Community Resources to Help With Autistic Children
Parents who have a child that has been diagnosed as having autism or having disorders that are within the spectrum of autism will be heartened to know that there are more and more support groups in their communities that are focused on being a support to them and their children. Some examples follow.
One organization taking the lead in this is the Autism Society of America. Their goal is to help improve the lives of those affected by autism and those that are their caregivers. What does this include? It means having a network of people that may begin with large national partners but reaches down into smaller groups within the community that are working to make the public more aware of the needs of autistic individuals.
These workers are there as advocates for the wide range of services that may be needed to help them find their full potential in functioning well within their social environment. They form work groups that assist in training children with autism to improve their language and behaviour skills. They can help find employment for people with autistic disabilities. They keep families up to date with the latest in medical research and advancement in treatments. And they are there to listen and give support through the tough times. By visiting their site on line families are able to get more information and find chapters that are close to their community. (www.autism-society.org)
The POAC or Parents of Autistic Children (www.poac.net) was formed in 1999 and focuses on the here and now of helping parents to keep up to date with the latest in teaching methods for their children. Their goal is to help as well the community at large to understand this disorder and how they can support these individuals. They hope to increase the number of qualified personnel who can specialize in this field. And they work along with health care providers and local school officials to implement workshop groups to help train and teach those afflicted with autism and those caring for them.
In addition to groups that are focused on helping families with younger autistic children to get the training they need to overcome challenges of autism - there are a growing number of colleges that are showing their awareness of the large section of people that are afflicted with varying degrees of this disorder. Some are now offering alternative services to help these young people reach their full potential and further their education. For further information check out www.autism-education.suite101.com
If there does not appear to be a specific organization dealing with autism in your immediate community the National Institute for Health does suggest that local doctors, health maintenance organizations, mental health agencies and medical universities are a few of the avenues open to seek guidance on available treatments and/or groups that can lend support. Added to that is the wealth of information available on line. Of course the key in approaching any problem is to begin by getting as much soundly based knowledge as possible. But an added bonus is the opportunity to communicate with individuals the world over who can offer insight, sound advice and empathy because they will know what you are going through first hand.
