How to help a child with autism during the war?
Autism is a condition characterised by a comprehensive deficit in social interaction and communication. Children with autism are more sensitive to war and changes around them. Therefore, when you take your child to a shelter, you need to take into account their special needs. For example, take headphones if the sounds are annoying, or a blanket if the child needs to feel sensory protection. A diagnosis of autism means that parents need to be more attentive to their child’s needs and take them out of the war zone as soon as possible.
What is autism? How can you help a child with autism survive a war or a move? Anastasiia Stepula, founder of the “Happy Today” NGO, spoke about this.
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What is the correct way to call children with autism? What is the correct way to address them?
It is correct to address a child with autism by name or in any other way that we address all children. If there is a need to focus on the child’s diagnosis, you should say: “This is Lilya, and she has autism.” The main rule is to want to see a human being in a person and establish contact. Don’t be offended if you give a child a candy and they don’t immediately become your best friend. Perhaps in half an hour, an hour, if you continue to establish contact, this will happen. Maybe it will happen in a week. But there will definitely be contact, because people with autism lack communication. They really want contact, they want to communicate, to be friends.
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How do children with autism perceive the war?
It all depends on each individual child, their level of perception. If the child understands, is in contact with reality, if you have ways to explain what is happening, then they will react to sounds, to the stress of the environment. The reaction in children with autism may be more intense.
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Can children with autism sense the worries of adults?
Children with autism are vulnerable to the states of the people around them. The level of stress, hysteria, fear, and anxiety is passed on very quickly. The child projects it as best as they can. As a result, hysteria, aggression, and nervous breakdowns can occur. That is why it is very important to protect a child from going through the experience of war.
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If a child with autism is left in a war zone, how can stress manifest itself?
You need to be ready for the fact that stress can cause a major regression and bring the child to zero skills and development. After all, such children may not have any coping mechanisms at all.
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How do children with autism cope with moving? How can it be eased when it is extremely important to leave a dangerous area?
You can explain to the child that this is a big journey where adventures await. If the child has led a closed lifestyle, spending all their time at home, it is more difficult because it is a change in their entire world. If possible, you should tell your child about the trip in advance, prepare them. Show pictures, photos, of what exactly awaits the child.
