New school term is a tricky time
DEBBY Elley is the co-editor of AuKids magazine, an awardwinning positive parenting magazine for children on the autism spectrum. She has twin boys with autism and is the first instalment of her new monthly column.
SEPTEMBER is one of the trickiest times of the year for autistic kids. They’ve had weeks of no routine (stressful enough for kids with autism) before being plunged into a brand new school year where EVERYTHING is new.
If you know nothing about autism, let’s cut to the chase by saying that changes of routine amount to high anxiety.
One of the key factors underpinning autism is rigidity of thought. Faced with a new situation, most of us will be able to recognise things in common with past experiences and gain some comfort from that.
This is down to the brain’s flexibility and adaptability. For autistic people, new things are a real challenge.
With house-hunting the phrase is ‘location, location, location’. With autistic people, the phrase is ‘prepare, prepare, prepare’. Tell them what exactly what, when and why and use photographs or symbols to make the information easier to process.
Mark on their own calendar the start of term and point out the number of days left.
If you have a new uniform, letting them try it on for a while – or at least hanging it up where it’s visible - will make it more familiar.
For some children, a photograph of the new teacher, classroom and building helps. For mainstream kids, it helps if you have the school timetable handy so that they can see it first, but this isn’t always possible.
Once you have it, colour-coding the subjects can help a child to orientate more quickly, as well as covering subject books in the same colour.
Check for areas of concern and reassure with information; follow-up by letting teachers know that these are potential anxiety points. Keep talking to school.
Finally, leave enough time so that you don’t have to rush in the morning. Your anxiety can transfer so easily - you’d be amazed at the knockon effect this can have.
AuKids is proud to have been shortlisted for the Vernon Building Society Jubilee Fund. To vote for AuKids, just cut out the weekly tokens in the Stockport Express, or vote on Facebook at: apps.agorapulse.com/ fanVotes/77199