Blogs for Parents of Children Who Have Autism

Autism is a developmental disorder that first becomes apparent in early childhood and will affect every aspect of a child’s development. The autism spectrum is a range of neurodevelopment disorders that present themselves through repetitive behavior patterns, difficulty communicating and social impairments. Kids who have autism can fall anywhere along the autism spectrum, and those with more manageable symptoms are usually classified as “high functioning.” Parents of children with autism who are in need of support were once somewhat restricted in their ability to reach other parents with children on the spectrum, but the interactive global community created by the Internet and a legion of bloggers has helped to change that. These 30 blog entries can help you find the information you’re looking for, and can also lead you to your own online support system, which will be important as your child grows.

Dealing with a Diagnosis

Because children often begin exhibiting symptoms of autism in late infancy, but do not obtain a diagnosis until toddlerhood or later, their parents can greet an official diagnosis with feelings ranging from relief to anger and despair. These five blog entries tackle the difficult subject of coping with your child’s autism diagnosis so that you can move forward and be proactive about his treatment.

• 7 Steps for Dealing with Your Child’s Autism Diagnosis
• Coping with the Autism Diagnosis
• My child’s Been Diagnosed as Having Autism – What Do I Do Now?
• Our Autism Diagnosis: Accept or Attack
• And the Diagnosis Is… Autism!

What is Autism?

The autism spectrum includes developmental disorders like Asperger’s syndrome, classical ASD, childhood disintegrative disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, or PDD-NOS. These five blog entries discuss what the autism spectrum is in greater depth, and can help you understand more about what’s happening to your child from a developmental standpoint.

• Is Autism an “Epidemic” or Are We Just Noticing More People Who Have It?
• How is Autism Diagnosed?
• What is PDD-NOS?
• What Is Autism?
• What is Autism?

The Great Autism Cause Debate

Because the causes of autism spectrum disorders aren’t fully understood, there are theories blaming everything from standard childhood vaccines to dietary choices. These five blog entries discuss some of those theories and make for interesting reading. However, parents are cautioned to keep in mind that these theories are just that, and should not take the place of information provided by your child’s doctor.

• Autism Study Implicates Womb Environment
• And the Latest Cause of Autism Is…
• Do Sonograms Cause Autism? New Evidence
• What’s the Real Cause of Autism?
• Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

Schools and Educators

Because diagnoses on the autism spectrum are becoming more common, most public schools do have a basic understanding of children’s needs and development. These five blogs are still great resources for parents who are hesitant to send their child to school, and can help to arm you with the information you need to act as an advocate for him.

• Autism in the Classroom
• Rights at School
• Why Autistic Kids Make Easy Targets for School Bullies
• Help Your Autistic Child Succeed in School
• Back to School Preparation for Children With Autism

Nannies, Babysitters and Childcare Providers

Entrusting your child to a new caregiver can be particularly nerve-wracking, but these five blogs are filled with information that you can pass along to them. These five posts are full of recommended reading for parents and childcare providers of children with autism.

• Child Care Facilities
• Caring for a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Severe Autism
• Behaviour and Discipline Issues for Children with Autism
• Babysitters and Your Special Needs Child
• Caring for a Child with Mid-level Autism

Communication

One of the biggest challenges that parents of children with autism face is learning to communicate with a child that may have difficulty doing so or is downright unresponsive. These five blog entries discuss the various methods of communicating with your child and the stumbling blocks along the way.

• Learn to Speak Your Autistic Child’s Language
• Autism: How Do You Communicate With a Non-Verbal Child?
• Communication & Education Issues
• Communication Emotions with Autistic Children
• How to Talk to a Children with Autism

Source: (http://www.gonannies.com/blog/2012/30-great-blogs-for-parents-of-children-who-have-autism/)