Posted by Becca Larsen on Dec.07, 2009

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Neurological differences leading to autism, learning disorders and attention disorders are often lifelong conditions, particularly given medical science’s limited understanding of the conditions’ underlying physiology. Interventions can reduce the impact of a difference, and in many cases make the differences barely noticeable as they age, but vestiges of the old issues can pop up throughout life, particularly in times of high stress. Encouraging your child to adapt to a difference eases their path through life.

Foster Lifelong Adaptation Early

Each child is unique and deserves recognition for his individuality.  Celebrate every little move forward in your plan. Celebrate with a few words or a special meal. All that’s important is the child feels the positive reinforcement of recognition. Keep record of progress to be able to look back and gain encouragement when progress seems slow. Eventually your paradigm will change to recognize the strength of what is termed by society as a disability.  Find an outlet to showcase and use your child’s strengths.

Highlight the Positive in Their Difference

Using neutral language to explain and discuss a child’s difference allows you and the child to see their situation as a potential source of strength, not simply a disability. Rather than focusing on what a child can or can’t do with their disability, the focus turns to making them aware of how they do what they do. What is classically called “distractability” when dealing with ADHD, a child might learn to see as “paying attention in short bursts.” Such self-awareness allows them to work with themselves, not against their natural inclinations just so they wedge themselves imperfectly into a social mold.

Find the Strengths in Their Differences

These conditions allow people to see the world differently. They naturally “think outside the box.” While this may be a hinderance in a traditional public school classroom, once the child is out of academics and in a career, such unorthodox thinking can be an asset. In many jobs, the effects of autism, learning disorders and attention disorders can actually be beneficial.

Autistic children flourish in jobs with plenty of structure and repetition, such as piano tuning, painting, dishwashing, and assembly work. Autistic adults can even thrive as business owners. For a depiction of the benefits of autism in the workplace, read The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon.

ADHD children excel in high-energy work such as waiting tables and barkeeping. A child aware that he pays attention in short bursts can aim for jobs that don’t require long-term concentration, and may find suitable careers in many fields. The nonprofit group Attention Deficit Disorder Resources has helpful hints for assessing ADHD-friendly jobs.

The wide range of effects of a learning disorder means there isn’t one “perfect” field for those affected by learning differences. A child who is familiar with how her learning disorder affects her working style can look toward careers that emphasize strengths and minimize difficulties. Those with Auditory Processing Disorder may find success telecommuting, where they work from home and have total control over the noise level in their environment, and instructions are conveyed in writing instead of spoken. If a person’s learning disorder profoundly affects their writing, they might look for jobs with a lot of personal interaction and minimal writing.

Previous installments discussed discovering that your child is different, whether because of autism, learning disorder or attention disorder, interventions to help the child, and how to discuss a child’s difference in a neutral way.
Click here to read about Discovery
Click here to read about Intervention
Click here to read about Explanations

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Posted under Family, GDM Kids, Tweens, Teens.