Providing Your Autistic Child With the Right Tools for Success
Parents want what is best for their children. They start with parenting classes before they are born. Then they monitor them every waking hour during infancy. Once they reach school age, they put them in the best possible programs and push their education. Parents want to set their children up for success. When a child is different from others, it can be very difficult to know the best educational route to take. Most educational programs are mainstream and are not catered to children with autism. A parent with an autistic child wants an educational program that understands their child and their specific educational needs. From the moment the parent notices signs of autism, they want only the best help for children with autism.
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. Parents may not know or understand the signs of autism until the child is school aged. Although most children are not diagnosed with autism until they are older, the diagnostic criteria for autism require that symptoms become apparent before a child is 3 years old. The parent is likely to notice differences in the way that the child communicates, interacts with others and plays. They may not associate these differences as signs of autism until later.
There are also different levels of autism. Autism is generally diagnosed somewhere on a scale. Different children with varying degrees of autism will land somewhere on the spectrum. They will interact and play differently than one another. Autism is one of the three recognized disorders in the autism spectrum (ASDs), the other two being Asperger syndrome, which lacks delays in cognitive development and language, and pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (commonly abbreviated as PDD NOS), which is diagnosed when the full set of criteria for autism or Asperger syndrome are not met. Just like with individuals who do not have autism, there are different levels of social and cognitive functioning present. The signs of autism are simply a starting point for testing to begin.
Once a child is diagnosed somewhere on the autism spectrum, it is important to cater their education to their individual educational needs. Autism and school can be very difficult, because most educational programs are designed for those children who learn in a different way than those with autism do. It is important to research educational opportunities and autism programs as early as possible. An autism program can help the child learn the necessary social and interpersonal skills that could help them succeed in later years of schooling.
Some schools may have separate programs that offer assistance with children and learning disabilities. Children with learning disabilities in school may struggle for the simple fact that they do not have the necessary assistance or program to work with what they have. Many children who are on the autism spectrum do have the ability to live functioning lives, if they are provided with the necessary life skills early on. With the right tools, the child can succeed and get past their learning difficulties.
Parents want what is best for their children. They want to provide them with the necessary tools for success. Sometimes alternate plans need to be made. When a parent notices signs of autism, they will need to have the appropriate testing done. There are different spectrums of autism, each with their own learning and interacting disabilities. A child who is given the right tools can succeed in their education. They can learn the necessary life and social skills to succeed in their live. They just need to be provided with the most appropriate educational program, tools and assistance.