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Back-to-School Tips for Autistic (and Non-Autistic) Kids

H.U.G provides parents (and children) with tips to make your lives easier. Get autistic and non-autistic children back to school.t

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Back-to-School Tips for Autistic (and Non-Autistic) Kids

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  1. Back-to-School Tips for Autistic (and Non-Autistic) Kids School was out for summer, but now the new school semester is swinging around. This time of transition can be particularly challenging for neurodivergent children who struggle with changes in their routine. Here at H.U.G., a Haven for Understanding Growth, we provide parents (and children) with tips to make your lives easier. This article focuses on getting autistic and non-autistic children back to school. Let’s get started. 1.Approach With Adaptability When your child refuses to go to school, it can feel like you’re between a rock and a hard place. These high-stress situations may lead parents to snap, adding more frustration to fuel the back-to-school fire. Unfortunately, when parents demonstrate dysregulation, this could worsen children’s worries and frustrations, as they sometimes rely on us to provide reassurance. Try to approachyour child’s resistance with adaptability when the return to school swings back around. Although it would make life much easier, you can’t anticipate every potential hurdle. Dr. Hanley’s perspective on Applied Behavior Analysis does, however, provide some key pointers to bear in mind: ●Listen: When your child struggles to return to school, remember to ask questions and listen to their concerns. Sometimes, validation of their worries, reassurance, and

  2. comfort may be all your child needs. Insight to action: “When I was 5, meeting a new teacher and new friends made me anxious too, I hear you buddy.” ●Empower: Remember to empower your child as they tackle this challenge. It’s important to remind them of their strengths and resilience and to regularly praise their hard work (if they respond well to praise). Insight to action: “Going back to school feels tricky for you, I get it, but you can do hard things.” ●Reduce Anxiety, Then Teach: Children can’t process and learn information effectively when dysregulated. They must return to a calm state before you provide them with any critical information about returning to school. Insight to action: I wonder how you can make yourself feel better right now. I am here if you need help. Once you are calmer, we can talk more about school.” 2.Prepare With Visual Aids Visual schedules and social stories are visual aids that can be used by parents to assist with back-to-school transition. Visual Schedules Visual schedules break tasks into manageable steps, typically using ordered picture cards. Evidence shows that this technique can help autistic children to transition more independently. Visual schedules are an excellent tool for children who experience rigid thinking and anxiety around change, as they can move the cards around themselves and take control of their visual schedule, allowing them to feel more at ease. You can also structure visual timetables to include breaks and rewarding activities. This makes it easier for children to manage unpreferred and anxiety-provoking activities, such as returning to school. Social Stories Social stories are a visual way to guide children through various situations they’re about to face by presenting them with a similar scenario of another child their age. They are most often used for social situations, helping children to understand how to behave at these times. Suppose your child is meeting their teacher for the first time. In that case, you may create a social story about a little boy their age meeting their teacher for the first time. This can help them to process this situation so that it’s less anxiety-provoking. You can also adapt social stories for a range of scenarios, including:

  3. ●Returning to school (including leaving home, traveling to school, registration, lessons, etc.) ●Socializing with classmates ●The school day (lesson times, break times, etc.) 3.Get Those Sensory Items Ready This tip is particularly crucial for children who experience sensory overload. Going into a new environment can be highly stressful and even traumatic for some children. Not only this, but school can sometimes be a confusing and demanding environment for children, making comforting items that remind them of home ever more vital. Winnicott (1953) recognized the importance of “transitional objects.” These items help children psychologically separate themselves from their primary caregiver, using their transitional objects as a substitute. We can say the same for autistic children with sensory items - they use these to transition from one setting to another, from their home where their caregiver is present to school where their caregiver is absent. As a result, these items are essential for establishing their sense of self. Not to mention, they help children keep calm in stressful situations like returning to school. 4.Try Therapy If you are trying tirelessly to get your child back to school, but they continue to refuse, you’re not the only one. Around 5 - 28% of school-aged children refuse to attend school at some point. If you feel you have tried everything, it may be time to speak to a mental health professional such as an Applied Behavior Analyst. Autism Therapy Services One of the most effective and widely-used behavioral treatment programs for children with autism and other neurodivergent conditions is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). A behavior analyst works with children to identify the behaviors that present challenges in their daily life, examining the causes of problem behaviors as well as their consequences. ABA therapy programs can help: ●Increase language and communication skills ●Improve attention, focus, social skills, memory, and academics

  4. ●Decrease problem behaviors Autism Home Care Services Perhaps your child is highly anxious about going to school, triggering their refusal to go back. Anxiety and depression are typical conditions significantly associated with autism - these can have debilitating effects and render children unable to leave the house, let alone get back to school. If this is the situation you currently face, home-based ABA services for autism may be very helpful. At H.U.G., we offer progressive and child-centred in-home autism care. To find out more, click here. ABA Therapy for Autism Near Me If you search “autism therapy Michigan” or similar, you will likely be inundated with therapist after therapist. To prevent this, look for autism therapy services at an autism center such as H.U.G. At H.U.G., our skilled clinicians use progressive, play-based, and child-centered behavior therapy to empower each child to write their own story in their home, at school, and in the community. Let’s Get Back to School Getting back to school can be trickier for some children. However, with the help of adaptability, visual aids, and sensory items, the transition may be much more manageable. If these don’t work, it may be time to seek professional support in the form of behavior therapy. H.U.G. Center is a provider of home-based autism services for children with autism and other neurodivergent conditions. You can book an assessment for behavior therapy with one of Hug Center’s ABA therapists here.

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