Things Moms with Autistic Children Wish You Knew

At the end of three hours, I was exhausted. When I offered to take care of my friend’s Autistic son for a few hours, I had no idea what I was getting into. My friend made caring for her son look easy, she seemed to intuitively know what he needed and how to handle his frustrations with ease.

Moms with Autistic children have my upmost respect. One in 68 children in America is diagnosed with Autism, with many more that fall on the Autism spectrum that go undiagnosed.

When my friend came to pick her son up, we sat and talked about Autism, and what she wishes people knew about her son. Here are some things moms with Autistic children wish you knew:

●      Each child with Autism is unique. Although they share a diagnosis, Autistic children have individual abilities and difficulties. Autism isn’t a one size fits all diagnosis, it’s a spectrum. Children with Autism may have speech and social difficulties, but be extremely intelligent. Children with Asperger’s tend to read and write extremely well. Savanti Autistics can excel in math, art or music. Some children are low functioning and others blend in the crowd.

●      Autism doesn’t equal a lack of intelligence. Yes, Autistic kids lack the social and sometimes verbal skills that their peers do, but most Autistic children can learn and tend to retain a lot of information. The way their minds process the information is different from other children. They tend to lack the ability to understand abstract concepts and are very literal in their understanding.

●      Autistic children aren’t without emotion. They lack appropriate social skills, but have the same social needs and desires that their peers do. They may not look you directly in the eye as often as other children, but they are listening to what you say and are extremely perceptive.

●      Sensory overload is very real. Autistic children are extremely affected by their environment. Their five senses are continually in overdrive, and they easily become over stimulated. This causes them to react differently than other children in social situations.

●      It’s not a lack of discipline, it’s Autism. Autistic children’s brains are wired completely different than other children. They process information differently, and lack the social skills to respond appropriately. Autistic children use various behaviors to self soothe, such as rocking or humming. While parents can encourage their children to stop a behavior, the child often lacks the ability to link their actions with inappropriate behavior.

●      Moms of Autistic children need your support. Dealing 24/7 with a special needs child is demanding, and can be isolating. Reach out to moms with children who have Autism. Invite them over for a play date with your child, ask them out to lunch, or offer to provide respite care so mom can take some time for herself. Above all else, listen.

Moms of Autistic children want you to see their children as more than a diagnosis, they want you to see them as the fearfully and wonderfully made gifts they are. They want you to see them for what they are, children. Read more homeschooling curriculum.