MaternalModule06Discussion.docx

Toddlers have behavioral characteristics that often present challenging situations for parents and/or caregivers.

Describe challenges parents and/or caregivers would encounter with these specific characteristics.

· Temperament

· Nutritional Barriers

· Hygiene,

· Activity

· Sleep

Describe challenges parents and/or caregivers would encounter with these specific characteristics. · Temperament · Nutritional Barriers

Introduction

Parenting a child with autism is a challenge. You have to be aware of their unique needs, and also learn how to adapt your own behavior so you can better interact with them. As parents, it’s important to know what your kid’s temperament is like and how that affects their moods, eating habits, and other behaviors.

One thing we should mention is physical differences between those with autism and those without—like the fact that children with ASD tend to have lower muscle mass than typically developing kids. While this may seem like nothing more than a small detail (and one that won’t impact how you parent), it actually matters quite a bit when it comes down to certain activities or therapies like swimming lessons or gym classes where muscle tone is key!

Temperament

Temperament is a very broad term that can include any number of different personality traits, including the ability to be easily upset or sad.

Children with this characteristic may be difficult to understand, as they often act in ways that you don’t expect them to act. They might not respond as quickly as other children (or adults) would and they might have trouble remembering what you say or do after one interaction with you has ended.

They also tend to be unpredictable when it comes to their emotions–sometimes happy and smiling one moment, then crying over seemingly nothing later on; sometimes angry but then suddenly laughing at something funny; sometimes quiet and reserved one minute, then bursting into laughter during playtime recess; etc., etc., etc…

Even though these kids have their upsets from time-to-time, there are usually ways around them if you know how!

Nutritional Barriers

• Difficulty swallowing. Many children with autism have difficulty swallowing, and this can cause them to choke when they eat. This can lead to choking hazards if the child is at risk of aspiration (inhaling food matter into lungs).
• Difficulty chewing food properly. Some children with autism have difficulty chewing and therefore don’t get enough nutrients from their diets. They may also be more likely to choke on foods that are difficult to chew or swallow because they aren’t able to chew them properly or don’t know how much liquid should go into each bite of food (which makes it harder for them).
• Problems with taste, smell, texture and temperature preferences in foods as well as overall attitude toward eating/treating yourself well!

Parenting a child with autism is a challenge.

Parenting a child with autism is a challenge. The challenges of parenting include:

• Understanding the needs of your child and their strengths, weaknesses and preferences.
• Understanding how you can help your child meet those needs.
• Identifying what is going wrong or right in order to make improvements as needed (i.e., if they are having issues they may need more structure).
• Helping them learn how to communicate effectively and appropriately with others–including family members who may not understand autism spectrum disorders yet!

Conclusion

Autism is defined as a developmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased in recent years and affects approximately 1 in 68 children according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).