As we know every child has special learning abilities. And every child learns at his/her own pace. I have never met a set of parents who don’t like bragging about their kid’s achievements and extraordinary talents. Every child is especially gifted but some of them are good to put their artistic prodigies on display and some of them keep it hidden away from the prying eyes of the people. Some are quick-witted and quick learners but some are slow learners or taciturn beyond a certain limit. So, can we really compare which one is really better?
The truth is we shouldn’t.
Today’s article is going to bring into the daylight the plight of autistic children. The struggles they undergo and what can be done on the parents’ part to raise such kids like normal ones.
Autism spectrum disorder is usually caused in simpler terms by some clinical disturbances in a child’s mental and sensory perceptions. A child tends to get moody, irritable often and Extremely sensitive to certain touches due to intrinsic cerebral abnormalities.
Such children normally tend to avoid friendships, social gatherings, group activities and prefer to stay alone. They are more reticent than other normal introverted kids. Their reactions to various situations might be too abrupt and unpredictable, varying from too aggressive and provocative one moment and really a quiet, unresponsive and gentle the next.
Such children often require extra care and solicitude than their counterparts since psychologically they are too vulnerable and fragile to hurt and harshness. But such children can lead a happy, cheerful and normal life like their peers too if their quintessential needs are taken care of in a manner as gentle as possible.
● Make communication feasible: Try to communicate with them nicely since they are likely to speak really slow. Inculcate habit of reading in them so they learn the art of reading out aloud which is clearly going to help to strain their vocal chords and bring much-needed confidence in them to speak clearly and loudly.
● Visuals are attractive: Try to teach them through visuals. Autistic children usually have extremely high visual appeal. They learn quickly through pictorial representations and visuals and their cognitive abilities tend to get improved through this method.
● Be sensitive to their behavior, demands, and needs: Such children usually require the extra amount of attention, not because they are attention seekers but they are extremely vulnerable. They often require more love and tenderness and understanding than the rest. Offer them the plenty of it. Never snob or reprimand them in a hurtful or insulting manner, they might take it to their heart. Their insecurities can be healed through love and concern only.
● Keep the instructions lucid: Try to break the instructions into uncomplicated strings of directions so that these children can interpret the meaning and simply make a sense out of all that are supposed to be understood by them. Language has to be clear, words should be simpler and sentences should be shorter so that child can process each step and bring much needed clarity to his/her interpretation levels.
Consult a doctor or a therapist often to seek guidance and learn about new and useful techniques to create a sensitive and holistic environment for autistic children. Keep yourself as much patient as you can with autistic kids, they might be little more demanding and difficult to handle but with little practice, diligence and tenderness, you can find what is best suited for them.
“Go and seek the flower child, she is all peace and love, but flawed. Though people spit and try to put her down, she yet learns to love ’em all.”