What kind of college degree would I need to work with autistic children?

Question

It is something I am thinking about doing and I will be starting college soon.

Answer 1

special education, physical therapists, psychology, social work,

Answer 2

I have a degree in Speech Pathology/Audiology w/ minor in Special Education. Right now, I work with adults with Autism. I work with them on daily living skills with a focus on communication (prompting an individual to request "want soap" when he needs the bar of soap).
Any degree would do, honestly. It really depends on where and what you want to be doing. Teaching = Masters in Special Education (SpEd), Communication = Speech Pathology (SLP), Medical ie. giving medication, doctor visits = Nursing or Doctor.

Most residential programs that have people with autism there don't require you to have any degree, but you would get a better position if you do.

I recommend going the SLP w/ minor in SpEd because you can branch from autistic individuals to "normal" individuals without much trouble. Most school systems would hire you with this degree as a SpEd teacher as well since society is short on people willing to be a SpEd teacher. Also, you would make more $$ and who doesn't want $$. (Average salary for SLP is close to $60,000 a year ... SpEd teacher is close to $40,000 AND SpEd teachers have a careerspan of 4 years in public/private school.)

If you haven't started college or looking for a job in your field, try speaking with a residential program where you can go assist individuals with autism with daily life skills. This way, you can get experience and earn money at the same time. Most jobs (at least in Va) pay around $10 an hour plus medical benefits.

Working with autistic children is the greatest thing you could possibly chose to be a profession. I hope this all helps ... I would have loved someone to point me in this direction when i was in school.

Answer 3

Depends what you want to do. OT and ST are great. Or, you could be a behavioral analyst or play therapist. Psychology degrees would be helpful for that, but then you would need some advanced training and certification.

Board certified behavioral consultants make $75-100/hr. That's 150-200k/year. If I had to do it all over again, that's what I would do.

An ABA implementer makes $25/hr and they require no degree or education. You just have to take a class in behavioral analysis and show up to work. It's intense, but rewarding.

Answer 4

If by "work[ing] with autistic children" you mean teaching them, I recommend you earn a degree in special education and complete a certificate program, concentration, or the like in autism. Further, I suggest you attend a university that promotes multiple educational methods so that you can apply the proper one for each child, and so that you don't form a single-track mindset on educational method.

Answer 5

A degree in special education would allow you to work with them in an educational type setting. If you're wanting to do more of the medical part than a medical degree.

Answer 6

You don't really need a degree to work with autistic children. Most places prefer you to have had experience working with children with special needs preferably those with an autistic spectrum disorder. If you want to work as a speech therapist or occupational therapist with autistic children then you would need to take a course that is relevant to that. On the whole people tend to prefer experience and good references over qualifications. Good luck.

Answer 7

well they would probably prefer if you have knowledge of all children with special needs, then you can narrow it down from there. try developmental social worker, or child and youth worker. early childhood education also has some classes with children with special needs, but the first two would be better!