How to cope with autistic child?

Question

My 8 year old step son was recently diagnosed with autism. Every day is a struggle for him and the rest of the family. There are several issues and I don’t even know where to start honestly. He’s suppose to be in third grade but he’s performing at a kindergarten/1st grade level. Parents of autistic kids, do you have any tips/tricks to get through daily life? I’m worried about life once he’s older..I could write for hours but I’m trying to keep it short. Thank you

Answer

Making a schedule is key. Autistic children at least the ones I work with do best when they already have their days planned out and its routine. His learning is okay and will come with time and with a schedule. It may not be ideal to you but literally planning out ever minute of the day for him and repeating it each day will make a lot of a difference.

Answer

Special education teacher here. I agree that scheduling and structure are key. Making a visual schedule (pictures or words depending on his reading skills) with a checklist he can check off should be helpful. We do that with my students. Consistency is key. If he is not receiving services at school you can request special education testing to see if he qualifies for academic, social, and behavior support at school.There are a ton if resources online (Google, pinterest, social media groups) that have supports and strategies for both kids and parents. Hope this helps!  I understand how hard this new journey can be.

How to cope with autistic child?

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