Being a new mom means learning new things, from changing a diaper and soothing a crying baby to figuring out how best to parent a child with ASD autism.
An autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis isn’t something I ever expected to hear, but it’s something we’ve all learned to live with.
Here are six things I learned about ASD as a new mom.
Photo by Xavier Mouton Photographie on Unsplash
Table of Contents
There’s a lot of Propaganda To Unlearn
First, let me clear the air — this will not be one of those “*insert things here* causes autism” posts.
There are plenty of them out there, blaming everything from the MMR vaccine to taking Tylenol during pregnancy (which, if you’ve ever been pregnant, you know, is the ONLY painkiller we’re allowed to take!), so I won’t add to the propaganda.
That said, there’s a lot of this crap that’s been trickling into our ears for years, so it’s essential to take the time to unlearn all of the misinformation they’ve been feeding us.
The Terminology is Changing
Years ago, you might hear someone with ASD referred to as ‘high-functioning’ if they were able to cope easily with challenges of daily life or ‘low-functioning’ if they showed some behaviors that are often considered stereotypical of ASD like meltdowns or difficulties with communication.
The problem is that these labels are too broad and don’t encompass the spectrum of potential ASD diagnoses.
Other formerly accepted diagnostic terms, such as Asperger’s Syndrome, have also been abandoned in favor of the more accurate ASD diagnosis.
Additionally, it’s named for a doctor who supported the eugenics movement in Nazi-occupied Vienna during World War II.
While he was never directly a part of the Nazi party, Asperger contributed to the deaths of many disabled children.
Explore Therapy Options
If you have a little one who receives an ASD diagnosis, you might find yourself overwhelmed with options when it comes to ensuring they get the best care.
Many children with ASD struggle in unfamiliar environments, making it challenging to take them to a therapist’s office.
Instead, consider in-home therapy options such as applied behavior analysis (ABA).
Your appointments take place in your home, so your child is in familiar surroundings.
ABA therapy helps by replacing harmful behaviors with positive alternatives, giving your child the tools to better understand and interact with the world around them.
Skip the Baby Talk
We’re all guilty of baby talking with our kids now and then. They’ve even given it an official name — parentese.
One of the earliest signs of ASD in children is a reduced reaction to this baby talk.
While you’re not going to have entire intellectual conversations with your infant or toddler, focus on using full words — even if the tone or octave is a little different — rather than just babbling at them.
Make sure you’re pausing to give your little one a chance to respond.
It should be a conversation, not a monologue.
It Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum
ASD might be the primary diagnosis, but psychological comorbidities are common.
That’s a fancy way of saying that individuals with ASD often experience other mental illnesses simultaneously.
Studies show that up to 92% of children with autism live with conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), anxiety or other behavioral issues.
It’s essential to be aware of these other comorbidities, so you can be prepared for the challenges that might come with them.
Seeking a Diagnosis
The number of autism diagnoses has skyrocketed in the last 20 years, climbing 787% between 1998 and 2018. It’s not just kids and teenagers receiving a diagnosis.
A growing trend is seeing parents of autistic children seeking their own diagnosis.
While we don’t know precisely what causes ASD, new science suggests that genetic factors can play an enormous role in receiving that diagnosis — meaning one or both parents carries the genetic markers for ASD.
Some may have it as a recessive trait, so they don’t experience any signs or symptoms of autism.
Others are receiving an ASD diagnosis as an adult, which for many explains a lot of the struggles they had growing up.
I’m not saying that everyone with an autistic child should seek an official diagnosis.
Still, the information is trending significantly since most of us grew up in a generation where mental illness wasn’t discussed and things like ASD and ADHD were only things boys got diagnosed with.
Our understanding of these conditions isn’t perfect, but it’s advanced dramatically in the last two decades.
Looking Forward
This list isn’t even close to exhaustive.
Even with everything I’ve learned about ASD as a new mom, there is still so much more for me to know.
If you’re trying to do your own research about ASD, make sure you’re sourcing your information from sites that support autistic individuals rather than those like autism Speaks that treat it like a disease to be cured.
