Starting the school year can be tough for any kid, but for children with autism, the transition presents very unique difficulties. Loss of therapeutic activities like swimming, sports and other therapies can affect their ability to cope with a new schedule. New faces and stimuli can be overwhelming. Struggles with new demands and schedules — both academically and emotionally — and pressure to move quickly and efficiently in the morning after difficulties with sleeping, all lead to challenges.
Yet, there are some ways in which the back-to-school season is actually easier for children on the spectrum than for their neurotypical peers. Being back in school, with a regular schedule, clear expectations, and a calendar of events can be a huge relief after the unstructured, open-ended nature of summer. And being relatively impervious to peer pressure can protect these children from some of the typical back-to-school anxieties.
Tips for smoothing the back to school transition
Visit Before the school year begins, take some time to visit the school and the classroom to allow your child to get comfortable with the space she’ll be in for so much of her day. Meet the teacher and ask him if the seating assignments have been made and let your child sit in her seat. If it’s a totally new school for your child, be sure to visit all of the areas she will be in, such as the lunchroom, the nurse’s office, and the playground.
Talk Continue to talk about school in the weeks leading up to the first day. You could even watch videos or read books about the first day of school and look at pictures of her at school from the year before. Mark the first day on the calendar and count down the days and weeks. The more you discuss it, the more comfortable your child will be when the big day arrives.
Schedule Start getting your child back into the school year rules and the routine a few weeks in advance, such as earlier bedtime and earlier wake up time. Ease into these by cutting back by 5-minute intervals. You can create a schedule of a typical school day for her using pictures and talking about how her school days will go.
Shop Have your child make a list with you of needed school supplies and take her shopping. She can help you find the items and budget the quantity of each supply she will need.
Avoid Overload You know your child best. If you think that the noise and excitement that brews during the first few days of school might be too much for her, talk with the teacher and school about a special quiet place she can go to keep her from being overwhelmed.
Dr. Pneuman is the director and owner of The Center For Autism and Dyslexia, with locations in Findlay and Lima. For more information,
call 567-525-4487 or visit
www.centerforautismanddyslexia.com
