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The Summer ADHD Medication Vacation Debate
How to Find A
Good Sitter Child With
Autism
For Your
Local Organizations and Networking Help Provide Respite
Finding a dependable babysitter
who is also a good match for your family is not always easy. If your child has autism, it can seem next to impossible. Yet, every parent of a child with autism knows that a good babysitter is an essential tool for a healthy family life. Breaks allow parents to regroup, get things done and yes, even have time for some personal fun. Following are a few ideas that may help make the essential task of finding a sitter easier.
Hire family. If you are lucky enough to have family near and dear to you, tap them for some respite. Something out of the ordinary, like a new sitter, can be upsetting to kids with autism. A family member, on the other hand, is someone with whom they already have an established relationship. Having an aunt, uncle or grandparent babysit can provide great peace of mind knowing that your child is being cared for by someone you love and who you knows and loves your child. Ask around.
Word of mouth is perhaps the oldest and best methods for finding a sitter. Ask friends and connections you have made through support groups and within the Indianapolis autism community for names of sitters they like and have used to care for their own children.
Network with area schools and colleges. Talk with the special education department at your child’s school to see if any special education teachers are available to babysit. Oftentimes, new teachers are looking for extra experience and would be very interested in babysitting. In the same vein, nearby Ball State University offers a graduate certificate in autism in conjunction with the school’s graduate certificate in applied behavior analysis (ABA). Dr. David McIntosh, who coordinates the masters in ABA and the autism certificate, can tap into Ball State students seeking experience working with kids who have autism. His office can be reached at 765-285-5700.
Tap community resources. Area support groups like Hamilton County Autism Support Group, Johnson County Autism Support Group or the Indiana chapter of the Autism Society are terrific resources for families in general and are frequently contacted by area caregivers and teachers seeking additional work. However, the help does not stop there. Child Care Answers provides referrals free of charge. Though most of their work involves connecting families with care that occurs out of the home they can help prepare parents 34 INDY’S CHILD * JULY 2010