{"id":11434,"date":"2020-10-01T03:57:29","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T08:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/last-drum.flywheelsites.com\/?p=11434"},"modified":"2021-02-19T05:36:42","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T10:36:42","slug":"data-based-decision-making-for-parents-of-children-with-autism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autism.org\/data-based-decision-making-for-parents-of-children-with-autism\/","title":{"rendered":"Data-based Decision Making for Parents of Children with Autism"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Physicians, psychologists, therapists, and researchers all keep records. Records help them to track the efficacy of treatments, see how their patients progress over time and adjust their methods and tactics accordingly. As the parent of a child with autism, you can collaborate with your care team by keeping records in tandem in order to achieve similar goals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Keeping records can help you to:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Identify patterns<\/strong> – you might notice that behavior is most likely to occur in a particular situation, or that disrupted sleep is more likely after a particular food.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Monitor consistency of support<\/strong> – Remembering to take medications, do specific exercises, or engage in-home therapy practices is much easier if you record them.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Share with your care team<\/strong> – Your records can be invaluable in helping your care team form a deep understanding of your child with autism by getting to know their needs, behaviors, and preferences.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>
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    Memory is not as reliable as we think. Emotions, hopes, and fears can distort our recollections. When it comes to caring for an individual with autism, notes, photos, and measurements repeated in the same way at regular intervals, help us see the big picture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, you might believe your child\u2019s sleep challenges are getting worse because they had a couple of bad nights. It\u2019s only when you look back at a sleep journal that you realize that these nights were outliers. Your child has actually slept better on average over the last month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    What to track<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    You can track almost anything. What you choose to track depends on your current goals and challenges. Consider tracking:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n