Your Care Instructions

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder. It affects a person's behaviour. And it makes communication and social interactions hard.

Behaviour and symptoms can range from mild to severe. The type of symptoms your child has and how severe they are varies. For example, your child might prefer to play alone and avoid eye contact. Or your child may be late to develop social or verbal skills.

Children with ASD may do things because of a need for sameness or routines. For example, your child may rock their body. Or you may notice that your child gets attached to objects or repeats certain rituals and routines.

Some children with ASD need help in most parts of their lives. Others may learn social and verbal skills and lead independent lives as adults. They may be able to do things like go to university and have a job. Finding and treating ASD early has helped many children who have ASD to lead full lives.

ASD now includes conditions that used to be diagnosed separately. These include:

• Autism.
• Asperger's syndrome.
• Pervasive developmental disorder.

You or your doctor might use any of these terms to describe the condition.

How can you care for your child at home?

• Build your child's confidence and skills. Use rules, daily routines, and visual aids such as written schedules. And try role-playing to practice social situations. Children with ASD like specific rules and consistent expectations. Help your child take things they learn and apply them in different settings. For example, if your child learned how to count money in school, have them use that skill to pay for something at the grocery store.
• Focus on your child's strengths. Encourage your child to explore interests at home and at school. And stay informed about what happens in your child's classroom.
• Encourage your child to learn how to interact with people. Explain why this is important. Give lots of praise, especially when they use a social skill without prompting.
• Contact your school district to find out what special services your child can be a part of.
• Learn as much as you can about ASD. Talk to others about it. The more that teachers, your child's peers, and other people learn, the better they can help and support your child.
• Some children with ASD also have other conditions. They may have anxiety, depression, ADHD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. So they may need medicine. Have your child take medicines exactly as prescribed. Call the doctor if you have any problems with your child's medicine. You will get more details on the specific medicines the doctor prescribes.
• Plan for your child's future. As your child gets older, think about where your adult child will live or go to university. Think about what training and job resources they may need. When a child with ASD becomes an adult, they are still eligible for certain services, but will have to request or apply for them. As an adult, they will have to ask for what they need themselves. But you can take steps now to help make sure that your child will have proper care and resources throughout life.