Consider These Lifestyle Changes for Autism

If you have an autistic child and don’t know where to turn for guidance on how to help them thrive in life, we can help.

Our team at  Neighborhood Pediatrics in Shenandoah, Texas, has expertise in autism, in addition to years of experience helping parents just like you. 

You may be surprised to know that you can play an important role in helping your autistic child gain their independence, self-esteem, and overall happiness.

Although treatments for autism may include therapies, medications, and assistance from school teachers and administrators, helping your child make changes in their lifestyle can be one of the strongest components to giving them the well-functioning life they deserve.

Here’s how you can help:

Nutrition

Let’s start with your child’s diet. Depending on your child’s symptoms, in many cases, diet plays a key role. Research has shown that there’s a link between the gut and autism.

Excluding gluten and casein (proteins in wheat and milk) from an autistic child’s diet has been found to help 25% of autistic children.

When removing these elements from their daily nutrition, their body doesn’t have to struggle to break down the proteins that can cause inflammation in their gut.

Not only does their diet impact their health and success in life, but implementing life skills does, too.

Life skills

As your autistic child grows up, you can help them foster behaviors and practices early on to equip them throughout their life. Your influence and guidance can help them learn and achieve life skills to help them achieve normal, daily routines.

Life skills can help your child know how to manage things like their:

• Health
• Safety
• Living at home
• Transportation
• Relationships
• Recreation
• Socializing

When your child sees these skills played out in front of them and has hands-on experience to learn them, they naturally begin to understand how to function in their environment, which increases their independence. 

How to teach life skills

You can teach life skills at home with these three steps:

1. Know your child’s strengths and difficulties

To clarify the appropriate goals for your child, know your child’s strengths and areas in which they need improvement. Remember to give them encouraging feedback along the way.

1. Be supportive as you teach new skills

Autistic children tend to respond well to visual aids, so feel free to use charts and checklists. Let them check off boxes as they make progress to help them see how well they’re doing.

1. Keep the new skills as part of their routine

The new skills need practice for them to be mastered. Keep the new activities, such as counting money, doing laundry, organizing items, or checking off items throughout the day part of their daily life.

Life skills can give your child what they need to feel confident, which can give them their  independence.

If you have questions about ways to help your child at home, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We have the resources to help you navigate this journey with your child. 

To learn more about how to help your child live their best life, reach out to our caring and compassionate team. Simply click here to make an appointment, or give us a call at 832-843-2049.