Finding That Special Gift For That Special Child
With all of the advances in medical science and research, the origins and cures for several childhood disorders, such as autism, still continue to elude the medical detectives. What is definitely known about autism is that it is a neurological disorder which usually affects the processing, integrating, and organizing of information in the brain, causing the child to have problems with communication, social interaction, functional skills, and educational performance.
It may be difficult for parents, friends and relatives to understand what is going on inside the child’s mind and what type of toys or activities would be enjoyable, stimulating, and help to enhance the abilities and progression of the child. It’s really no different choosing a toy for an autistic child than it is for any child, however, here are a few helpful things to keep in mind:
- Try to find a toy or gift that will be fairly unbreakable. Selecting toys made of wood, metal, or heavy plastic.
- For younger children, obviously get something that doesn’t have any small pieces that could be ingested, become stuck in their throat, or hurt other parts of their body.
- Find toys that can be played with both when the child is wanting to be alone, or with other people, allowing for social integration with the child.
- Purchase toys that are appropriate for the child’s developmental age, not necessarily their chronological age.
- Learn about the likes and dislikes of the child. It is even safe to say that autistic children can be somewhat “obsessive” with certain colors, patterns, or toys that help them repeat a certain sound or action over and over, so it is good to buy toys that will appeal to them for this purpose as well. Any toys or large-pieced games that form patterns or lines are great.
- Lego’s for older children and Duplo’s for younger children are an excellent gift since the multiple parts can be assembled (these building systems are different from other toys or games that just have tons of little pieces which are not necessarily utilized). Depending upon the child’s imagination, many autistic children enjoy creating different types of shapes and thoroughly enjoy the assembly process.
- Find out what kind of movies or shows the child likes to watch. Getting them a video can be a terrific gift.
- Fixations with clothes or shoes is also very typical, so buying a pair of shoes or getting the kind of clothes they like will also make for good gift giving.
- Items that can be used indoors and provide exercise are also good gifts, like a stationary bike (a previously owned one can be inexpensive).
- There are many different type of affordable toy computers on the market that teach math, reading, spelling, etc. Try to find one that has multi-sensory components which allow the child to not only learn, but to be creative as well.