Jul 13 2008
Dealing with autism and preparing for social events.
Social encounters can be a challenge when a child with autism is involved. Further complications arise when a sibling without autism is affected by the repercussions social events present when their autistic sibling’s actions end a social event early due to behavioral issues.
What can you as a parent of a child with autism and a child NT do to prevent resentment because of these inevitable encounters? Prepare.
Your preparation can enable your NT children to not be affected by early termination of social activities. If you have good relations with friends who are willing to keep an eye out for your NT child(ren) while you deal with the complications that inevitably arise with your child with autism, then they can still engage in social activities even though their sibling has to leave.
One of the most difficult aspects of growing up with a sibling with autism is exclusion from social activities because of behavioral issues that their sibling with autism encounters during social events…
Parents can prepare for social events by assuming that there will be an issue with the child with autism and plan a course of action that does not exclude siblings from social events and allows them to deal with the repercussions of autism.
Just got it once! A back up plan or a plan b and c are critical if the real possibility exists for problems.