by IABA Team | Dec 6, 2022
Some teens with autism will opt to continue their education at college. Going to college is a huge decision (both financially and socially) for any kid, and doubly so for kids with autism.
What do kids with autism need to do to ensure a successful college education? Is it different from that of a neurotypical kid? Let’s take a look.
Social Planning
People with autism can have social difficulties, especially when it comes to making time for social events and picking up on cues given in social situations. Planning ahead for these situations can make them a bit easier.
Scheduling events well ahead of time is a great way for teens with autism to remember that a special event is happening on a given day. Having a peer buddy can also help with social situations–someone to help ease the burden of deciphering neurotypical social actions, expressions, and cues.
Organization
Keeping your schedule, materials, and living space organized are keys to success in general. Making sure a college student with autism is organized can help them thrive in a purely academic situation.
Make sure to have detailed calendars ready before each month starts. Have specific places for all books, materials, and other needs. Schedule a specific time to clean and reorganize anything that needs it. Taking steps like these can help college students with autism stay organized and ready for class.
Planning for the Transition to College
College is a huge change to the lifestyle of every kid who decides to go. Making sure your child knows what the transition entails is crucial to their college experience.
Even teens who attend local or community colleges and live at home will need to know what to expect academically. Most college programs entail long classes/lectures and looser work/homework schedules than K-12. Making sure your child knows that school is about to change is a very important step towards a successful transition to college.
Preparing for Independent Living
Kids with autism heading off to college and not living at home need to be prepared for the rigors of daily living. No mom & day or other caregivers will be around to help during most days. This means that preparations need to be made and expectations need to be set.
Make sure that your child has a full list of what they will need to do in college. This includes things like:
- Eating (times and what is being eaten)
- Sleeping (scheduling is necessary)
- Cleaning & Organizing
- Laundry
- Knowing what to do in outstanding situations (class cancellations etc)
- Having emergency contacts and knowing when to use them
College and University Academic Support
Many colleges and universities offer academic support programs for students with disabilities and special needs. A great way to learn more about this before applying or even enrolling in college is to speak to a high school counselor. Many counselors for upperclassmen will be familiar with available programs and can help gather information about prospective schools.
College admissions counselors are also able to answer questions about the university they represent. Be sure to call and ask questions about academic support, programs, and modifications to learning curriculums for students with special needs.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Nov 22, 2022
After-school programs can be a great option for both kids and their parents. Children who show an interest in a given subject or activity will always want to engage in more of it. Parents who need a bit more childcare or want to try to introduce new things to their children will also be interested in finding after-school programs.
Finding a great after-school program for children with autism, however, can be a bit more challenging. Many standard after-school programs are not set up to handle certain needs of children with autism. So, how can you find a great after-school program for children with autism?
Know Your Child’s Needs
When you start looking for an after-school program for a child with autism, you need to know that child’s needs. How are they with new things and changes in routine? Do they have extreme sensory sensitivities?
Answering questions like these can help you determine which programs will work and which won’t before diving into more research. Some children with autism will thrive in after-school programs designed for neurotypical children–it all depends on the needs of that individual child.
Talk to Your Child’s School or Autism Service Provider
Before looking at programs online, talk to your child’s school or ASP. Many autism service providers offer after-school programs and activities. If you’re looking for programs specifically built for children with autism, this is the best place to start.
Having a conversation with your child’s teacher or therapist can also allow you to ask about specific programs. Outside of being able to recommend after-school programs in general, your child’s teacher therapist can recommend programs that your child would do better in. Getting a personal recommendation is always better than reading reviews or information online.
Look Up State-Sponsored Programs
State-sponsored programs, along with county- & city-sponsored programs, can be a great way to start the search for after-school programs and activities specifically designed for children with autism. Statewide (or even nationwide) programs will give you the information you can use to search for programs more relevant to your child: local programs.
When you start the search for local programs, make sure to talk to your child’s school or the school district. Many schools or district websites have lists of programs and activities designed for children with different needs. If you can’t find something on a website, be sure to make a phone call. Talking to a representative is the best way to find out if they offer a program suited to the needs of your child.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Nov 15, 2022
Transferring from school to break and back again is hard for every child. The changes in schedule and routine are a lot to handle. This goes doubly so for children with autism.
