According to Autism statistics and studies, parents with autistic children experience more stress than parents with neurotypical children. Several factors, such as parent and child statistics, social support systems, and socioeconomic status, can determine the levels of stress among parents with autistic children.
In such overwhelming times, a helping hand is appreciated by all parents. A reliable babysitter can be a great option for parents, but they need to make sure that a certain babysitter meets the special needs of your child. Finding the right candidate can be hard, but it is not impossible.
Here are some amazing tips that can help you choose the right babysitter for your autistic child.
Access Trustability
Children with autism have special needs. They cannot be happy or at ease with every person they meet. As you think about leaving your child with someone for a period of time, the most important thing to assess may be their trustworthiness.
Is the person who is being assigned the duty of caring for your child capable of performing it? Do they have experience in dealing with children with the same developmental limitations? These questions, and many more like them, can help you determine whether a babysitter is right to care for your child without your supervision.
In case the aspiring babysitter has the relevant experience, you can read their reviews to see how satisfied other people have been with the same services. You can also ask them to let you get in touch with their previous clients to ensure your peace of mind.
Conduct a Thorough Background Check
Children with autism can be more dependent on their caregivers than other children. Their dependence on and bonding with limited people makes it harder for their parents to trust someone else with their care. It can be a challenge for parents to be comfortable with someone else being responsible for the well-being of their child.
In order to feel comfortable with your child being in a different company without your supervision, you must ask the agency to provide you with the aspiring candidate’s background check. A thorough background check can help you understand their reliability and trustworthiness.
If you are satisfied with the background check, you can arrange an interview and prepare a list of questions and concerns you want addressed. Do not forget to ask your candidate about their past experience with autistic children to assess their skills and reliability.
Access Communication Skills
Communication is often considered the key to winning the heart and bonding with an autistic child. As most children with autism have a hard time communicating, their caretaker has to put in the work for both. The communication needs of an autistic child can differ from one another.
While interviewing your potential candidates, see if your candidate has clear communication skills. Can they understand the verbal and nonverbal needs of the child with their experience? Do they suit the communication style of your child? Suitable communication skills can set the basis for a strong relationship.
Once you are satisfied with their communication skills, make sure to take note of their adaptability. Adaptive and flexible babysitters can have an easier time adjusting to the specific communication needs of your child and avoid any sensitivities they may have to nourish a healthy bond.
Keep in Touch
Once you choose a babysitter for your autistic child, do not become carefree, not even if the babysitter has tons of experience. Children with autism can be unpredictable, and their caretakers need time to understand what upsets or uplifts them.
Therefore, it is significant for parents to provide all necessary contact information to the babysitters in case of an emergency. Make sure that you are always available on the phone so that you can be informed about any ongoing issue in time to take the needed actions accordingly.
You do not have to wait for the babysitter to call. Instead, you can also get in touch with them from time to time to ensure that everything is okay. An open line of communication also ensures that your babysitter can get their concerns addressed or pre-inform you about any upcoming leaves they may need.
Leverage a Trial Period
If there is one thing that every parent is scared of doing with an autistic child, it is changing their routine. Children with autism appreciate a consistent routine, and even the slightest changes can upset them. Similarly, shifting from your care to befriending a babysitter can be a challenging transition for them.
A trial period makes this transition easier for everyone involved in the situation. This time can also benefit the parents as they can see whether the babysitter is a good fit and how they interact with their child. It can be a lengthy process to go through different trial periods, but at last, it is all worth it.
As your child gets comfortable with their babysitter, you can leave for a longer period every time. Such a gentle approach during a trial period ensures that the situation can be made the most beneficial and least stressful for everyone in the situation.
Mention their Specific Needs
Every child with autism is unique. They have different triggers, varying strengths, specific developmental abilities, and so on. These needs and specifications must be mentioned to the caregiver to ensure transparency and a smooth bond between your child and their babysitter.
In addition to telling them what your child needs, make sure to mention the sensory sensitivities of your child to avoid any hiccups. You must also tell them how and who to contact in case of emergencies when specific care instructions are rendered useless.
Do not forget to introduce the babysitter to the safe space of your child and the sensory tools they may need to cater to sensory overload. It can take a lot of burden off the shoulders of the babysitter and also let your child get comfortable with the change sooner.
