The ‘I do’ at the wedding should have opened the door to many cherished memories and a lifetime of enjoying the best of life with your better half. But what happens if the dream of the happily ever after is brutally cut by an Autism diagnosis? When you are thrust into the challenge of dealing with and raising a child on the Autistic spectrum? Such an incident has the potential to poke even the strongest of unions. It is even more devastating when the situation has preventable reasons to blame, like using an OTC pain relief medicine like Tylenol. Devastating as it may be, you can navigate the challenge with minimal scathing to your relationship. But that calls for understanding and a few coping tips. Here is how to deal with Tylenol-related Autism as a newlywed couple:
Communicate
As a couple going through the challenge of raising a child on the autistic spectrum, it may feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. However, sharing the load with your partner makes it easier to get through the especially challenging days. That calls for intentional communication. Refusing to open up honestly about how the Autism situation makes you feel creates more distance and takes a toll on your intimacy.
Communicating with each other brings a feeling of closeness and fosters teamwork. There should be a safe space to express the darker feelings of frustration and hurt. Your partner is also going through the entire gamut of emotions involved with dealing with a sick child, and they need to encounter zero judgement when expressing their honest feelings.
Find coping mechanisms to ease stressful emotions
In addition to adjusting to a shared life as newlyweds, you have to get to terms with life taking care of a child with Autism stemming from a degree of negligence from drug manufacturers. It is standard for anxiety and frustration to enter the picture. Find ways to cope with the emotions lest they consume you and your relationship.
The best way to navigate the situation is by narrowing it down to the root of your feelings and identifying resources to address them. Consider learning more about the disease and available resources that you can utilize. That will give you a semblance of control. Also, consider couples or individual counselling with a trained professional. Therapy sessions will equip you with the coping skills to go through the day-to-day. It helps to watch out for the signs of depression and counter them before they get dire. Most importantly, allow yourselves to grieve the loss of your perceived perfect life and acknowledge that inasmuch as life may not have gone to plan, you always have each other.
Seek legal redress
It is one thing to see your child with Autism. It is another heart-shattering ball game when you know that the condition was due to Tylenol use during pregnancy. The frustration can be immeasurably overwhelming. You may not go back in time and avoid the drug. However, you can still fight for your child and seek compensation for the negligence on the part of the drug manufacturer. You can contact a Tylenol autism lawyer at dolmanlaw.com to learn about your eligibility for a Tylenol autism settlement, how much it might be worth and the strength of your claim.
The makers of Tylenol and acetaminophen did not warn parents of the potential harm the drug could have on their unborn children. And for that, they need to take responsibility.
It is unfair to see the quality of your child’s life negatively impacted by something preventable. Their ability to learn and develop social skills also takes a hit, let alone the economic cost and burden of raising the child. A child with Autism will need medication, therapy, and extra tutoring, all of which translate to remarkable figures. Granted, a lawsuit may not work as a time machine, but the compensation will go a long way in making life bearable. You will get compensation for the damages caused by the defective product you used.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a defective product related to autism, consider reaching out to the experienced attorneys at TruLaw to explore your legal options and seek compensation for damages.
Grow your social connection
A reliable support system is a much-needed buffer for you and your relationship. Find a tribe you can be free with, and do not hesitate to ask for help whenever you need it. Consider joining groups of parents raising autistic kids to bounce off ideas and offer each other a shoulder to lean on. Navigating life will be less isolating when other people in a similar situation encourage you to soldier through. Also, your child needs you, but so does your relationship. Make time to do things with each other without feeling guilty. Taking time to build on your relationship outside the realities of the diagnosis will glue you stronger together.
Take good care of your child!
At the end of the day you will need to love and take good care of your child as a couple. An autistic child might be hard to connect with but with time you will forge a wonderful bond with the child as a family. The key is to be patient and resilient as you handle and break through your child. You ought to know that a child with autism will tend to like visuals as a way of learning something new. In fact, it is worth knowing that the child might understand non-verabl communication that easily plus they might think things too literally. In other words, you will need to be careful about what you tell your autistic child.
Put simply, though, it is best to understand the dos and don’ts of raising a child with autism.
As your child grows, you can also find ways to boost interactions with peers. Teach them the essence of friends and help the child get together with other children who might have similar interests. It will often take an effort for you as a parent to set up playdates, but this will certainly be worth it in terms of the child’s
Tip: Always stay positive as a couple. Remember, children with ASD love positive reinforcement.
Final remarks
An autism diagnosis is not an easy pill for any parent to swallow. It is more angering if it was due to negligence on the part of drug manufacturers. Dealing with this situation as newlyweds may be the hardest thing you ever get to do and will undoubtedly test your relationship. The good news is that your relationship can weather the situation if you stick together. Remember, it should all be about giving your child the very best even in such a tough situation.