Therapy Tip Series
Several people have asked me to write a post to share
therapy tips. When I sat down to write
out some helpful hints, my mind went crazy!
There is so much I’d like to say! Where does one even start?!
The first thing I want to say is this: I am not your therapist. Well, I might be, or have been, or will be,
but I’m probably not. Therefore, I can’t
treat your child through this blog. I
highly recommend that you find a local speech language pathologist to work with
your child. He or she will complete an
evaluation and come up with a treatment plan that best suits your child’s (and
family’s) needs. Every child is
different, regardless of diagnosis. I
know we are all probably autism parents here, but no two kids on the spectrum
are alike. That means that each child
needs a treatment plan that is tailored to their needs. So, again, find an SLP in your area.
I’d like to start a series where I talk about therapy ideas,
give book recommendations, and all that fun stuff. You’ll have to stay tuned to the blog for
more on that endeavor!
For now, I do have some things I’d like to share, mom to
mom.
You are mom first.
This is something I struggled with initially. I have always known that Colin was different,
so I have always worked with him. I thought,
being a therapist, I had the knowledge and tools to help him. So that’s what I did. Well, I tried, anyway. The therapist in me wanted to seize the day
and take on every moment as a language building opportunity. I was able to do that for a time, but it was
exhausting and wore me down.
Having a child with special needs is hard. You see them struggle, and all you want to do
is help. You see that struggle and that
creates a sense of urgency in yourself.
You want help, like, yesterday.
Your life has become an endless schedule of therapies: speech, OT, PT, music, ABA, Floortime, social
group. You take it upon yourself, life
the amazing momma that you are, to carryover those therapies into your daily
routines. You feel like you have become your child’s therapist! But where does “Therapist” end and “Mom”
begin?
2010 Therapist Deidra
would have given you completely different advice. Here’s the thing though: 2010 Therapist
Deidra did not yet have a son on the spectrum.
The new (and
hopefully) improved 2018 Autism Mom Deidra will tell you this: life is happening. Survival is the most important. Oh, so you didn’t sleep much last night
because your child decided to wake up for the day at 3AM? Just make it through the day, bro.
First and foremost, you are Mom. Love on your babies. If you have other children, don’t forget
about them. “Therapy stuff” can rule
your life if you let it, but your other children will notice if that happens. You are their mom too. “Mom” is, and always will be, your most important
title.
Be in the Moment.
Being in the moment is hard for us autism moms. We don’t get to just chill and enjoy the
moment. We are always calculating,
thinking two steps ahead of our kids.
What’s he going to do
next?
Run?
Scream?
Throw that toy at his
brother’s head?
Steal food off the
stranger’s plate at the restaurant?
Oh, no! He is eyeing that nasty gross something on
the ground, is it going in his mouth?!
You know exactly what I’m talking, right?! We are always in “preparation to strike”
mode. Also worrying about what is going
to happen next and trying to figure out when the next meltdown is coming. I encourage you to just enjoy the good
moments when you get them. Be in this moment and enjoy your child.
I find that we are most successful when we just play.
Remember, play is a child’s work.
Play with them. Enjoy them. Have your moment. I think you’ll be amazed what you can accomplish
with some good ol’ family time.
Work at your child’s
level.
We all mean well and want to help our children….but where do
we even start? This is where you need to
find a professional in your area to help you choose the right goals. You need to know where your child is functioning
before you know what to work on.
So many parents want to start working on colors, shapes, and
letters. Why is that? Well, it’s probably because almost all
children’s toys focus on these concepts!
If your child is nonverbal or has
very few words, these are just not appropriate.
Ask yourself this question:
Does pointing to/naming “triangle”
really help my child communicate with me every day?
Probaby not. So that would not be a functional thing to
work on right now. With our kids on the spectrum,
we often have to back waaay up and
get those foundational communication skills.
That is what I mean by “work
at their level.” If we try to jump too
far ahead, both you and your kid will end up banging your heads against the
wall in frustration.
I know these things might be common sense, but I think we
all need reminded from time to time. I
plan to do give some book recommendations soon, so stay tuned! Best of luck to you as you continue on your
autism journey! We are all in this
together, Mommas!
I am a pediatric speech language pathologist. Please find a therapist near you for tailored-to-your-child communication assistance!
nice psott,hank you
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