Should Parents Seek Marriage Counseling After Finding Out Their Child Has Autism?

Oct. 23, 2008 -- Question: Should parents seek marriage counseling after finding out their child has autism, and how do couples maintain a strong marriage through the trials of raising a child with autism?

Answer: The key to this issue is the key to any issue in marriage, is communication. If you feel that you do not communicate well with your spouse or partner, you may well seek marriage counseling. Oftentimes, parents disagree about aspects of their child's diagnosis or treatments, and this can be very stressful for a marriage. Also with this disorder, there is not one road map that guarantees success for your child with autism. There are many courses to choose, there are many alternative treatments, there are many conflicting opinions which can be very stressful for a marriage, particularly if you do not communicate well with your spouse or partner. It is important to seek help and there are many resources available for families who are dealing with a child with autism. There are parent support groups, there's information available for you as parents. And also you should try to seek the help of your family and friends so that you could have time together without your children to enjoy each other as a couple.

One thing that's very important is to keep conflict away from all children, but specifically children with autism, because they tend to pick up vibes of conflict like radar, and often this can lead to escalating behaviors which can exacerbate the difficulties in the household.