Spectrum Disorder Autism and the Impact it has on Parents

Autism and the Impact it has on Parents
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Autism and the Impact it has on Parents
The last few years has witnessed an increase in the rate of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). According to reports, one in every 66 Canadian children and adolescent aged five to 17 has autism spectrum disorder. In most cases, autism disorder is detected in the early stages of life. The Canadian government does not have a national autism strategy and as such, parents and teachers play an important role in ensuring that the learning process for children is not affected (Khanlou, 2017).
An autism diagnosis affects both a child and their families. The parents of an autistic child undergo a lot of strain as they have to deal with intricate therapy schedules as well as juggling the responsibilities of taking care of their careers and other commitments. The increased strain brought about by taking care of autistic children has led most mothers with autistic children to rate their mental health as poor. In most cases, children with autism disorder have abnormal behavior and parents have to deal with the embarrassment over their child’s behavior in public. Such parents may also feel isolated and may end up being frustrated when the parenting experience they are experiencing does not match what they had envisioned (Anagnostou et al, 2014).
Research also shows that autism disorder has an impact on the marital status of most families. According to a study by Khanlou (2017), 9.7% of parents with autistic children end up getting divorced as compared to their peers. Since the autistic child has to undergo therapy, most families end up suffering financially. In Canada, private health insurers do not cover for autism treatment, thus forcing the parent to pay from pocket something that might end up straining the family finances (Khanlou, 2017).
Given the enormous strain that parents of children with autism experience, early childhood educators can play a very important role in ea...