Foreword
Dear Parent(s),
This webpage is meant to help you avoid the tragic mistakes so many well-meaning parents, teachers, and language therapists make with autistic children. What’s at stake, of course, is your child’s future as an independent well-functioning adult. If you are to give him or her every chance at that future, first, you need to know what stands in the way.
Mistake #1: Delaying Intervention[edit]
As soon as the first symptoms appear, your race against time begins. In Chapter 1, I will explain the critical period for acquiring combinatorial language in the life of any child. I will also show you the extra work your child’s brain needs to accomplish within the same period and why it cannot do so without your constant help and guidance. You will understand why every hour counts.
Mistake #2: Wrong Intervention[edit]
Even more common than waiting for the child to ”outgrow” autism on his own is wasting precious time on questionable therapies. In Chapter 2, I will give you simple games and activities that will help your child overcome the specific barriers to learning he is facing.
Mistake #3: Sitting in Front of a Screen[edit]
All modern parents are guilty of buying a moment of peace with their toddlers’ favorite videos. What’s the harm? The little brain needs the stimulation, right? Not that kind of stimulation! In Chapter 3, I will explain why a mindless activity, like watching a movie, is “another brick in the wall.” I will give you a never-do list of popular children’s activities and will help you steer your child away from any bad habits he or she has already picked up.
Mistake #4: Overparenting[edit]
Because you and your child will be incredibly busy clearing the way for language skills, some things will have to take a back seat. Table manners, tidiness, and social graces can all be successfully learned a little later in life. In Chapter 4, I will talk about your child’s acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. This will help you avoid unnecessary tantrums and correctly handle the unavoidable ones. In a couple of hours it takes to read this book, you will be on your way to helping your child succeed. You will hear from parents who have accomplished this enormous task. Let them be an inspiration to you.
Dr. Andrey Vyshedskiy, Boston, MA, USA
April 2022