Exploring different therapies

As parents of our autistic babies, we need to be well informed about all the different kinds of therapies out there.  But please do not get overwhelmed.  Have an understanding of what they all entail and make an informed decision as to which would apply to your child or which you think your child would benefit from.

I will list some common ones and some therapies that are being tested and explored to see if they will work and which will become available.  Even the common therapies are still very new and undergoing many changes.

• Speech therapy – many autistic children struggle with communication skills. And while you don’t necessarily have to use speech therapy, it is important to find a method to help your child communicate.  This may look like sign language, spell 2 communicate, devices that assist with language and PECS.  Communication doesn’t just have to look like using traditional speech, although obviously that is what we would dearly want for our children.  The important thing is for them to be able to communicate and make their needs known.  Then you can work from there.
• Occupational therapy – OT helps children develop skills needed for daily activities such as fine motor skills, sensory integration and self-care tasks. Our babies’ brains work a little differently than ours so they need help in doing the “simplest” things.  In order for them to get to independence, this is a needed therapy.
• Applied Behavior Analysis – ABA focuses on improving behaviours by using positive reinforcement techniques. It’s often used to teach new skills and reduce challenging behaviours.  Now there has been a lot of publicity around this therapy and it is for you to use your discretion if it will work for your child.

Exploring Different Therapies

We tried it, but Max did not like it at all and it caused him a lot of anxiety.  However, there are children it has worked for.  Just like all practitioners there are good ones and not so good ones.  It is also very pricey, but that does not mean that it is the best for your child.  So do a bit of research and also be very clear as to what you want the outcome to be for your child.  Remember your children are who they are and some of their “odd” behaviours are for self-regulation and trying to get them to stop is not necessarily the best thing for your child.

• Social Skills Training – This therapy focuses on teaching social skills and understanding social cues, which can be very challenging for autistic children.
• Sensory Integration Therapy – sensory issues are very common in autism. This therapy helps children better process and respond to sensory information.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – can help autistic children manage anxiety, cope with transitions and address other mental health challenges.
• Relationship Development Intervention – focuses on improving social and emotional connections between autistic children and their families and peers.
• Play Therapy – uses play activities to help children express themselves, develop social skills and cope with emotions.

Some future therapies that are being explored include:

• Technology-Assisted Interventions – They are exploring how technology, such as virtual reality or digital apps can be used to deliver therapy in novel ways, making it more engaging and accessible to our children.
• Biomedical Interventions – which includes investigating the role of gut health, inflammation and immune function in autism, leading to exploration of dietary interventions, probiotics and other biomedical approaches that may compliment traditional therapies.
• Animal-assisted Therapy – while this is not new, there’s growing interest in this potential benefit for our children. Therapy dogs and horses can support social skills development and emotional well-being.  We are doing horse therapy and it has made a huge difference in calming Max down.
• Early Intervention Strategies – there is a lot of emphasis on early intervention and identifying signs of autism as early as possible. This includes research into screening tools and interventions designed for infants and toddlers at risk of autism.
• Personalised and precision therapies – with advances in genetics and neuroscience, there’s increasing interest in tailoring interventions to individual characteristics and needs.

Information about exploring different therapies

This information is not here to overwhelm you, it is just information.  Right now you may be dealing with the following issues in your babies:  potty training, picky eating, undesirable behaviours like aggression and communication or maybe all of them at once.  You may also be dealing with emotional issues yourself and while we always want to do what is best for our children, our emotional health is actually the priority right now.  If this is you, please reach out.

Know this – there is light at the end of the tunnel.  You can have a wonderful, fun, thriving life with a very happy autistic child.  It is possible.

Till next week.

A

Xxx

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