To begin, children and teenagers with autism experience a variety of symptoms that can be identified by a professional therapist. When working with a holistic autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct, your whole family can feel support.
What are symptoms of autism spectrum disorder?
Furthermore, children and teenagers with autism often have flat or mono tone speech. There might even be a delay in learning to speak or challenges with speaking. Frequently, children and teenagers with autism are not naturally aware of other peoples emotions. So, this makes sharing with siblings, family, time, and meals challenging.
How can working with an autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct help with better behavior at school?
In the school setting, children and teenagers with autism might get on other peoples nerves. Without realizing it, they might be annoying or bothersome with their repetitive behaviors and obsessive interest. Essentially, children with autism don’t know how to start a friendship. Therefore, counseling can help a child or a teenager with autism learn how to connect with others in positive ways. Making friends and socializing may be a lifelong challenge for people with autism. However it doesn’t have to completely hold any child or adult back. If your child typically speaks in a robotic voice, counseling can help your child learn how to be socially appropriate.
How can meeting with an autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct help the whole family feel calmer?
Often times, children with autism prefer to be alone.
For parents and siblings who desire social connection, it can be really challenging. Often, yelling, screaming and meltdown are scary as a teen gets older. Because children and adults with autism do not understand emotions, it can be very challenging to offer physical comfort. A person with out ASD may enjoy a hug for comfort. But, a child with autism spectrum disorder may hit if they are given a hug. Often, a child with autism might get very angry or violent when upset. At Wisdom Within Counseling, we are a group of creative therapists. Children and adults with autism receive creative, holistic expressive outlets. For instance, yoga, art, music, and outdoor nature therapies offer outlets for stress. Sometimes, children with ASD don’t want to talk traditionally. Anger, anxiety and worry can be released through holistic, creative therapies.
How are food sensitivities addressed with a creative autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct?
As well, children and teenagers with autism spectrum disorder may have eating sensitivities. Sometimes, textures like seeds on a strawberry feel odd on the tongue. Furthermore, picky eating, food habits that are unusual, and eating only certain foods are trademarks of autism.
Body special awareness is challenging for children with ASD
As well, children and teenagers with autism lack body coordination. Like children with special needs, children with autism can be clumsier or lack social awareness. Sometimes, there is aggressive behavior both with themselves and others. Children with autism sometimes will hurt their own body, or play very roughly with others or pets. To add, some children and teenagers with autism have repetitive behaviors like hand flapping, jumping, or twirling. In anger, these can become aggressive like head banging.
How can working with an autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct help with emotional meltdowns around transitions?
Specific routines and rituals are very important for children with autism. However, anything that does not go as planned can create a huge emotional meltdown for a child with autism. Even getting to school five minutes late can cause a huge meltdown.
To begin, use the pink button below to learn more about working with an autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct.
At school, it can be challenging for a child with autism to make friends and communicate.
Frequently, there is a difficulty with social interaction. With autism, behavioral challenges and disruptions in the classroom are common. As a parent, you might be getting calls from your child’s principal. And, your child may be demonstrating poor behavior. Sometimes, teachers need the help of a professional therapist. Having a therapist on the team can help your child with autism from becoming labeled as a bad child by the school.
How is eye contact essential for social connection?
As well, children and adults with autism avoid eye contact. In counseling, working with a therapist can help improve eye contact and friendship skills. To add, children and adults with autism often have a sensitivity to sound, lights, and sensory stimulation. Sometimes, eye contact is broken because a child doesn’t know what to say. Other times, eye contact is just not a primary focus of a child with ASD.
Mental health issues cooccur with ASD
Meeting with a holistic autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct can help reduce anxiety and depression alongside autism symptoms
Anxiety, worry, and hyper sensitivity can go along with autism. Naturally, children and adults with autism will not seek emotional Comfort from other people. Instead, children and adults with autism don’t know how to reach out socially. Often, loss like deaths in the family really hit a teenager with ASD hard. For instance, a teen with ASD needs even more positive coping strategies to deal with intense feelings. Teenagers with autism may also exhibit self harm in times of stress. Also, skin picking, impulsivity, or repetitive actions are noticeable in ASD. To add, teenagers with autism are just as prone to substance and alcohol use disorders. Peer pressure, drinking, and drugs are just as addictive to someone with ASD.
If you know a child or an adult with autism that would like help improving their social skills and building hygiene tools with others, feel free to share information.
To begin, use the pink button below to learn more about working with an autism counseling specialist in Old Saybrook, Ct.
In Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Wisdom Within Counseling offers holistic, creative support services for children with autism and special needs.
Using creative art therapy, play therapy, and yoga therapy, children with autism receive many ways of communicating feelings. Often, children with autism may also have communication issues. For instance, play therapy could include reading a book about emotions or going outdoors. As well, going outdoors helps children and teenagers with ASD feel a release. For a teenager, going for a walk and talk therapy session can be calming. For example, taking a session in the sunshine can be a lifelong coping skill outside of counseling.
What is the biggest challenge in the treatment of ASD?
Children with autism often do not receive services soon enough. As well, families often do not receive necessary support services. When it comes to raising a child with autism, parental support and sibling support is very important. To add, parents and siblings can become emotionally exhausted with a child who has special needs. So, when a child has special needs, extra parental and family support in therapy is essential.
Ways to stay a healthy parent when raising a child with ASD
For parents, it is important to avoid alcohol and drugs as a form of stress relief. Now, it might feel that at the end of your day, using drugs or alcohol can help you feel relief. However, alcohol and drugs only worsens the family stress. So, if you are a parent of a child who has special needs, stress management is key. Frequently, alcoholism and drug addiction or more common in parent of children with special needs. As well, take the time to seek professional counseling for yourself. So, if you feel exhausted, find time to prioritize your mental health.
How can sibling and family therapy be helpful for autism spectrum disorder?
As well, child therapy and teen therapy for siblings of children with special needs can be helpful. For example, a sibling can see one therapist on the team at Wisdom Within Counseling. And, your child who has an autism disgnosis, can see another therapist on the team here. In Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Wisdom Within Counseling offers creative, playful autism therapy. For instance, art, yoga, music, and outdoor therapies provide self-esteem tools. And, we offer a language beyond words in play therapy sessions for siblings to release stress.
What can you do today to feel calmer and at peace?
As a parent and for your child with autism, make sure to have whole foods, colorful, balanced meals. To add, regular exercise and yoga will also be very helpful in balancing your mood. And, movement tools help your child with emotional regulation. As well, bringing your child with autism to karate or baseball can be great for their stress level. Being outside and breathing the fresh air as well as playing on a team can be good for social connections. Lastly, we recommend professional family therapy and counseling for anyone with a child who has ASD. Often, for children with ASD, lifelong counseling can be very helpful.
