What school does your child attend?
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What school does your child attend?
| Fri, 03-28-2008 - 8:24am |
I was wondering how many ASD kids attend general ed, how many go to a learning center, and who is mostly in general ed with some help? I always assumed that after a couple of years in the special needs preschool program that Gray could go mainstreamed, but I'm thinking that might be high hopes. His preschool teacher who has dealt with children with Autism for a long time has mentioned that lots of kids go to a learning center instead of regular school. I was wondering where your children go? Thanks!



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oh on the talking about school thing, we have had to work on that for years. For kids with communication challenges this is a VERY VERY I found a few things helpful.
First I would have a set number of questions I was allowed to ask (usually started with 3 but on a bad day maybe one). I would tell the kids that I loved to hear about their day and it was important to me to know about them but I would only ask this many questions. They knew when the end would come so they were ok with that.
Second I ask VERY specific concrete questions adn provide a visual if I can. If you can ask questions around the regular routine of things you know happened at least at first so you can have some success. For instance "what did you eat for snack", "What book did you read today", something like that. Eventually you can move onto "who did you play with at recess.
Remember "Wh" questions are very hard for our kids too so start with the easier ones like "who" and "what". Save why and when for other times.
Finally when we got really good at the concrete questions I would ask them "tell me the one best thing that happened today" then "tell me the one worst" These questions I still use to gather info if I see their behavior being odd. It was the only way I really got them to tell me if something was bothering them.
Open ended questions like "how was your day" and "what did you do today" still get me absolutely no where on most occasions. After a long day of school my kids just DO NOT have the energy or ability to process through and share their whole day. Remember these are kids who have a communication disability as a central part to their ASD. Social communication being the worst so for them understanding social experiences and then being able to communicate about them can be frustrating.
Yes, some of them go to college and have careers. It helps if their special interest is something that can be a career focus. If you want to know something about what adult life is like for someone on the spectrum read some of the books by Temple Grandin, Sean Barron, and others like them. It's very enlightening. Also read the post on My life as an Alien on this board. It's by a woman with AS.
that's one of the hard things about having children, you don't know what the outcome will be, even for the NT kids. When your child has special needs it seems a little more frightening, but it's just as unknown and to some degree out of our control as for an NT child.
There are lots of resources on the web for Austism and AS. A search will bring up many options. We're all in this together, so it helps to reach out, like you're doing.
HTH
Drea
Graham
Miles
Anson
I hope that my son will seek higher education whether it be college or business school or technical training or whatever.
no-one here has a crystal ball. We are all asking the same questions about our own kids, even if those kids are closer to college age than yours. Some probably will and some probably won't. As you said, every child is different.
I will say that I worked in the IT industry for many years, and there were quite a few people I knew in that field who were probably Aspie -definitely quirky, who had very sucessful careers. Several of them were married, too.
Also, you may want to read Temple Grandin's books. She is autistic and she went to college and rose to the top of her field. So it is definitely possible for an Aspie or Autie (with supports) to have a successful career.
-Paula
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
College?
I agree with Paula, it depends on each individual child but then again we really don't know if our typical children will go to college or get married, kwim?
My thought is I want to give them the skills so it is an option for them if they choose it.
My kids are significantly closer to that age now. My oldest dd may go but may not. I don't see her surviving in a big university campus but I can see her doing ok in the community college system then transferring to a 4 year college if she wants. However, what I see my dd doing in life and LOVING she doesn't need a college degree for. I can see her loving dog grooming or being a child care worker or even an instructor for theraputic horsebackriding.
My son on the other hand may do more academically but can't handle the crowds of school. Cait has more academic struggles than Mike but Mike can't handle school. I just recently heard there is a program for young adults with autism at UCLA I think. That is only a couple hours from here so maybe he can do that. Not sure what exactly he would do with a degree yet. He loves acting and he loves writing stories. Not sure he can make a good living at either one but he can at least have an outlet and something to try. I also see him working with children in a day care or as someones 1:1 when he gets older. Right now I know a young man who had traumatic brain injury and has had special needs for some time. He works days as a 1:1 for a child with autism and evenings as a cashier for target. I hear he is a FANTASTIC 1:1 because he understands where the kid he works with is coming from. Mike loves helping younger kids and it makes him feel good about himself so I can see him doing this as well.
College? Maybe, maybe not. Not putting all my eggs in that basket. I really don't care if they go to college honestly (and I am a teacher with a masters degree. So is DH). I want them to learn the skills so they can live independently, hold down a job they love, and have the option of college if they choose that.
"I agree with Paula, it depends on each individual child but then again we really don't know if our typical children will go to college or get married, kwim? "
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