What I Want You to Know About My Autism

The post below is by Lisa Smith, the mother of seven children, 2 with special needs. Her son Tate has autism. Lisa blogs about her experiences and can be plant on Facebook at Quirks and Chaos or at quirks-and-chaos.blogspot.com. For more resources for teachers and help with inclusion and acceptance at school, cheque out the Autism Speaks School Community Tool Kit.

I have a follower who is a teacher and she asked me to do a "Ten things I'd like to tell teachers about autism" list. I came upwards with 12 things that I would tell my son'southward teachers in grade school if I could become dorsum in time.

1. Autism is a huge spectrum.

If you lot accept taught other children with autism you may have a expert full general idea of what autism looks similar just my son will still exist different than the others. If you accept questions nigh my son or how autism affects him, ask me. Nothing volition impress me more than about y'all than your willingness to acquire about my son and his needs.

2. A routine and transition warnings are helpful for a child with autism.

While nosotros know that flexibility is an important life skill and one we need to piece of work on, my son does not handle surprises or big changes in his routine well. Things like a substitute teacher, a fire drill, or a field trip are all going to crusade anxiety for my son. A alert and clear instructions will help. A visual schedule would exist a helpful tool for my son. A five-minute warning, a 2-minute warning, and tolerance are needed.

three. A child with autism needs extra time to process language.

Apply simple language and short sentences. Give no more than than ii-step instructions. Give my son at least three full seconds afterward y'all make a statement or enquire a question to respond. If you choose to repeat, practise not rephrase, as and then he will accept to start processing over again. Trying to hurry my son will but tedious him downward further.

4. Receptive linguistic communication and expressive language are two different things.

My son may understand much more than than you recall he does. He may not exist able to put into words all the things he wants to say. On the other mitt he may be able to quote long complicated phrases or passages without understanding whatsoever of the pregnant of the words. It is difficult to know exactly what my child really knows and what he still needs to learn sometimes.

5. Children with autism are literal.

Figurative linguistic communication and abstract ideas are a mystery to a child with autism. So, when you say things like, "Selection upwards the stride" and your other students know you want them to walk faster, my son volition be looking for something chosen "stride" that he should be lifting from the floor. These things happen all day long.

half-dozen. A child with autism tin can get stuck on one subject.

My son obsesses well-nigh things that exercise not matter to you or I. He might want to talk about Disney movie characters for a long period of time and there will be little you tin can practise to distract him. He gets stuck in a continuous loop. Occasionally these topics of interest can exist incorporated into his learning merely generally they distract him from learning.

7. A child with autism may need assist with social interactions.

My son will probably appear disinterested in his peers and he may really exist disinterested but he will never learn social skills unless we proceed trying. You have him in a perfect setting for instruction social skills. It is an environs I cannot recreate at home. It would be so helpful if you lot would use every opportunity available in that location to teach and reteach social skills.

8. Sensory issues are a distraction for many children with autism.

Sounds that are barely noticeable to you may distract my kid and go along him from learning. Textures may cause my son to recoil in disgust. Smells may cause him to gag. Please exist considerate of this. Over stimulation can sometimes overwhelm him and crusade a meltdown. A meltdown looks similar to a temper tantrum only information technology is not the same at all.

9. Children with autism use stereotypic behaviors or repetitive behaviors when they are excited, bored, or stressed.

My son volition need redirection throughout the 24-hour interval. The behaviors will cause him to appear odd to his peers. Delight consider giving the course an age advisable definition of autism to help his peers sympathize.

10. Positive Reinforcement will be helpful but punishments will not.

Punishments or threats of penalty will probably upshot in feet and impede progress. He will work toward a reward just will shut down if he fears a punishment.

11. People with autism tell the truth as they see it.

My son may permit you know you need to lose weight, you need a shave, or your breath smells bad. Practise not accept information technology personally. A sense of humor is a must when working with children with autism.

12. Kids with autism are not scary or unlovable. They are just different.

Sometimes different is intimidating just educating yourself about autism and about my son volition aid. I'm can assist with that! I will willingly answer any questions you take.

For more resources for teachers and help with inclusion and acceptance at school, check out the Autism Speaks School Community Tool Kit.

Everyone deserves the take a chance to attain their full potential. We need your aid to tell lawmakers that improving education for children and young adults with autism is a priority for our customs. Sign the petition here to have your vox heard.

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Source: https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/12-things-id-teachers-understand-about-autism

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