Coping with Stress while Caring for a Child with Autism

Human beings are biologically designed to love and take care of their offspring. A diagnosis like Autism can be a hard fact to accept but it seldom changes the natural feeling of parents towards their child. Despite this natural programming, raising a child with autism may sometimes overwhelm you. When you see your child struggling with things that other children of her age enjoy, you can feel pained. Sometimes judgmental and baseless statements of people around you can make you frustrated and even depressed. Here we intend to share some strategies to help you cope with the stress you may feel while caring for a child with Autism.

Embrace Your Emotions

It is completely okay for you to feel disheartened or sad about your child’s condition. You don’t become a bad parent for being sad. Several research and studies have concluded that a mother of an autistic child is more prone to get distressed in comparison to children with other developmental disorders. If you find yourself struggling with your emotions you should seek professional help like counseling and psychotherapy. Accepting your emotions is the first step towards living a stress-free life and giving your child the proper care. Ignoring or suppressing emotions leads to anger and frustration. The last thing you’ll want is to vent your frustration on your child.

Make Time for Yourself

It might sound counter-intuitive when your child needs extra time and care as compared to other children of her age. But, it is more important for parents with an autistic child to take care of themselves, emotionally as well as physically. You need to stay fit for giving your child the special care they need. Ask for help from your family, friends or relatives to make some time for yourself. You’ll find most of the people around you will happily lend a hand. Every child and every family is different so we cannot create a universal routine. You’ll have to figure out how you can carve out a little time for yourself or your hobbies. Little time spent on nurturing yourself can boost your energy level many folds.

Keep Yourself Open for Healthy Discussions about Your Child’s Condition

Human beings are termed as ‘social creatures’ for a reason. We are not designed to live in isolation. You should not shut yourself off from social connections. Many parents of disabled children try to avoid people who ask questions about their child’s condition. That’s not the right thing to do. You should avoid toxic people in any condition but keep yourself open for healthy discussion about your child’s condition. You might get some valuable information or feedback to help you tackle your life-situations better. Sometimes simply sharing your problem can clear your mind and make you feel relaxed. If you think people around you are not the right persons with whom you can have healthy dialogue then you should take the help of a formal social support system that includes doctors, psychologists, councilors, social workers, special teachers etc.

Focus on the Bright Side

A child with autism does not bring only stress to her parents. When you pay attention to your child, you’ll find many precious moments full of laughter and love. Play with your child and immerse yourself in the game without worrying what other people think about you or your child. When taking care of your child you’ll realize that your child is just different – she can learn everything but has her unique way of learning and doing things. An autistic child finds it hard to get comfortable with everybody she meets but she will shower her love on her parents and those in her close circle. When you shift your focus on the bright sides of your child you will automatically feel less stressed. You should celebrate all your child’s achievements however small it is.

Keeping yourself stress-free will lead you as well as your child to a better and happy life. You should remember that stress can only increase your problem and can never help you in any way. So, try to keep yourself and others around you as happy as you can.