This guest article from YourTango was written by Frank Medlar.



To put it mildly, that’s stressful.


Emotions drive our physiology, including our brain function. Stressful emotions drive our brains into chaos, making it difficult to focus, remember things, perceive what’s in front of us, and think of what to say. But there’s a flip side — positive emotions drive our brains into coherence, improving attention, memory, perception, and communication. This is true for all of us, whether we’re on the autism spectrum or not.

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It is encouraging to learn that when researchers at the Yale School of Medicine gave young people with autism the hormone oxytocin (called “the love hormone” because of its role in maternal bonding), there were measurable increases in brain function in areas associated with processing social information.


3 Tips to Help Someone with Autism


1. Start small, go slow, think big.

Autism is a developmental delay, not a life sentence. Expect that they can go beyond their limitations, but never push them there. Don’t fight small battles; let them be where they are, and just take time to look for small victories. Each one is a big deal.

2. Fill your own positive, emotional gas tank.

Stress is also a huge problem for parents of autistic children. Put this power to work for you first. Practice self-care. Give yourself lots of empathy. Then let love fill you and radiate to your child. It will be the power their emotional muscles will grow into.

3. Teach them that positive emotions are our greatest source of power.

Our real power comes from the heart. That’s where we become the person we can be and learn how to connect with other people. Reflect their feelings to help them learn to do the same. If your child has a special interest, help them distinguish the positive feelings it gives them. They can learn to self-generate those feelings and use that power to overcome challenges.

Nothing will fill your heart with joy like when your autistic child, teen, or young adult lovingly expresses what is in their heart to others. Help them past their anxiety, and they’ll find the way.

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