Not sure what sort of program to put my High functioning Autistic son in.?

Question

We have an 8 year old son who is Autistic, but pretty verbal and doesn't have too many bad behaviors. Right now, he is in a 3rd grade Autism program with 6 other Autistic kids who are all different, and at different levels. He also goes to regular ed for specials, social studies, and science. I think problems ly in the fact that although I love his teacher in the center program, he only is with her maybe an hour a day. Then, since he can't take his specials with the other Autistic kids becuase he takes them with regular ed, when they are at theirs, he is in a "team" room with the program leader working on stuff. But I think, althought I'm not in there, that there is not a lot going on. Also, when he is doing work, other children use this room for timeouts and play time, which is very distracting for him.

I guess I am wondereing if I should get him in a cross categorical classroom with kids with different disabilities and less transitions or regular ed all day. Your thoughts..

Answer 1

You of course know putting him in a good program is not the end all. What a school does for any child is not the end of the trail. They have wonderful programs and as long as he does well, you have to take the distractions and the transitions with a grain of salt. Children are flexible. The best education you can give him is exposure to as many things as possible. Though this takes endless patience, this may be the best way to find his niche. Time spent with you is extremely important. You know him better than anyone else. You know his triggers and his reactions to stimuli. Pace yourself. The dishes can wait. When you feel fresh, dive in and give it 100 percent. Offer him things to see and do and safe places to explore. Let him get dirty and on the floor and in the grass and give him books and anything that might spark an interest. Then stand back and watch. Pour water and dirt from containers and back away to see what he does with it. Use building blocks to build a simple structure and leave him with it to see what he does. A hundred tries may come up with nothing, but a hundred and one might do the trick. Play music and leave the instrument there for him. Read poetry to him out loud. Enjoy your time with him. Have fun with everything. That's interesting to him. You have probably already tried everything I've suggested. My heart goes out to you. Above all else, know that you are his anchor and that he loves you. He may not be able to express that, and that is the worst pain of all for you. Just because he does not express emotions does not mean love is not there.

Answer 2

My son is 8 and also a student with high-functioning autism. He's been attending a general education classroom since kindergarten. His aide time was increased to the entire school day beginning in 2nd grade (writing demands increased, math more difficult). Still, he's quite independent throughout the day. His aide steps in for re-direction when needed. But, she keeps busy by helping other students in the same classroom. You describe your son as someone who is capable and most likely a strong candidate for full-inclusion. You should ask. Your son might welcome the change and the increased amount of time in the same class. You know your son best, so you can make a better assessment of the situation. Get input from teachers, specialists. Their opinion is valuable whether you agree or not. But, overall the choice is yours regarding placement. Again, think about what's best for your son. Inclusion is GREAT for some students and not the best option for others. As long as your son isn't in the a gen ed class ONLY passing out papers......I mean, if he's doing work, participating, making progress toward IEP goals......then it might be worth a shot.

Answer 3

If your son is highly functioning, I don't know why he is not in a regular classroom. This is called 'inclusion'. Inclusion is different than mainstreaming, because even though he would be in the regular classroom doing the same work, the expectations of the level of work and the curriculum could be modified. I work in a classroom with an autistic boy who is medium (I would say), and he has a full time aide who is with him all day to keep him on task, and to help him do all his work. I think he gets so much more out of being in this type of environment than shuffling between so many things in one day. Hope this helps! Good luck!!

Answer 4

Sorry i do no longer accept as true with something don'tworrybehappy says in any respect yet it extremely is my opinion ... sure it does sound like classic autism too me Thomas replaced into clinically determined as low functioning autism at elderly 3 just about 4 and he's 12 now even however he can say spectacular words his speech is amazingly limited he's likewise nevertheless in nappies, he additionally loves music and pc video games Thomas may additionally spell greater effective than he can communicate, he stimms lots and plugs his ears lots besides so too me sure it does sound like classic autism

Answer 5

I have two boys with autism.. And let me tell you they couldn't be more different with their needs.. You have to go with what feels right.. go observe the class your thinking about for a few days.. then see how your son likes it.. you can always change your mind back if you don't like it.. you can meet with the teachers you can also meet with the parents.. Just like they tell the kids.. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!