People with autism often require support and guidance throughout their lives. This is especially true when it comes to caring for their health. People with autism are at risk of developing mental and physical health issues, often as a result of sensory processing problems or difficulties with social interactions.
However, you can help mitigate these risks by doing your own homework on how best to care for their health. Here are ways you can care for the health of someone with autism:
Help with Physical Activity and Exercise
Physical activity is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. But it can be challenging for people with autism. People with autism often have sensory issues that can make physical activity and exercise difficult.
They may also have issues with social interactions that can make exercising with others challenging. You can help with physical activity and exercise by finding activities that they enjoy.
Help with Medication Adherence
Many people with autism take medication to treat co-morbid conditions. However, many studies have shown that people with autism have difficulty adhering to their medication regimens. This is largely due to difficulty with communication. People with autism often have trouble communicating their needs and understanding the needs of those around them.
You can help them adhere to their medication schedule by having regular meetings with their physician. Or, you can also give them a supplement to improve their oral health so they can have the confidence to smile more often.
Provide Guidance on Self-care
People with autism often grow up with very little guidance on self-care. This can result in poor eating habits that can lead to health issues, such as diabetes or obesity. It can also make it difficult for them to recognize when they are sick.
You can help provide guidance on self-care by setting up healthy eating habits, such as regular mealtimes and healthy snacks.
You can also help them recognize when they are sick by encouraging them to take their own temperature and setting up a chart for themselves.
Communicate Clearly and Often
This is one of the most important ways to take care of someone with autism. If there are certain things they need or want, they need to learn how to ask for them out loud. It’s not the other way around where you try to shove it in their mouth or scream at them.