Can Parents Help In Special Education for Autism?

If your child has been diagnosed with autism there are a few changes you are going to need to make in order to help your child through this. One change begins with unique education. This is a critical time for learning and a child needs both parents and teachers to work together in special education. Parents can prepare their autistic child at home before they begin special education classes in the fall.

Routines are Important

Someone who suffers from autism relies on routines and may have difficulties if the routine is changed in any way. When school starts, your child will need to readjust to the new routine of getting up and getting ready for school, eating breakfast, going to special education class, and then returning home. In order to make the transition easier, you may want to start this routine a few months earlier. If you don't work or take your child to a sitter during the day, go through the routine of driving to the school. There are many summer activities for children to get into around the area so check into these activities to see if your child shows some interest in them.

If not, at least get your child on a routine of going to bed and getting up at a particular time. You may want to go online and pull some lessons off of the computer and have your child learn by sitting at the kitchen table or a desk. As you go through your lessons tell him that this is what he will do when he goes to school. Special education lessons are listed online and can help prepare your child for learning this fall.

When the new school year starts, go to school and introduce your child and yourself and keep in touch with your child on a weekly basis. Working together in special education is vital. Your child is going to spend the day with the special education teacher and it is important that he feels comfortable with her. If not, he may have some set backs that you will need to work out before he can feel safe enough to stay and learn.

While your child is in special education classes you want to avoid attending school and disrupting the class. If your child sees you there he may think that it is okay to go home when he still has more time in school. Ask the teacher if your child can carry a picture of you with him or something that belongs to you in case he needs to feel secure at some point in the day.

Special education courses will vary depending on the school, the teacher, and the grade that your child is in. However, you can strengthen the learning process by reviewing what the teacher went over that day over a snack. Special education courses take time to help the child learn in their own unique and individual way. The more you work with him at home the more he will feel comfortable in learning.