What to Do when You Have an Autistic Child in Your Class

Autism is a developmental disorder that is usually identified in the first three years of life. According to the website Autism speaks, autism affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys. This is a very high rate. Autism has a very large spectrum. Some children with autism do not talk and repeat certain actions over and over. Some students with autism seem very shy because they have trouble communicating and have trouble making eye contact. Some autistic children are sensitive to loud noises and do not like to be touched. When a child is diagnosed early in life and help is sought, autism does seem to get better and the child learns how to interact with others.

How do I know if I have an autistic child in my class?

If parents noticed that their child did not develop appropriately it could be possible that a child in your class is already identified as autistic. Many times though the parents are either in denial or don't know their child has autism. Teachers are a key role in identifying autism in children and helping the child adjust and learn to interact in school. There are many degrees of autism and some students in your class may have it, but have not been identified.

Sometimes autistic child have a one track mind. One autistic child I had several years ago loved the color blue. It was very difficult to get him to use a pencil because he wanted to do all his work with a blue crayon. Another child loved the sand box. As soon as recess began he ran to the sand box and stayed there all recess long.

Autistic children often seem like extremely shy children. They often don't make eye contact, talk very softly, and have trouble interacting with the other children in the class.

Autistic children love structure and get very distracted when the school schedule changes. When assemblies or fire drills interrupt the daily routine, autistic children get very upset and have trouble adjusting.

What to tell a parent if you suspect their child has autism

If you suspect a child in your class is autistic approach the parent carefully and with caution. No parent likes to hear that something is wrong with their child and no parent wants to hear that their child has autism. Teachers may seem to believe a child in their class is autistic, but never tell the parent that their child is autistic. Teachers teach, doctors diagnose. Teachers can tell parents that their child has characteristics that some autistic children have and it would be a good idea to discuss these characteristics with their family doctor to make a proper diagnosis.

Be prepared for the parents to deny that anything is wrong with their child or that they "just have trouble getting along with others". Even if a parent doesn't take their child to the doctor and get diagnosed you did what was right. Even if the child isn't diagnosed with autism you can still help the child in the class as if they do have autism.

Social Stories

As mentioned earlier autistic children have trouble interacting with others. When the autistic child want to play with another student they might not know what to say. When someone takes their pencil without permission they might not know what to say. Social stories are a great way to teach autistic child to behave in different situations.

A social story is a short story that should be read to a child everyday. It often includes the word "I" so the student relates better to the story. "When I want to play with another student I will say, do you want to play with me?" This is a part of a social story about making friends. There are many social stories that can be found on the internet or the teacher can write their own depending on the needs of the child.

Develop a schedule and try to keep it as consistent as possible

Try to keep your daily schedule as consistent as possible. If you always do math after recess you should always do math right after recess. If anything in the schedule is going to change, talk to the autistic child as early as possible to notify them and prepare them about the change in schedule.

For some autistic children a picture schedule for their desk can be helpful. I like to use velcro and put pictures of the daily events. In the case that something changes I can easily change the pictures to represent the day.

Adjusting class work

Many times autistic children are no less intelligent than the other students in the class. They may, though, have trouble staying focused and completing a task. If needed give short breaks in between working. Drawing a line on the paper lets the student know how much is expected before a break may be taken. Sometimes a small reward such as a gold fish cracker or sticker may need to be given if a given amount of work is completed. Try to focus on rewarding positive behavior rather than punishing the unwanted behavior.

Autistic children can be very successful in the classroom

With the help of the teacher and parents an autistic child can be very successful in the classroom. After reading social stories everyday it becomes second nature and soon the child will learn how to act in different situations. If identified early many students can learn to interact with others easier and adjust to school.