Leading Autism Expert Dr. Catherine Lord Offers Advice for Families of Autistic Children

Apr 3, 2017

NEW YORK

In recognition of Autism Awareness Month, Dr. Catherine Lord, director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center in collaboration with New York Collaborates for Autism, a professor of psychology in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine  and a national authority on autism spectrum disorders (ASD), offers families guidance and tips for coping with a child’s diagnosis.

  • Have hope. Every day we learn more about how to help people with ASD. Life gets better.
  • Remember that your child is an individual. Your child is first and foremost his or her own unique person, then a child, then a child with strengths and difficulties and only then a child with ASD.
  • Build a strong support system. Find people you can trust to support you as an individual, and then to support you as a parent of a child with autism. Acknowledge that this isn’t easy and give yourself credit for what you do.
  • Find credible sources and resources in your community. You will hear many contradictory and unfounded pieces of information. Stand up for what you think are the needs of your child. Find professionals whom you trust and resources in which you have faith. Don’t be afraid to ask. Other parents can be important sources of information, but every child with ASD is different.
  • Enjoy each other. Do things every day that you and your child can enjoy together. While opportunities for learning are important, shared enjoyment is even more important in a family.
  • Set attainable goals. Set small, reasonable goals for your child and figure out how to accomplish these goals. Have ideas for next steps that aren’t miles down the road.
  • Make time for your partner. Set aside some time, even just a few minutes, to focus on each other and not the child. Listen to each other's needs and perspectives as you consider what you will do for your child.
  • Be involved. Children with ASD who have families that devote time to learning and playing with them show more improvements than families who are less involved.
  • Have reasonable expectations for your child's behavior. Do not let your child do things that you would not let another child of the same age do, such as biting people or climbing on counters. Do not punish, but interrupt quickly, be firm and redirect, offering a distraction.
  • Build on your child and your family’s strengths. Help your child find things she or he loves and use that passion to build experience and/or skills. If your family is passionate about something as a group like music, sports or travel, find a niche for your child in that interest.

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive healthcare delivery networks, focused on providing innovative and compassionate care to patients in the New York metropolitan area and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical school partners, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research and clinical innovation.

NewYork-Presbyterian has four major divisions: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked #1 in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News and World Report and repeatedly named to the magazine’s Honor Roll of best hospitals in the nation; NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network is comprised of leading hospitals in and around New York and delivers high-quality care to patients throughout the region; NewYork-Presbyterian Physician Services connects medical experts with patients in their communities; and NewYork-Presbyterian Community and Population Health features the hospital’s ambulatory care network sites and operations, community care initiatives and healthcare quality programs, including NewYork Quality Care, established by NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell and Columbia.

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the largest healthcare providers in the U.S. Each year, nearly 40,000 NewYork-Presbyterian professionals deliver exceptional care for more than 4 million patient visits.

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