Raising a Child with Autism: Helpful Tips and Coping Strategies

By Leah Leynor, Reach Therapist Intern 

If you are raising a child with Autism you may often feel stressed, lonely, overwhelmed, and uncertain of what challenges might await you in the days, weeks, or months ahead. Many days might seem like a balancing act as you are trying to focus upon your autistic child as well as the needs of your other family members. It may also seem as though you are misunderstood and that others around do not seem to understand the effects that autism has had upon your family’s life. According to one parent of a special needs child on what she wished the others knew, “I would probably say the stress and impact that autism has on a family structure and marriages. You have to be care giver, therapist, educator, lawyer, maid, and referee at all times your marriage is impacted because you have no energy for one another. You feel guilty because you feel you are neglecting your typical child in some way or fashion because you are doing so much for your autistic child.”

We at Pfeiffer Institute Reach are here to help you find support, develop productive methods to communicate with your spouse and others, and learn strategies to include siblings that will help strengthen family relationships. We will also help you figure out what is or is not working in your routine and schedule that may prove beneficial in providing some of the stability and structure that helps your autistic child to cope with his / her day as well as allows your family to function. We are able to also assist you in working on behavior plans that may include consequences/rewards or incentive charts to promote positive behaviors in your children. It is our hope that you are able to feel supported, understood, and empowered as you continue your journey parenting a child with autism.

If you are impacted by raising a child with Autism, we at Pfeiffer Institute Reach are happy to help you by providing support, education, and coping strategies as you work towards a positive future with your child. Contact Pfeiffer Institute Reach today at 919-941-2900 to RSVP for our free workshop on Raising a Child with Autism: Helpful Tips and Coping Strategies on Thursday, May 22nd and May 24th from 6-8pm.  We look forward to working with you!