Children with autism have more difficulty than neurotypical children when it comes to understanding and accepting changes to routines. With Thanksgiving and Winter break coming up, we decided to take a look at some great ways to make school schedules easier for children with autism to understand.
Developing Priorities
Developing priorities can help make life easier for autistic children in school programs. While priorities can start with little things, they can gradually start focusing on times, dates, and other longer-term things.
Determining values can help steer us toward more fulfilling outcomes, even on a day-to-day basis. If your child is working toward learning to tie their shoes independently, for instance, repetition will help them achieve this more quickly. The downside to a lot of repetition is that you aren’t able to get other values-related tasks done. Putting the things you value most at the front of your list can help tackle important issues first.
Prioritizing times, events, and other things on a schedule can help children with autism understand that a larger-than-normal change is coming. The best way to start developing priorities for your child is by talking to their primary care providers. The insight they will be able to give can help you know what kind of priorities your child will be able to set and maintain.
Making an upcoming change easy to follow and understand can help ease the transition.
Autism School Supply Checklist
Making sure your child has the right supplies for school and any events can make schedules seem easier. How? Because your child will have tools and personal items they know will be used at specific times throughout each school day.
Every program has different requirements for school supplies. Before looking at our general list, you’ll definitely want to look over any list of supplies or materials provided by your child’s school.
The following are general items with brief guidelines to highlight some of the most important things to make sure your child has at school.
- Lunch box. Having a reusable lunch box with compartments may help your child get into a regular lunch routine. Buying several of the same lunch boxes can help if you don’t have time to wash one every day. Compartments in lunchboxes can help your child understand where their regular lunch foods will be every day.
- Comfort Items. Make sure your child has their favorite comfort item to bring to school each day. Things like stuffed animals or a favorite blanket may help your child settle into a comfortable routine at school each day.
- Correct School Supplies. After looking at a supply list provided by your child’s school, go shopping with your child and allow them to pick versions of the supplies they are comfortable with. Remember to buy extras of expendable supplies so they will have the same item they are comfortable with after the first one is done.
- Organized Backpack. A backpack with extra pouches or internal dividers is a great way to set up your child’s bag for easy use that can help them get into a regular school routine. Putting things in the same place can help them remember where their things are throughout the school day.
- Emergency Sheet. Be sure to include any information a teacher, aide, or therapist may need in your child’s bag. This sheet should include any and all information regarding sensory issues, specific behavioral issues, preferences, and anything else they may need to know if your child is having a difficult time.
Parent-Teacher Communication
The best way to ease a child with autism into a new schedule or routine is to have great parent-teacher communication. A child whose parents are preparing them for a specific program will expect that specific program. Having a teacher that follows up is crucial for a smooth transition.
Talking to a teacher or administrator about the needs of your child beforehand can make the changes of a school schedule less turbulent. You should also observe your child’s behaviors before, during, and after school. Their behaviors around their school may indicate how they view the environment, especially if they have issues with communication or speech.
Families should always monitor the behaviors of their children before and after school to determine if anything needs to be looked at or changed.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Nov 8, 2022
Choosing a daycare program is tough enough for neurotypical children. Adding autism to the equation can make the process seem like scaling a mountain.
So, what can you do to make the process easier? Where should you start looking? Let’s take a look at some great ways to help select a daycare program for children with autism.
Where do you Need Care?
Many ASD service providers offer in-home and clinical services–knowing which service you need can help narrow down your search before it even begins.
In-clinic autism services, including daycare, are great options for children who can adapt to changes in routine with some help. Children less affected by sensory stimuli are more likely to benefit from in-clinic daycare services.
At-home autism services are best utilized by those with special needs. Some clinics may not be set up to handle the specific needs of a child. Children that have many special needs (foods, toys, scenery, etc) and/or extreme difficulties with changes to routines may be more suited for in-home daycare.
Typical daycare programs may be an option for children with autism. There are things to look for specifically before enrolling a child with autism in a traditional daycare program:
- Staff experience with autism
- Individualized activities for children
- Taking special requests (if you provide toys, activities, snacks, etc)
- Communication
Talk to the Staff
Talking to the staff and caregivers about your child’s needs and what their daycare programs offer is a great way to find out if a program will be a good fit. While websites often list services, features, and more, it is not a substitute for actually talking to someone.
