The number of children being diagnosed with autism is
rapidly increasing. The incidence rate
within the past few years has gone from one child in every 500, to one child in
every 150, and now, according to the CDC, the incidence of kids on the autism
spectrum is 1 in 88. It’s beyond the
scope of this blog to explain the reason for the escalating number of children being
diagnosed, but suffice it to say that the public schools are being called upon
more and more frequently to provide services for these children. Sometimes schools can do a phenomenal job in
addressing these children’s needs; sometimes not. In particular, meeting the needs of those
students with higher functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome can be uniquely
challenging because on the surface many of these children look “fine.” Yet, these children have challenges and need
help.
School staff can be blinded by the sometimes high intellect
or seemingly strong verbal skills some children with either Asperger’s syndrome
or high-functioning autism exhibit. Yet,
these kids can be exceedingly puzzling.
Seemingly competent students fall apart when their rigid adherence to routine
is interrupted. Due to sensory overload,
the student in AP physics might wind up under the table during a fire drill. Navigating gym classes, lunchrooms, and
playgrounds—confusing even for some children without special needs–can be
nightmares for children on the spectrum.
Homework and class work are also stressors for these children. Some teachers will fault the child on the
spectrum who fails to turn in his homework, loses it, or even more
frustratingly, simply refuses to do it.
After all, these are bright children who should really “know better.” Any and all of these scenarios can result in
meltdowns for these children. In worst
case scenarios some melt downs are so very badly managed by school staff that
the child exits the school in handcuffs escorted by police. Other children will quietly slip under the
radar and simply have their needs overlooked.
Figuring out where to educate these children is a challenge.
Under federal law children with special needs must be educated in the least
restrictive environment. In theory,
children with higher functioning autism and Asperger’s should be in mainstream
classrooms where they will have appropriate role models and their sometimes superior
academic abilities are more likely to be met.
According to data released to the U.S. Congress by the Office of Special
Education Programs, more and more students with an autism classification are
being educated in regular education classrooms.
From 1997 to 2006, the percentage increase of students aged 6 through 21
with an autism classification educated inside a regular class 80% or more of
the day increased from 18.3 to 32.3%.
Yet some children may need to be placed in self-contained
special education classrooms or schools. Ultimately, those students struggling
the most may need therapeutic or residential placements. Some families give up on public schools entirely
and enroll their child in virtual schools or even home school them. The overall challenge, however, is finding an
environment that can support the child emotionally as well as meets his or her
academic strengths or weaknesses. Yet,
the number of students with autism educated in “other environments”; e.g.,
separate school, residential facility, homebound/hospital environment,
correctional facility or parentally placed in private school; has also
decreased from 16.9 to 10.5%.
Clearly, more and more demands are being placed on teachers
and schools to provide services to these students. And unfortunately, educating these children
is not cheap. Teachers, and where
appropriate, paraprofessionals need specialized training. Speech therapists and social workers need to
be able to deal with these children’s pragmatic language deficiencies to help
them develop appropriate social skills.
Occupational therapists need to provide children with sensory diets to
help them manage their anxieties when sensory overloaded. Everyone needs to understand that each of
these children is different. No two
children with Asperger’s or high-functioning autism are exactly alike. Educating these children is not always easy,
but it can be rewarding and it can be done.