Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are disorders that influence the way the brain develops and works. Children with ASD may show signs such as not maintaining eye contact, talking over others and not listening, an obsession with one thing, take things literally, have difficulty making friends, not understand jokes and have poor conversations skills. Diagnosing ASD is not simple, and there isn’t one test that can determine whether your child has ASD. A full assessment by a trained health professional is the only way to determine a diagnosis.
Parents and caregivers can assist children with ASD in some practical ways. Minimizing change and maximizing predictability will help reduce anxiety in a child with ASD. Helping your child break tasks down into small achievable steps can relieve the frustration a lot of children with ASD feel. Helping them to learn about social behaviors and how to form friendship and mostly understand and build on their strengths.
Margaret McDonald is a trained professional clinical psychologist and can assess and diagnose children with ASD. Margaret can also teach you and your child the skills to make day to day life easier. To book an appointment or make enquiries phone 07 3862 8833.
