Let’s be honest, your child spends more conscious time at school than they do at home, so it is imperative that this environment be as comfortable as possible. This is something that some schools just don’t seem to understand. We always get parents using our FREE Clinical Appointments to ask us what school can be doing to better support their child, so we thought we would write an article giving you 3 things that school can be doing to better support your child.

Need extra support? Why not book a FREE Clinical Appointment with an Autism Specialist at CareGen? Book now by clicking here!

Leaving Class Early

Many young people with Autism struggle with transitions, especially when going from one classroom to another. Couple that with the sensory jungle of having 30 children moving in the same direction, you can understand why many of our young people struggle. To alleviate this unnecessary stress, it may be worth asking your child's school, if they could leave a few minutes earlier than others. This would give them enough time to settle into the new environment and miss all of the hustle and bustle.

Some young people may not want to be seen as “different” or receiving preferential treatment. This is why it may be useful to discuss a subtle strategy to allow your child to leave early without drawing attention. We’ve supported families in developing strategies such as the teacher asking your child to deliver a note or item to their next teacher and for them to take all of their belongings for convenience. This could be a strategy to discuss with your child's SENCO.

Visual Instructions

This is a no brainer! Many children struggle with processing information verbally and may need this to be reinforced visually. This could be one reason why your child is struggling at school, as they may need things written down, in order to process the information. It shouldn’t be too unreasonable to ask your child's teacher to print off the lesson plan for your child so they not only have a visual aid to what they should be doing, but it also prepares them for what to expect next.

We always recommend for parents to speak with your child's teachers directly as information may be lost if you discuss this with only the SENCO. Worst case scenario, the teacher could jot down a few instructions on a piece of paper for your child to read and re-read whilst in lesson.

Flexible start times

One of the hardest battles for any parent is trying to get your child ready for school in the morning. This is especially difficult for parents of children with Autism. There are so many extra factors that are at play such as; your child needing to follow a routine and if this can’t be fulfilled, then they may need to start again. This is why it would be unreasonable to expect your child to get to school on time every single day.

It may be worth asking your child's school if there was a 20/30 minute grace period in the mornings that would not count as them being marked as late or absent. By doing this, you may find that it becomes easier for your child to actually get into school as there is less pressure and also sensory stimuli at the new time.

Need more support? Why not book a FREE Clinical Appointment with an Autism Specialist at CareGen? Book now by clicking here!

This has to be one of the main issue that parents call us about, within our FREE Clinical Appointments. It can be really scary when your child is not eating, especially when they're still young and developing. Don’t worry! In this article, we aim to give you some helpful tips on how to get your child to eat.

Need extra support? Why not book a FREE Clinical appointment with an autism specialist by clicking here.

Sensory difficulties

Ok so you may have noticed that your child only sticks to a certain type of food and very rarely veers away from those comfort foods. This is actually a common trait within autism as most of the time, your child will struggle to eat other foods due to the texture. We’ve all got certain foods that we just don’t like to eat (mine is sprouts) because of the way it feels in your mouth. This is what is happening with your child, but just on a more grander scale.

Try to stick to the same food when you can, and slowly introduce new foods. This can be as subtle as plating a new vegetable on a separate plate and placing this next to them. You could even try modelling this food (without making it obvious that you want them to try the food). What you may find is that your child’s natural curiosity kicks in and they try the food when you’re not looking.

Routine

Another reason could be that your child has developed a routine where they eat a certain meal or food at a certain time. For example, we’ve worked with families that their child always eats McDonald’s on the way back from school and this has become a routine. Eventually their entire diet becomes nothing but chicken nuggets and chips.

If you’re in this situation, it may be to incorporate another (healthier) food stop before going to McDonald’s (or when they’re expecting to eat a specific type of food). For example, if your child always eats fast food, then you could schedule in going to a healthier place first for a “light snack” and then McDonald’s. Eventually, your child would be eating the healthier option more and more and wouldn’t be able to eat as much of the unhealthier option.

Need more support? Why not book a FREE Clinical appointment with an autism specialist at CareGen. Just click here to book.

We always hear from parents that they always knew that their child was autistic, and this may confuse other parents that are just starting their assessment journey. No one ever asks the specifics of when you knew your child was autistic or what were the early signs. That’s why, in this article we aim to provide some clarity on some signs to look out for if you suspect your child is on the Autism Spectrum. 

Please note that if you suspect your child may have autism, then please either contact your local GP or book a free clinical appointment with an Autism specialist at CareGen by clicking here. 

Delayed in speech

One of the main early indicators that your child may be on the spectrum is if there is a significant delay in your child speech. In many cases, your health visitor or another professional (e.g school) would most likely have picked up on your child’s delayed speech. It may be that your child has said a few words, however isn’t speaking in full sentences yet which could also be a cause for concern.

If you as a parent are in this situation, then it may be time to contact your GP and get a referral to an autism assessment. In addition, it may be beneficial to ask either GP or school to also make a referral to a speech and language therapist to support with speech development.

Difficulties developing friendships 

Another sign of possible Autism is if your child is consistently finding it difficult to make friends. This can be during their time at Nursery or when they began primary school. You might find that your child always wants to control the play of others and this is what is causing difficulties in developing and maintaining friendships. 

One strategy for parents in this situation could be to sit down with your child’s school SENCO and see if there are any nurture groups that your child could be a part of. This could support your child in developing their interaction skills with their peers and ultimately supporting their ability to develop and maintain friendships.

Need for routine

This is probably the biggest sign that your child may be on the spectrum. Most children like to have a routine, however most parents that subsequently get a diagnosis for their child, have a distinct memory of their child being especially regimented. This isn’t to say that any child that likes a routine must be on the spectrum, however if you’re noticing that your child is having an adverse reaction to any changes to routine, it may be time to explore further support. 

If you’re a parent in this situation, then you may want to explore strategies such as visual timetables and "now and next" cards. It may also be worth contacting your child’s school to see if there are any major events coming up in your child school life to best prepare them of possible changes in routine for those days.

If you’re still struggling and would like further support, then why not book a FREE Clinical Appointment with an Autism specialist at CareGen? Just click here and book a date and time that suits you via our online calendar booking system.