A great thing to remember is to be sure to make a list of questions ready for anyone you talk to. A great list will include any special needs your child has or worries you have. Getting the answers you need is one of the keys to finding a great daycare program for your child.
After you find a care provider that can take care of your child’s needs, be sure to ask questions about the staff. Things like:
- Staff experience (especially with any special needs your child has)
- Staff licensure
- Communication policies (reports and calls with parents/families)
- Goal setting (both in-clinic and at home)
Make sure to get satisfactory answers to these questions from any care provider you talk to–the care of your child will be handled by them!
Daycare Reports
Knowing how your child is doing is very important when it comes to children with autism & school/care programs. Most autism service providers will have daily or weekly reports on your child’s behavior and progress. Making sure the information you need is on daycare reports is an important part of a great daycare program’s job.
Continuing care from clinic to home (or from in-home clinician to parent) is a huge part of helping children with autism develop. Great reporting from a daycare provider leads to great communication between the parents, the daycare provider, and the child.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
by IABA Team | Oct 31, 2022
Autism has traditionally been diagnosed more frequently in males, but new studies have shown that autism may have nothing to do with sex. The lower prevalence of autism in girls may be due to specific behaviors that indicate autism going unnoticed.
The signs and symptoms of autism do not differ between boys & girls. The way some signs and symptoms of autism can be shown through behaviors, however, can differ.
General Signs of Autism
Before looking at how behaviors that potentially indicate autism may differ between boys and girls, let’s look at some of the general signs of ASD. Signs of general autism normally include:
- Social behavior issues
- Communication issues
- Problems understanding relationships
- A very narrow set of interests and areas of focus
- Stimming (repetitive motor actions and/or sounds)
- Difficulty adapting to change
- Extreme reactions to sensory stimuli
Signs of Autism in Boys
The reason autism diagnoses have been observed at higher levels in boys is that the behaviors most people associate with autism frequently appear in young boys. These signs include:
- Repetitive Actions & Play. Boys with autism are more likely than girls to engage in extremely limited and repetitive actions & play.
- Narrow Fields of Interest. Fields of interest including mechanical or data-driven topics often appeal much more to boys with autism than girls.
- Aggression. Aggression related to autism manifests much more often in boys than in girls.
- Social Unawareness. Boys with autism seem more socially ‘awkward’ than girls with ASD. Younger boys with autism often seem socially withdrawn and uninterested, unlike a larger number of young girls with autism.
Please note that signs of autism can differ greatly from person to person. Some of the signs listed in both of these lists can surface in both boys and girls. These lists are simply to show signs that occur more often when diagnosing autism in young girls & boys.
Signs of Autism in Girls
Some of the criteria used to diagnose autism may go unnoticed by parents or teachers when it comes to girls. These signs can manifest in different ways. Some of the signs of autism that girls exhibit more than boys include:
- Introversion. Girls with autism may be more introverted or be considered to be ‘shy’ than boys. While being introverted doesn’t necessarily mean a girl has autism, being severely introverted may be a warning sign.
- Hyper focusing. Hyper focusing is, broadly speaking, complete absorption into a task. In girls with autism, hyperfocus totally prevents them from dividing attention between more than one thing.
- Lack of social awareness. Another sign that a young girl may have autism is a lack of social awareness. This manifests itself in a girl being unable to establish the relevance or importance of others, leading to a lack of understanding social cues.
- Auditory/Sensory Processing. Severe auditory and other sensory processing sensitivities or issues may also be a sign of autism. This is different than being scared of alarmed due to loud or explosive sounds and more about issues with sounds or sensory stimuli most people take no issue with.
- Social Camouflaging. Social camouflaging can be the most difficult sign of autism in young girls for parents to detect. Young girls with mild autism may go undiagnosed due to seeming socially neurotypical. This makes looking for other signs even more important.
ABA Therapy from IABA Consultants
If you have questions regarding autism treatment, education, or plans to use ABA therapy, we are here for you! Our goal is to make sure no family is turned away due to financial constraints. Our therapy team would love to talk to you. Find the location closest to you and give us a call. We’re here for you.
