Katrien Storken

understood or accepted Understanding what is going on in someone’s head is hard. Also when they are children without additional communication needs or adults but even harder if they are non-verbal or having difficulties communicating their exact emotions. It can be interesting and great to look for or find answers to better understand someone else. But sadly it can be really challenging to find correct answers. Keeping the emotional bankaccount high enough can also help a lot in making them feel accepted or understood.

Feeling loved Love languages. Love language from children that are non-verbal and have autism, towards somebody else can be the same like anybody else, verbal(sounds), body language(eyes, closeness, touching faces, “face cuddling”(one face touching the other persons face), touching, happy dances,…), touch, showing respect by not doing to you what they don’t like and giving or sharing with you what they like,…… Their first impression of how someone thinks about them is often through the body language.

A good connection is needed to create a secure attachment with the child. This is often something that can use some support with these children. As they often not or only by a few people feel understood in their ways of communication. Mental safety will also help a big part with this. This post can also be interesting if you are looking for a better connection and more secure attachment. [[1 O connecting takes time, understanding and patience]]

Welcome at Connection Beyond Words. Some people if they read this will say that it is not really specific to children with autism. And I agree it isn’t. It is helpful for everyone, but at the same time especially for them as they could use some extra [[Contact|support]] to be able to bloom. I see children with autism not as children with a disability, I see them as any human being, with just some translation needs (and regulation needs).

A child with autism can sometimes easily be overwhelmed by a new person that suddenly comes into a room and wants to connect with the child by saying “Hi”, making eye contact,… Although if the person does not expect the child to just be able to take all this information at once and is happy to enter at the child’s pace, it can be a great experience for both. This is also what I try to do when I am looking for connection or a way in to their heads to understand their ways of thinking, their needs, their worries, their happy place.