5 Factors to Consider When Picking Therapy for Your Autistic Child
After your child has been diagnosed with autism, one of the major choices you will be faced with is what treatment method would be suitable for your child.
Medications and therapies are the major treatment plan for autistic kids.
Therapy is important for your autistic child.
It helps them to learn major life skills and overcome any developmental challenges they might have.
There are various types of therapies available to autistic kids.
You must therefore decide early on the most suitable therapy for your child.
To make your decision, you must consider your child's diagnosis and what needs the therapy intends to address.
You must also consider the impact of the therapy on your family.
The cost of the therapy and the time it would take must be considered when picking therapy for your autistic child.
Most importantly, you must consider how effective the therapy would be for your child.
Here are five factors to consider when picking therapy for your autistic child.
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Your Child's Needs
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to picking therapy for your autistic child.
Your child's diagnosis would determine what therapy you would pick for your child.
Your child may be diagnosed with the same autism disorder as another child yet, require different therapies.
This is because similar autism disorders may manifest in different ways depending on the child.
Try not to fall prey to different treatment 'bandwagons' which many parents fall into from different suggestions from different people.
For instance, your child may suffer from a particular type of autism, yet be verbal and may not require speech therapy, which might not be the case for another child with the same form of autism.
Your child's age and capabilities may also determine which therapy would be suitable for your child.
Where your child was diagnosed in infancy, early-stage interventions would be a more appropriate treatment.
Your child's needs would determine the goals you have for the therapy treatment.
You must consider whether the therapy matches the goals you have for your child.
You need to understand each therapy to know which to pick from.
You can have a time frame for the achievement of these goals and constantly review them as they reach each milestone.
Therapy will help to improve their symptoms and help them have a normal life.
Impact on Family Life
Having an autistic child is a life-changing experience, both for immediate family members and extended family.
For instance, if you have a kid or kids already, you might not be willing to have another child.
You must examine the impact of the therapy for your autistic child on your family.
You have to be totally honest with your family about the diagnosis and the impact of the therapy on everyone.
For instance, the diet of the family may have to be changed to suit the special dietary needs of your autistic child.
The success of the therapy would depend on how suitable it is for your family.
When you choose a therapy that is suitable for your family’s dynamics, family members will be motivated to provide support.
Where you have family members in proximity, they might be able to provide all the help you need while your autistic child is in therapy.
Financial Costs
The family resources must be considered when picking therapy for your autistic child.
In the event that you may have to employ the services of a caregiver which might be expensive.
You can consider whether your health insurance plan covers the therapy.
Check if there are any free government therapy services or funding that are suitable for your child.
This would help to reduce the cost of your family’s pocket.
You can also consider whether a parent or sibling would have to pick up extra jobs to increase the family’s income.
You can also make plans on how to manage the family’s income and expenses to accommodate the therapy service.
This might involve having families and friends over to provide free babysitting for your other kids or other methods that would work best for your family.
The Schedule
As soon as your child is diagnosed, you must ensure that the therapy starts early.
This is because therapy helps children to improve their symptoms or reduce any behavioral difficulties the child might have.
You must also work with a therapist to determine the time frame of the therapy and the goals you intend to achieve within that time.
For instance, when your child displays difficult behavior, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for your autistic kid.
In six months or a year, you must be able to identify that they have minimized undesirable behavior and they have improved their communication skills.
Where you do not see an improvement, communicate with the therapist.
However, do not compare your child's therapy journey with another child's.
The Therapy's Effectiveness
Conduct your research to see if the therapy is evidence-based.
This would let you know how effective it is for your autistic child.
Clinical trials and case studies conducted will let you know whether the therapy is suitable for your kid.
You can also ask other parents to ask how effective a particular therapy treatment has been for their kids.
You must, however, adapt their advice to your kid's peculiar condition and your goals for the therapy.
Make sure you disclose all relevant medical details to the therapist so that they can treat your kid effectively.
You also have to examine the credibility of the therapist to know if they are competent and effective in the particular service they render.
Visiting the therapy center will enable you to make a good judgment if it will be suitable for your child.
Conclusion
After you have decided on the therapy your autistic child will undertake, you must periodically review your child's progress during the period of the therapy.
Factors to consider when picking therapy for your autistic child includes; your child's needs, the impact of the therapy on the family, the financial cost and time requirements of the therapy, and how effective the therapy will be for your child.
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