As a parent, you’ve likely come across the term “level 2 autism” and wondered what it means for your child. In this blog post, we’ll demystify this classification and provide you with valuable insights to better understand and support your neurodivergent child. We’ll cover the characteristics of level 2 autism, how it differs from other levels, and practical strategies to help your child thrive. So, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Understanding the Autism Spectrum: A Quick Overview
First, it’s essential to grasp the concept of the autism spectrum. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. The spectrum represents the wide range of abilities and challenges experienced by individuals with autism. In 2013, the DSM-5 introduced three levels of autism to better describe the support needs of individuals on the spectrum:
- Level 1: Requiring support
- Level 2: Requiring substantial support
- Level 3: Requiring very substantial support
Now that we’ve established the basics let’s dive deeper into level 2 autism. This classification indicates that a child requires substantial support to navigate daily life. Some common characteristics of level 2 autism include:
Defining Level 2 Autism: Key Characteristics
- Social Interaction: Children with level 2 autism often struggle with social interactions, such as initiating or responding to conversations, understanding nonverbal cues, and forming friendships.
- Communication: Verbal and nonverbal communication can be challenging for these kids. They may have a limited vocabulary, use repetitive language, or struggle to understand complex sentences.
- Repetitive Behaviors: Kids with level 2 autism may engage in repetitive behaviors, such as hand-flapping, rocking, or lining up objects. These behaviors can be more noticeable and interfere with daily activities.
- Adaptability: These children may have difficulty adapting to changes in routine or environment, leading to increased anxiety or frustration.
Understanding the differences between the three levels of autism can help you better support your child. Here’s a brief comparison:
How Level 2 Autism Differs from Levels 1 and 3
| Level | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Kids with level 1 autism typically have milder challenges in social interaction and communication. They may struggle with forming friendships but can often participate in mainstream settings with minimal support. |
| Level 2 | As mentioned earlier, children with level 2 autism require substantial support due to more significant challenges in social interaction, communication, and adaptability. |
| Level 3 | Kids with level 3 autism experience the most severe challenges and require very substantial support. They may have minimal communication skills, engage in self-injurious behaviors, and struggle to participate in daily activities without significant assistance. |
Now that we’ve explored the characteristics and differences between the levels of autism let’s discuss some practical strategies to help your child thrive:
Practical Strategies to Support Your Child with Level 2 Autism
- Early Intervention: Research shows that early intervention can significantly improve outcomes for children with autism. Seek out specialized therapies, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech therapy, and occupational therapy, to address your child’s unique needs. Goally’s learning tablet can be a valuable tool in supporting your child’s development and progress in these therapies.
- Structured Environment: Creating a structured and predictable environment can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of security for your child. Establish routines, use visual schedules, and provide clear expectations. Goally’s apps can assist in creating structure and routines for your neurodivergent child.
Moreover, there are other strategies that can be beneficial for your child:
- Social Skills Training: Social skills groups or one-on-one training can help your child develop essential skills for forming friendships and navigating social situations.
- Parental Support: Educate yourself about autism and connect with other parents of neurodivergent kids. Sharing experiences and resources can provide invaluable support on your journey.
Goally | Apps To Support Child Development
Looking for fun ways to help your child learn life skills? Try Goally! The Goally tablet comes with award-winning learning apps and video classes to help kids develop the skills they need to become independent with FUN & evidence-based practices.
Our apps teach executive function, language, emotional regulation, finger dexterity skills, and more.
As your child develops new skills, you can increase the difficulty level of the tasks in the app to challenge and motivate them even further. This helps your child grow and progress at their own pace, while also keeping them engaged and excited about their development.
Embracing Your Child’s Unique Journey
In short, understanding level 2 autism is crucial for providing the necessary support and resources your child needs to thrive. By recognizing the characteristics and differences between the levels of autism, you can better advocate for your child and help them navigate their unique journey. Remember, every kid is different, and what works for one may not work for another. Stay patient, flexible, and open to new strategies as you support your neurodivergent child. Together, you can overcome challenges and celebrate successes along the way.
Goally
We help parents teach their kids life skills, like doing bedtime and morning independently. Backed by science, we incorporate evidence-based practices and expert-informed designs in all of our apps and content.
