evenlife wrote:My mom's friend have a 4 years old child who was diagnosticated with mild austism, he's nonverbal and very agressive with his mom, but he's okay with touching and loud noises. The problem is that his mom is not well educated and she really doesn't know where to begin, she knows he needs a diet and he needs to go to therapy but far from that... nothing. I was searching here and there info about autism but I felt like everything I read came from some doctor or teacher who "have a lot of experience with kids with autism", I want to get information from actual people who experience this and knows where to find good articles and resources. Also is someone who have a child with austism, can you with me some advice for her about how to cope and live a healthy life?
My question are:
1. Where to find good information?
2. How to help the kid to feel less anxious?
3. How did you communicate your emotions when you were a child?
4. Experiences with medication at that age
1. When I was a young child, I was diagnosed and the doctor's just told her to get on with it. They gave no help at all, and just simply told her I would probably never speak or be able to be on my own. But through a lot of hard work, we proved them wrong luckily because I am able to speak with you right now.
Its definitely not going to be easy, but on the positive note I think nowadays there is a lot more information than there was back then. So lets begin! Get lots of books about Autism or if you prefer websites. There is also many groups on places like Facebook full of parents with children with autism that you would be able to ask. Autism is a very complex thing in a way that it is different for every person, there will be similar traits but every case wont be the same. That's why you can't rely on one source and you have to mix it up a little. If you want to know some good books or websites, PM me and i'll ask my mother and send some to you as I can't remember them on the top of my head.
2. There is a lot of things you can do to make him less anxious. Comfort items work very well. I had a very soft pillow that I would press against my face to and breath deeply alone to calm myself down at home, toy lizard and a doll that I grown attached to. Or my grandmother would wrap me in a blanket and hold me tight there. The secure feeling usually made me relax eventually. These aren't guaranteed to work but they are just suggestions.
Non verbal autism and aggressiveness is very close. If he is anything like how I was like when I was young, he is not angry at you but mostly angry at himself because he can't properly communicate with you to tell you what he wants. Its more frustration than anything else and he is taking it out on the things around him. It will take a lot of patience and understanding.
3. To communicate my emotions was something that my mother struggled with, but she found the emotion cards the most effective way of that and also the best way for her to communicate her emotions to me. As I couldn't look at her and understand what she felt. We would show each other these cards and we would know. For example, if I did something bad. She would show the sad face card then I would know she was upset with me. (etc)
4. I had no experiences with medication as I didn't have any at all.
Feel free to ask me any questions. I am more than happy to help.
-Cardiac.