what can i expect from working with autism children?

Question

i recently got a job where i will be working with autism kids and i have never worked with any....so im just wondering what should i expect??

Answer 1

Too bad you didn`t specify what types you will be dealing with.

But, in general - you can expect that you need to be clear and to the point.
For example : Don`t say "sit down" , but say " NAME, please go and sit on the blue chair in the corner"

Some of these children will have difficulties understanding cause and effect (esp. emotionally). Thus, they will be genuinely surprised if Jack gets whet, when Jill just threw a glas of water on him.

Some of these children might not interact socially, until you find a common ground. (Rain Man is a classic autism case).

So, you can expect a challenging job, with many puzzles, many repetitions (in telling kids what to do).
But, also, very rewarding when you find that common ground with a classic autist. The look on the face of the kid when you discover his/her passion or interest - that makes it all worth it.

Answer 2

The thing about Autism is that when you have met one child with autism you've met just that, ONE child with Autism.

Some of the behaviors you might seen can include: spinning, jumping, flapping of hands, running, walking on toes, stacking of blocks, lining toys up, escaping behaviors like running out of room/climbing out of window, rocking themselves, repeatedly doing something to get feedback, rolling on the floor, looking at toys and other objects from a different perspective (from the side or below), taking apart mechanical items and putting them back together, sniffing, picking, licking, and the list goes on and on and on

Other behaviors are typical of any child in a school setting, learning, talking, behaving. It all really depends on what level of students you will be working with.

The most important things for you to do are setting up or help set up the environment so that it is structured, predictable, and routine. Typically, children that are autistic feel more confortable in a setting where it is highly structured and familiar to them. This doesn't mean there can't be changes, those can be worked in by introducing the concept of change with a change card. But that depends again on what level of students you will be working with.

Answer 3

It's hard to quantify because each child is different and will probably present in a totally different way. Autism is considered a "spectrum" disorder covering many facets from Asperger's (talks early, little social understanding) to profound. What ages are you working with and were you told if the children were severe, moderate, mild?

Here are some websites to give you a general understanding of autism.

Autism Society of America:
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer

Teaching children with autism -- tips by Temple Grandin (famous autistic person)
http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

It will be unlike anything you experienced before. You are always "on". Remember each child is different and will respond to different reinforcement. Reinforcement can change on a moment's notice. Some will hit, some won't. Some will stare out a window, or line things up in a certain order. Some will be extremely stubborn. Some will talk, others won't. Some will need training in following the simplest direction, like sitting still. If you will be working with young children, use clear, short directions. Don't use their names until after the direction is given, otherwise you are prompting them. "Pick red, Johnny" is acceptable, "Johnny,pick red" is not.

Hopefully you will receive some training and they don't just throw you to the wolves. It can be a demanding population to work with. Be prepared for complaints and lawsuits from some parents who are unrealistic and think their child can be cured in 2 weeks. I wish you luck.

Answer 5

Be ready to stand for yourself! Don't let them get away with things because they are children with autism.

Find out what they use for behavorial modifications first, things like "turn and peel" or "head down time outs"

When I was first introduced to Autistics (my gf has been working with them for 3 years now, and doing her doctoral work on it) the first thing this guy wanted to do was test what you'd stand for. If you were female and wore a low shirt, he'd pull it to get a look, or he'd pretend to "hug" you just so he could have a mini grind fest... They're still intelligent kids, that will test any system before them, so be ready to jump on even the smallest thing, or it'll grow to more than you can control.

Most people that deal with autistics for a while start to refer to them as children trapped inside their own heads. Be prepared to find glimpses of their personality, but autism as a disorder has a lot to do with them not being about to communicate or interact with the outside world. The time this boy realized the dog was out of water and needed more in it's bowl was a huge step. (severe-moderate, 11yr old, 5'9", 130lbs and tons of growth plate left!!) That's why the other remark is "instructions then name" ;-)

Stand up for any social boundary that you'd expect from any other guy in any situation... the world won't treat them with as much kindness as you would...