I counsel parents and help them understand and choose therapies that are more appropriate for their child. I also help them appreciate why it is important to implement those therapies. Apart from providing support & guidance for families with children on the autism spectrum, I also offer strategies to address behaviour and anxiety issues in children.
Autism is not a life sentence. That’s what I tell parents who come to me after their child’s ‘diagnosis’. It is also what I sincerely believe, and want you to believe.
Autism is a neurological disorder of the brain which can be remediated to a great extent with appropriate stimuli to the brain. Remediation requires a multi-faceted and multi-dimensional approach to the remediation of autism.
Since it is a “spectrum disorder”, there is no single “fit all” solution that can be applied to help all those with ASD.
Why it is Important to Address Behavioural Issues
Children – and even those that may not have any developmental disorders – often exhibit disruptive behaviours such as tantrums, meltdown, lying, uncontrolled anger, indiscipline etc.
It is important to spot these issues and their triggers early on before they get embedded in the personality of the child. Long-term consequences of ignoring such disruptive behavioural patterns can prove to be damaging to the child’s development.
I help parents identify and resolve the core issues leading to specific behavioural concerns, and devise strategies to address them.
My approach towards behaviour related issues is similar to how a physician would manage a recurring fever. While it is important to treat the fever, it is equally critical to investigate the underlying cause of the fever and treat that as well.
Focusing on the specific behaviour may help resolve that over a period of time, but may also lead to development of other behaviour-related issues. Understanding the WHYs of a behavioural issue is thus very important. Which is why I help parents get to the core of the behaviour and work upon it.
Don’t Ignore Anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion most commonly marked by worrying thoughts, a feeling of tension, increased heart rate etc. Experiencing small amounts of anxiety is considered normal. However, if anxiety starts getting in the way of daily life, it is a cause for concern.
An anxious child is not a happy child, and cannot be a successful child. Today, many children feel stressed and suffer from anxiety due to peer pressure, burden of expectations, performance worries, large workload from school, etc.
I help parents recognize anxiety in the child, understand its core underlying causes, and the changes that take place in the brain when the child gets anxious. I then work with the parents to develop simple strategies that help child overcome his/her anxiety.
Autism Conversations with Rashmi 