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Parental Support for Parents of Children with Autism

Autism provides many challenges on a daily basis, to both children who are diagnosed with it as well as their parents. Parents of children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may feel frustrated, mad, upset, angry, sad and overwhelmed all at once.

Of course, parents just want what’s best for their children. But, trying to juggle everything they need to do for themselves, their family and their children with autism can be a monumental undertaking, to say the least.

Luckily, there are many parental support resources available today for parents of children with autism.

Below are some tips on how you can get support if you’re a parent of a child with autism.

Table Of Contents

Why Support is Important

The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child. What this means is that all parents need support in some fashion, as raising children can be very challenging.

It’s very rewarding, too, of course, but there’s nothing wrong with needing outside support to help you. In fact, not only is there nothing wrong with support, but it’s something that is very important.

Having a solid support system is key if you’re a parent of a child with autism. This helps you to learn not just how you can help your children, but how you can help yourself, too.

When you’re facing the up-and-down emotions of parenting a child with autism, it’s important to figure out how you can remain even-keeled so your child gets the support they need. When you’re at your best, you can help your child be at their best, too.

Where Groups Provide Support?

Compared to even 20 years ago, there are many more support resources available for parents of children with autism. Some of these support groups have local chapters, while others can be reached online.

Some of the most popular support groups for parents of children with autism include …

  • GRASP: The Global and Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership provides online support, community outreach, advocacy and education for people who have ASD. It’s free to join.
  • Autism Speaks: This well-known national organization has many local chapters. It provides parents and others with a wealth of information about autism. Some resources they provide include information for parents of a newly-diagnosed child, app reviews, ongoing resources for children and much more. Autism Speaks
  • National Autism Association: NAA was created to respond to the urgent needs of the autism community. It does so through advocacy, research, education, hope, direct tools and thoughtfulness.

There are also many local resources that are available for parents of children with autism. You can search online for what’s available in your local area, or ask someone at one of the groups listed above.

Where Else Can You Get Support?

Support isn’t just available through organized groups. You can also get support from friends, family members, colleagues and members of the local community.

Some things you might consider to help your family include …

  • Ask others to help handle daily tasks or to just be an ear to listen
  • Meet other families of children with autism and lean on their support and experiences
  • Find resources online through videos, books and blogs — even stories from other parents can help
  • Reach out to state agencies to learn about financial support resources and other support you might qualify for
  • Take course that are available for parents of children with autism

Get Your Child an ABA Therapy Treatment Plan

Just because your child has autism doesn’t mean they can’t live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life. Children on the autism spectrum can thrive in many areas, despite the many challenges they may face.

One of the best treatment plans for children with autism is known as applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy. This evidence- and science-based approach to learning and behavior helps children on the autism spectrum build the social, communication and daily life skills with which they may struggle.

This is done through teaching children tasks by breaking them down into small steps, repetition and positive reinforcement. ABA therapy is administered on a one-to-one basis, with treatment plans catered specifically to each individual patient’s unique strengths and challenges.

Over time, ABA therapy has been proven to achieve amazing results, as it’s a wonderful resource for children who have autism.

Trust Blue Gems ABA with Your Child’s Treatment Plan

There are many parental support resources for parents of children with autism. It’s important that you take advantage of as many of these resources as possible, as it truly does take a village to raise a child — regardless of whether they have autism or not.

At Blue Gems ABA, we are dedicated to helping support children on the autism spectrum by administering ABA therapy. Our team of experienced BCBAs does this on a daily basis with patients in both at-home and clinical settings.

To learn more, please contact us today.