How much do you love to get a hug?

You see we often seek pressure in a variety of ways to calm ourselves and cope with emotional or sensory overload.

But hugging an autistic child can be quite something different as I’m sure you have found out.

Have you ever wondered how to hug your Autistic Child and get the responses that both of you need?

Well here are the top 8 things that you need to know about hugging your autistic child.

1. Hugging your autistic child can cause more distress than it was obviously meant to cause.
I know this sounds horrible, but your Autistic child does not understand what is happening.

2. Autistic children or adults are often unable to communicate their needs by indicating a particular amount or length of pressure.
So when you are hugging your autistic child this can really be quite ineffective and can actually a negative effect.

3. The simple hug can be both distressing and frustrating for your autistic child.
Imagine not being able to communicate what it is you need and it being forced on you by someone who will not let it be, that’s pretty much what it can feel like, so be careful and understanding.

4. Autistic children sometimes crave pressure to help calm anxiety. This is very important, but how can we do this when we are distressing them all the time with our hugs.

5. Allowing Your Autistic Child To Control The Pressure of A Hug Can Work Wonders
This is enabling them to do and give what they want while still experiencing the feelings that they need to achieve.

6. You don’t have to give your autistic child the hug they need
Something that acts in a similar way can be used; a lady that has Autism has created what is called ‘The Hugging Machine’.

7. You can wrap your child in a blanket
This will allow them to control the pressure that they need also. Blankets act as a barrier to squeezing and can give your autistic child the freedom that they need when entering into such an act.

8. Children with ASD sometimes react better with Mechanical devices
Great work is actually being carried out which will be able to have the devices tailored to the needs of the specific autistic child.

These kinds of positive steps forward with your Autistic child can make you see a much brighter future. But that’s only a small tip of what is available to help your autistic child.

You see, it does not matter where you live, who you know, what you believe in, or even who you voted for in the election. You are part of a community, part of a select group of people who can join together to combat the confusion and frustration associated with having an autistic child.

I personally don’t agree with all of methods that people have created for child autism, but I agree with the message that they are trying to give to the world (our community). They are giving us freedom, joy, happiness, and hope for the future …

Those are ideas we can *all* get behind.

What really makes me hopeful is that you are educating yourself in what needs to be done, this will in turn give you the knowledge to make proper decisions in relation to your autistic child.

Thomas Stewart is a full time internet author who specializes in Childhood Autism. Along with his unconventional and often controversial ideas his work will bring you to a new place of knowledge when it comes to starting on a path to recovering from autism.
You can pick up his FREE e-Course & Find out more about Thomas at http://www.Autism-LaidBare.com

Our school systems cannot fund one-on-one assistance to our children as we pack 20-30 into a classroom. Our teach attrition rates are 50% in the first five years alone in the public school system. Each year more autistic children are born and they need 1:1 special therapy, but with funding the way it is today in our schools that is highly unlikely in happening anytime soon.

One parent writes in an email;

“As you can imagine, school districts, such as mine, do not want to pay for any 1:1 intervention, claiming that their programs are more than satisfactory. And if they do employ some 1:1 time, it is usually with an aide who often lacks the experience and capability to facilitate lessons. In New Jersey, districts only have to provide an “appropriate program” — a very subjective term. The proposed school program is indeed appropriate if the goal is to have my son in a group home upon my death.”

You can certainly see the issues involved in supporting our autistic children and the need to better educate now to save money later. This same argument could be applied to mentoring of kids at risk, to prevent them from getting into gangs, drugs, crime and costing society a lot more in the future. Most people can see this dilemma and the funding issues in our schools and the training required to properly help our autistic children along, as they are a huge asset to our civilization and scientists are just starting to learn that as well. Consider all these points and think on this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a group of serious developmental problems caused by a problem in the brain of a young child. ASD appears usually before the age of 3 and lasts throughout a person’s life, early recognition and treatment will positively change the severity of the disorder. All forms of Autism affect the ability to communicate and interact with other people. We still don’t know what causes this disorder or how to prevent and cure it. Early treatment, however, can make an enormous difference.

Autism signs and symptoms are seen in crucial developmental places. A child with Autism can have social interaction problems, as well as problems with language and behavior. Difficulty learning, or learning in a non conventional way can also be a sign. The child may also have a difficult time paying attention or reacting to something. Signs of Autism are seen in infancy and childhood.

Signs of Autism in a social setting can be: a child showing little or no acknowledgment to their name being called, not wanting to make eye contact, not hearing you at times, not wanting to cuddle or be held (or only wanting to when they feel like it), no consideration of other’s feelings, affinity for solitude, and difficulty in expressing their feelings.

Language: Starts talking later than other children, loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences, does not make eye contact when making requests, speaks in an abnormal tone or rhythm, can’t start a conversation or keep one going, may repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn’t understand how to use them, has trouble expressing their needs.

Behavior: repeat actions over and over again, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping, develops specific routines or rituals, becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals, moves constantly. They also may be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car, may be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain, not pointing at objects of interest (point at an airplane flying over).

If your child loses a skill at any age, call your doctor right away. Ask to be referred to a developmental pediatrician. Being proactive as quickly as possible will be the key to making a difference.

Don’t feel as if you have to master parenting alone. There are lots child development resources available. Go to parentinginformed.com and browseall the topics on parenting, you may just find what you have been looking for!