed in a cheese and chicken casserole.

Most children like macaroni and cheese. See if he does.

Try tacos made with whole grain tortillas, hamburger, and cheese.

You might be able to sneak in some chopped tomato and onion.

Use low fat hamburger and 1% milk.

See if he will drink different types of fruit juices.

There are new ones on the market that are delicious and have a serving of fruit and one of vegetables in each glass.

Many fruits may taste sour to him.

If he likes cereal, slice a ½ banana on it.

Canned peaches and pears are sweet and may appeal to him.

Cut up fruits into bite sized pieces so they are easy to eat.

Don’t chastise him if he doesn’t eat them; maybe in the future he will.

Make small apple or blueberry muffins. He might like them, too.

Yoghurt with fruit is an option you could try.

As far as vegetables are concerned, it may be an uphill road!

But, sometimes vegetables can be hidden in other foods, for example, in those juices mentioned above.

How about putting some onion in his hamburger?

Potatoes are vegetables and he likes them! Try oven frying the French fries instead of frying in oil.

Blend some cooked cauliflower into his mashed potatoes. He may not notice the difference.

He may like sweet potatoes. He might like creamed corn or cornbread.

Does he eat any soup, such as pea soup or vegetable?

You could try tomato soup made with milk; he might like it.

If you put finely chopped, frozen carrots and peas in a chicken/cheese casserole, he might eat them.

Avocado has a bland taste and you could mix it into his hamburger patties.

It’s very important not to make “a big deal” about what he doesn’t eat.

If you do, eating will become a power struggle.

Offer various new foods along with ones he likes.

If he doesn’t like them, don’t make an issue of it.

Some battles aren’t worth constant fighting, especially when his diet isn’t too bad to begin with.

Keep serving some new foods along with the old ones.

Avoid serving soda pop and sweets so he doesn’t fixate on them.

My last suggestion is to make sure he has a multivitamin each day.

Get one that is chewable, tastes good, and has a cute shape.

Also, drinking Ensure or Pediasure is a good way to supplement his diet with vitamins and minerals.

The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide: A Complete Resource Guide For Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed With Aspergers Syndrome.

How would you start explaining sex...?

My son is 15, he knows he is different from other children, he wants to know why? And how would you start explaining sex, and changes his body is going through?

Why am I different? This is a difficult question to answer, but at 15, your son is ready for some explanation of his condition. No one knows for sure how anyone gets Asperger’s Syndrome. We do know it is not a disease, and you can’t catch it from anyone.

Here is a guideline for you to follow when you answer your son’s question:

Lots of people have problems and challenges in life to deal with. Some of them can be seen and some cannot. You have a condition known as Asperger’s Syndrome. We don’t know why you have it. Sometimes it is inherited from other people in a family. Asperger’s Syndrome has something to do with the genes that are in our bodies and something may have happened to some of them before you were born. Kids have Asperger’s Syndrome from the time they are born, but some kids are going to school before the doctors diagnose Asperger’s Syndrome. More and more people are being diagnosed with Asperger’s, but that’s probably because doctors and psychiatrists know more about Asperger’s and what to look for than they did in the past. You are not the only teenager with Asperger’s; a lot of kids have it, so you are not alone.

Here are some websites for teenagers with Asperger’s and maybe you can find some information for yourself. The first one is Asperger’s Teens at www.aspergerfriends.com/AspergersTeens.html. Also, try WrongPlanet.Net at

www.wrongplanet.net/. These two websites can help you understand Asperger’s and convince you that you can do well in life. Also, you might be able to meet other kids your age who have Asperger’s online and talk with them.

Groups of children and adolescents can be very cruel to someone who doesn’t act, talk, or think like them, and a child can easily take that to mean that they aren’t as good as or “cool” enough to be with a particular group of people. It is important for you to stress to your child that “different” does not mean inferior.

In addition to giving him your support and referring him to the internet, you might want to read the book Aspergers Syndrome and Adolescence: Practical Solutions for School Success by Brenda Smith Myles (Author) and Diane Adreon. This book contains many tips on how to help children transition from childhood to adulthood. The book addresses adolescent sexuality as well as how to disclose an Asperger’s diagnosis to peers.

One of the most important aspects of your relationship with your child at this age is for you to be open-minded and available to answer his questions regarding Asperger’s and how it affects him. If there is an adult male role model available, he should also provide counseling and support for your child. Your son will be most successful if he knows that you and your mate are supportive and available to him.

The Parenting Aspergers Resource Guide: A Complete Resource Guide For Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed With Aspergers Syndrome.