Autism is a developmental disability which starts to present itself in children as young as 12 to 18 months. Children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty communicating, interacting, and socializing, among other problems like difficulty understanding and following instructions.
Autism is a life-long disability, but it shouldn’t be treated like one. With early intervention and treatment, autism can be really controlled. Autistic children who are diagnosed early and receive early treatment often grow up to be smart and well rounded individuals. You wouldn’t believe it, but some of the world’s biggest thinkers and researchers, like Einstein and Isaac Newton, had autism, but their developmental disability didn’t stop them from conquering the world!
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, you shouldn’t wait for the signs to worsen or become more prominent before starting therapy. In fact, giving your child early autism therapy will help him get the best shot at living a regular, healthy life.
Let’s have a look at the many reasons why you should begin autism therapy as soon as your child is diagnosed.
Improve Social Skills
One of the biggest characteristics of autism is difficulty interacting, socializing, and communicating. There’s a reason why we refer to the term as ‘therapy’ instead of ‘treatment.’ There is no cure for autism but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek therapy. The sooner you start therapy, the better it’ll be for your child.
Early intervention can significantly improve the communication and social skills in autistic children. When an autistic child gets therapy early on in their life when the disorder is only minor, the chances that they’ll be able to communicate and socialize as any normal person when they grow up are fairly high!
Prevents the Formation of Bad Habits
Autistic children find it harder to decipher instructions than other children. An autistic child won’t understand what you tell them as well as others and, therefore, won’t be able to respond as efficiently. This means that if they’re engaging in bad behaviour, they’ll continue to do it till it becomes a habit for them. And once they become habitual of bad behaviour, it’ll be nearly impossible for you to correct it.
However, when you start autism therapy early on, you’ll be able to prevent bad behaviour from becoming a habit. They’ll be more well-behaved when they grow up and, therefore, more adept at handling social situations.
Makes Them Independent
An autistic child may become dependent on their caretaker without proper therapy. They won’t be able to communicate their needs at all and might not be able to perform basic day-to-day tasks. But you can change that with early autism therapy.
Early autism therapy makes a child independent. It teaches them how to act around people and how to communicate effectively. This would ensure that when they grow up, they can lead a well-adjusted life.
Improved Quality of Life
If you don’t start autism therapy during the disorder’s early stages, you’ll make your child fully dependent and can do nothing on their own. However, as we’ve explained earlier, early therapy makes them independent and well-behaved and teaches them the right social skills. All of this improves their quality of life. They are made to feel ‘different’ less frequently, eventually ensuring their mental wellbeing.
If you’re looking for a place to start autism therapy for your child or for yourself as a family to deal with the situation better, you can trust Breakfree Psychology Services. We’ve got the best experts that can help you in ways you never imagined you needed help!