Published on 12, July, 2020
My son is 4 and has just been diagnosed with autism, it wasn't unexpected. He is fully verbal and advanced in some areas but has difficulty with processing emotions, socialising, rigid thought patterns and the concept that others speak and behave different to himself. He is too young to be assessed for ADHD but has many traits of this also.
This has a direct impact on his younger sister who is only 2. She cannot understand, and becomes very upset when her brother is unregulated.
I am seeking advice, guidance and knowledge on how I can support her more emotionally through this process. Any strategies I can use or try also.
She has one on one time with myself and her dad regularly as does her brother, this is very important to all of us and I am conscious that it is very much needed more so because of the struggles we face daily.
Hi NAS93010, We have an advice page here on the NAS site with some advice relating to family relationships including for siblings of autistic children - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/family-life-and-relationships/family-life/siblings - which might be of some use to you. There are links on that page under 'Your next steps' to two organisations that support families of autistic children - Contact and Sibs (which is specically for siblings) - which may be able to help more on this specific issue. Edit: The Sesame Street website also has some online guides and videos about autism aimed at children 1-6. The link to their family page is here - https://sesameworkshop.org/topics/autism/family-connections/ Hope this is of some help, Ross - mod