HOW CAN WE BUILD UNDERSTANDING AND CONNECTION WITH OUR AUTISTIC CHILDREN?

By Rachel ANDERSEN

I'm standing in a room full of people who are cheering, laughing, and collectively enjoying an extremely noisy event. Suddenly, I feel very ill, and I know I am in danger. My attempts at getting the attention of the people around me fail since they are busy, and it is too loud.

In that moment it is imperative to make them hear me. My survival depends on it. The stress level rises to the point of panic. Then I wake up.

As parents of autistic children, understanding what it means to be autistic can mean the difference between us and/or our child feeling desperate to communicate and understand, while achieving true connection as we bond together. Reducing the stress level of both parties is paramount to mental health and wellness and the forming of strong relationships.

Though autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is experienced differently by each individual, there are common factors that can give us an idea of what our autistic child may want, need, or see. Understanding them better, being able to anticipate their needs, and joining in their interests builds our relationship with them. In this article, I want to explore what it is like to be autistic and provide insight that can help bring clarity to our children’s behavior, autism symptoms, and social communication.

What does being autistic really mean?

Autism is known as a spectrum disorder with symptoms and criteria that range in severity across the spectrum. The criteria is defined by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).

The four “types” of autism

Autism used to be defined in four types, and many people still refer to them as a way to explain their child’s symptoms or behaviors to others. Autism is a complex disorder, so family members of individuals with autism spectrum disorder should know as much as possible about how they experience autism, and strive to understand and connect.