It’s no secret that caregiving is an intricate task, often leading to physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, known as caregiver stress and burnout. Raising a child involves considerable effort, but caring for a child with autism spectrum disorder poses additional challenges. If families have more children, parenting becomes even more demanding.
Parenting is a journey full of love, happiness, and joy, but it is undeniable that this road is full of ups and downs, which is entirely normal. However, the expectations for parents of neurodivergent children and their caregivers are significantly more challenging. The inherent complexities of autism are often more time-consuming and generate higher stress levels.
At ABA Centers of Tennessee, we realize how demanding caring for neurodivergent children can be. While we recommend ABA therapy as a crucial step in meeting the challenges of autism more prepared, we also want to offer you five practical strategies for coping with the fatigue associated with caregiver stress and burnout.
Signs of Caregiver Stress and Burnout
Many parents and caregivers of children with autism often dedicate all their efforts to supporting their children, neglecting to make time for themselves, engage in other activities, and cultivate other relationships. Not having the time and energy for activities beyond caring for your child can lead to isolation and a sense of being overwhelmingly burdened by emotional stress. Furthermore, many parents may experience guilt if they are not constantly attending to the needs of their neurodivergent child.
Such prolonged stress is neither healthy for parents or caregivers nor conducive to the child’s well-being, as your well-being directly influences the quality of care and attention you can provide. If you recognize the following signs, you may be experiencing caregiver stress and burnout:
- A lack of control
- More frequent illness
- Changes in appetite and weight
- Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
- Withdrawal from other family members, friends, and loved ones
- Persistent anxiety
- Sadness
- Easily becoming irritable
- Being told by others that you are being hostile or rude and finding it challenging to acknowledge
- Struggling to fulfill other roles as a parent, spouse, partner, friend, sibling, etc.
While these are some of the most common signs of caregiver stress and burnout, it’s essential to emphasize that if you feel depressed, hopeless, and anxious when caring for your child with autism, we recommend seeking professional help from a psychologist, counselor, or social worker. Caring for an individual with a developmental disorder can be complex and challenging for anyone. It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed, but asking for help to regain a sense of well-being and provide patient and compassionate support to your kiddo is essential.
Effective Strategies to Alleviate Caregiver Stress and Burnout
- Consider Respite Care Services – While it can be emotionally challenging to entrust the care of your child with autism to someone else, respite care services offer temporary relief to caregivers, easing their burden and duties. These services can range from an afternoon to several weeks and may be provided in your home or at a respite care center.
Respite care services involve certified professionals experienced in caring for children, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Many of them have expertise in goal-based and behavior-analysis methodologies.
Finances may be a concern for many individuals when considering respite care services. However, it can be helpful to explore options for funding through platforms like Care. Whether you reside in major cities like Nashville or smaller ones such as Brentwood, Hendersonville, or Madison, exploring the available respite care service options and payment possibilities through the National Respite Network and the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council is worthwhile.
- ABA Therapy – Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is a specialized approach designed to support the development of individuals with autism. Through ABA therapy, children, adolescents, and adults with ASD can acquire essential life skills to gain independence and relieve caregivers of some responsibilities. When combined with respite care services, ABA therapy proves highly effective in alleviating caregiver stress and burnout.
ABA therapy equips children with autism to:
- Perform daily activities such as dressing, brushing teeth, and meal preparation
- Read and write
- Acquire or reinforce social and communication skills.
- Develop coping mechanisms
- Enhance gross and fine motor skills
These are just some of the skills that children learn as ABA therapy addresses the needs and goals of each client and their family. With positive reinforcement, children learn that positive behaviors have rewards, which can assist parents and caregivers in encouraging desired behaviors and reducing caregiver stress and burnout.
- Learn More About Autism – Understanding your child’s disorder will enable you to provide more effective support and discover strategies that may work better. Research reputable websites such as Autism Speaks, ABA Centers of Tennessee, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Autism Parenting Magazine; you can better equip yourself with valuable information to face challenging situations. Various organizations and individuals are available to support neurodivergent families; you are not alone, and it is essential to consider these resources to prevent caregiver stress and burnout.
- Talk to Others – It is a common challenge for parents of children with ASD to articulate their difficulties and acknowledge feeling overwhelmed. Expressing the struggle to balance your work, personal life, and caregiver responsibilities can be highly beneficial. You can always find someone ready to lend an ear and provide help. A friend, a loved one, a family member, a colleague, a therapist, or support groups are safe spaces to voice and validate your emotions.
- Incorporate Self-care into Your Daily Routine –While it may sound cliché, self-care is necessary. We’re not talking about dedicating hours to physical self-care but finding techniques to help you pull yourself together. Take the time to identify the most challenging aspects of caregiving and discover ways to make it easier. To do this, you can:
- Set aside time to disconnect and engage in enjoyable activities like reading a book, listening to a podcast, or getting sun.
- Recognize when you’re experiencing caregiver stress and burnout.
- Consider seeking assistance caring for your child and assess the option that best suits your needs.
- Acknowledge your limits and be honest with yourself.
- Ensure you eat and sleep well and, if possible, engage in physical activities you enjoy
- Acknowledge the positive aspects and use humor in stressful situations.
- Set realistic goals and give yourself the time you need to achieve them.
Relieve Caregiver Stress and Burnout with ABA Centers of Tennessee
ABA Centers of Tennessee supports parents and caregivers of individuals with autism. Our ABA therapy services utilize effective teaching methods, such as positive reinforcement, to enhance social, communication, and behavioral skills in children with autism. We aim to help children and their families achieve their goals, promote independence, and assist them in thriving. We understand that autonomy and strong skills can alleviate the burden on caregivers and help prevent caregiver stress and burnout.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and need assistance caring for your child with autism, contact us at (844)-423-9483 or visit our contact page to get started.
