| A Back to School Checklist to Help You and Your | | | | school year and the changes that are involved, |
| Autistic Child Establish a Stress Free School | | | | making a fifteen to twenty minute appointment |
| Routine | | | | to talk to the new teacher before or after school |
| Transitions are very difficult for most children on | | | | might help. The opportunity to have a private |
| the autism spectrum to make and going back to | | | | audience with the teacher to go over schedules |
| school may be the most challenging one there is. | | | | and expectations as well as the chance to ask |
| Preparing an autistic child for change can be time | | | | questions without other students around can give |
| consuming and emotionally draining for any family. | | | | any child a gigantic jumpstart and sense of relief. |
| We all hope for a stress free and easy shift into | | | | ___ Have you reviewed previous school years |
| a new school routine but don't always get what | | | | by looking at pictures?If you don't have any |
| we want. If despite all your preparation the new | | | | pictures, start taking them now or if your school |
| school year did not get off to a good start, don't | | | | has a yearbook, make sure to purchase one |
| despair because it is never too late to turn things | | | | when it is published. If using your own pictures |
| around. All parents want things to go smoothly | | | | consider putting them in a scrapbook this year, |
| and when they don't it is all too easy to place | | | | which may be fun to create together. Next year |
| blame on yourself. But wait! | | | | you can take the yearbook or scrapbook out at |
| Before jumping to conclusions that you did | | | | this time and look through it together, it can be a |
| something wrong or that your autistic child will | | | | useful transition tool for returning to school the |
| never settle into a peaceful back to school routine | | | | following year. |
| let's approach this from a different perspective. | | | | ___ Have you held a family meeting about |
| When an airplane pilot develops problems flying an | | | | school?In addition to talking about school to your |
| aircraft or a sea captain experiences difficulty | | | | child individually, it's great to hold a family meeting |
| with his ship the trouble could stem from a | | | | so that everyone gets a chance to share their |
| number of things. Most likely both of these skilled | | | | thoughts and feelings as well as discuss and plan |
| professionals will run through a checklist to assess | | | | for the week ahead. Meeting as a group sends |
| the situation and determine the cause. The first | | | | the message that you are all in this together and |
| step towards solving any dilemma is assessment | | | | that you care about each individual's experience. If |
| and a checklist is a great way to examine most | | | | you have never held a family meeting before, this |
| potentially problematic situations. | | | | is good time to start. |
| Having a checklist also helps one tackle a challenge | | | | ___ Have you and your child met with the school |
| with more confidence and less stress.Depending | | | | bus driver?If taking the bus, it can be very |
| on the qualities that make your child unique and | | | | beneficial for you to meet with the bus driver and |
| where he or she falls on the autism spectrum, | | | | provide him or her with helpful information about |
| your back to school experience will differ from | | | | your child. A school bus is a very sensory |
| every other parent. If you are experiencing | | | | stimulating environment - bus fumes, noise, |
| turbulence or rough seas in your household as you | | | | temperatures, stops and starts, etc. - not to |
| try to settle into a stress free back to school | | | | mention an atmosphere that could be socially |
| routine here is a checklist for you to refer to that | | | | intimidating to your children with autism. You may |
| may help you identify some adjustments that will | | | | even want to consider creating a driver tip sheet, |
| make for a smoother transition. | | | | especially if you suspect the bus ride is causing |
| ___ Are you paying attention to your child's | | | | high-anxiety or sensory overload for your child. A |
| sleep patterns and bedtime routine?If you weren't | | | | tip sheet might include important information |
| able to address changes in daily routines, such as | | | | about your child and how best to communicate |
| bedtime, well enough in advance this could be the | | | | with him, simple strategies that work, tactics to |
| cause of any stress related behaviors that might | | | | avoid, seating preference or activities that will |
| be occurring. One cannot stress the importance | | | | maintain his interest. |
| of sleep and its impact on brain development, | | | | ___ Have you addressed screen machine use?If |
| mood and attention span which many studies | | | | you have allowed TV viewing, video games and |
| support. In addition to helping your child be more | | | | computer use privileges to increase over the |
| successful at school, making sure she receives | | | | summer and haven't had a chance to cut back |
| the required amount of sleep will also improve her | | | | yet, begin now. Technology is important and |
| behavior at home. | | | | useful but must be balanced with other activities |
| ___ Are you using a back to school calendar?If | | | | that create an atmosphere where the brain is |
| not, consider creating a special back-to-school | | | | encouraged and allowed to think for itself. Quiet |
| calendar. Depending on your child's interest in arts | | | | time for reading, homework and social interaction |
| and crafts, this can be a fun process that the | | | | is vitally important for helping your child be |
| two of you can do together. You may want to | | | | successful in school. Once you adjust TV, video |
| use words or pictures to indicate what will happen | | | | and computer use rules it is important to |
| on each day of the week, if you need more | | | | communicate them clearly and stick to them. |
| room and can't find a calendar big enough, such as | | | | ___ Are you encouraging social interactions for |
| a wall calendar, make a book that has a page or | | | | your child?A child on the autism spectrum often |
| two or for every day of the week. Reading the | | | | struggles with making and keeping friends, which |
| book or looking at the calendar can you're your | | | | is an important component in creating a positive |
| child transition better from day to day. | | | | school experience. If possible, invite old or new |
| ___ Have you used other school related | | | | classmates that may have moved into the school |
| resources to your advantage?If you have any | | | | system and invite them over so your child can |
| books or movies about school this would be a | | | | get to know them better and practice her social |
| good time to read or watch them repeatedly. If | | | | graces. It can help your child immensely if you |
| your supply of school related resources is scarce | | | | rehearse back to school conversation starters and |
| consider a trip to the bookstore to purchase a | | | | group social skills with them to use with their |
| new book or the more economical option of the | | | | friends, teachers and other adults. |
| public library which allows you to take home more | | | | ___ Are you communicating clearly with your |
| than one book or video. One can always find | | | | child?It is important to remember that all the |
| books about going back to school, such as | | | | preparation, planning and practice in the world |
| "Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School," by Herman | | | | won't get you to where you want to be if you |
| Parish. | | | | aren't communicating effectively with your child - |
| ___ Have you been talking about school in a | | | | verbally and non-verbally. It is important to know |
| positive manner?When talking about school with | | | | what works best to effectively communicate |
| your child on the autism spectrum, it is always | | | | with your child. Does your autistic child |
| important to set up a positive attitude for the | | | | communicate best with words, or visuals and how |
| upcoming school year before and after it begins. | | | | can you tell when your message has been |
| Talking to them in the affirmative regarding | | | | received and you have made a good connection? |
| teachers, friends and schoolwork will help them | | | | Before you think about making changes to your |
| maintain a positive perspective and relieve any | | | | back to school schedule, take the time to review |
| anxieties that might exist. If despite your positive | | | | this checklist and note what comes to mind. Be |
| attitude, your child is not enthused about the | | | | open and honest in assessing your current routine |
| school year, focus on activities and events they | | | | and then choose a few things to work on as you |
| find interesting, such as sports, arts, clubs, field | | | | tweak your original approach. In order to create a |
| trips, etc. If you really need to dig deep try to | | | | more productive and enjoyable back to school |
| find something positive to say about what will | | | | routine for you and your child, make changes |
| happen after school. | | | | gradually and keep track of what works and what |
| ___ Did you and your child have a private | | | | doesn't. Before you know it, you and your child |
| meeting with the teacher?If your child is | | | | will be experiencing a stress free school routine. |
| exceptionally anxious about the start of a new | | | | |