By Denise Meissner
Occupational Therapist, parent and co-founder QCharm, LLC
Think about your child’s signs of developmental difficulty, the challenges your child experiences and how your child’s challenges are testing your parenting skills. Are you feeling like you are “in over your head?” Are you exhausted from providing and anticipating your child’s safety, educational, communication, social and behavior needs?
As a mother of a child with Autism, there are many skills and lessons that my son’s developmental difficulties forced me to learn the hard way. Even though I am an Occupational Therapist by trade, I found myself feeling overwhelmed by my son’s behavior, communication, social, and sensory issues. To make matters worse, I was blown away by the task of advocating for his evaluations, diagnosis and treatments. I thought, “If I am an OT and have a mother-in-law who is a Physical Therapist (who specializes in early intervention) and I am struggling to care for my child, just imagine how hard this must be for other parents!”
The good news is that there are numerous treatment approaches, assistive devices, advocacy groups, books, programs, and other resources to help parents both care for their child’s current needs and prepare for future needs. The other side of this good news is that there is so much information that over-the-top exhausted parents barely have time to brush their teeth, much less research their options. This article highlights books written by experts in the field (professionals and parents) which offer techniques and insights critical for advocating and managing today’s challenges and preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.
I am focusing on books because they can be accessed and referenced at your convenience. Plus, some can be purchased new or used (since saving money is essential these days). To start, Dr. James Ball, in his book Early Intervention & Autism, spells out day-to-day issues, how to benefit from early intervention services, and how to select from the variety of treatment techniques. Dr. Ball also equips the reader with 10 Behavior Rules To Live By, Must Have EI Goals & Objectives, and 7 Effective Teaching Strategies. With over 20 years of experience working with and advocating for the autism community, Dr. Ball provides practical and necessary information.
Another set of books which offer practical and necessary information include: The Child With Autism at Home: The Home Life Guide-350 Tips For Work &Play by Kathy Labosh and LaNita Miller; What You Can Do Right Now to Help Your Child with Autism by Jonathan Levy; The Autistic Spectrum Parents’ Daily Helper-A Workbookfor You and Your Child by Philip Abrams and Leslie Henriques, and Raising a Child With Autism by Shira Richman. Although each child and each family situation is unique, there are frequently used techniques (ie. visual cues, environmental structure, verbal cues, and behavior management) that work to improve a child’s ability to communicate, socialize, and cope with daily tasks and challenges. These books are a great resource to help you help your child.
For more in depth information on visual strategies and how to use them at home and in the community, several books stand out. From the creators of the Picture Exchange Communication System (Andy Bondy and Lori Frost), the book Topics in Autism: A Picture’s Worth: PECS and Other Visual Communication Strategies in Autism explains how to improve your child’s ability to communicate (ie. to initiate communication with others and express their needs, to understand and cope with changes in their daily routine, and to cope with boundaries/limits often encountered during the day). ThePECS system incorporates one of the most researched treatment approaches, which is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Please see http://www.pecs.com.
Another expert in the field, Linda Hodgdon, has several books, DVD’s and workshops regarding the importance and the use of visual strategies. Two of her books offer a wealth of information. They are: Visual Strategies For Improving Communication-Practical Supports for School and Home and Solving Behavior Problems in Autism-Improving Communication with Visual Strategies. Parents and professionals will be discover many ways in which to improve your child’s communication needs and ways in which you can become a more effective communication partner. Check out her new website, http://www.autismfamilyonline.com.
Finally, as parents we may place our needs near the bottom of the To-Do list. Please take time to care for yourself so that you can more effectively care for your child and your family. Consider reading It’s All About Attitude by Kathy Almeida and Gayle Nobel, Silent Angel-The Joys and Challenges of Raising an Autistic Child and Keeping Your Marriage Alive in the Process by Tim and Melody Ravert, Solutions for Adults with Asperger Syndrome by Juanita P. Lovett, and The 7 Best Things Happy Couples Do by John Friel and Linda Friel.
In summary, to effectively advocate for your child, continuously equip yourself with knowledge. These books are excellent resources and starting points.
Denise Meissner may be contacted at info@qcharm.com, www.qcharm.com.
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