Parents’ journey into the world of autism

• DOI: 10.7196/sajch.7942
• Publication Date: 2015-10-05T09:39:48Z
• Authors: Aaishah Alli; Shabnam Abdoola; Anniah Mupawose
• Keywords: Thematic Analysis; Affect; Descriptive research

Background. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that results in an impairment individual's social interaction and communication, as well restricted, repetitive stereotyped patterns of behaviour. Children with ASD display difficulties the areas communicative Parents, caregivers family members are main communication partners children ASD. Living child can result changes within system. Objective. To describe challenges experiences faced by families their ASD, caregiver coping strategies success these strategies, generalisation carryover therapeutic provided speech language pathologist (SLP). Methods. A qualitative descriptive research design was selected to explore objectives study. Ten participants were recruited; all parents attending Learners Special Educational Needs School Gauteng, South Africa. Data collected through semistructured face-to-face interview survey comprising open- closed-ended questions, analysed using thematic content analysis. Results. The revealed five themes, namely challenges, experiences, therapy services SLPs. Communicative experienced one behaviour found affect daily functioning family. majority reported not learning new mode but rather adapting adjusting child. required for novel settings. There mixed responses respect parent's abilities access learn strategies. Speech assisted improving child's skills, while SLPs explained be effective even though limited. Conclusion. This study concluded experience interaction. systems approach World Health Organization's International Classification Impairments, Disabilities Handicaps two functional frameworks assist provide intervention