Is Special Education the Best Way for Children with Asperger's Syndrome to Learn?

In the past, special education used to be the catchall term for all those kids who did not learn as well in the regular classroom environment as other kids. This led to those with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, developmental and also cognitive disabilities to be lumped together in huge classrooms where precious little learning actually took place. Chronically underfunded, these special education classrooms were scrapped, and gave way to the educational model that would put all kids into the same classes.

This, too, is a recipe for disaster as it leaves those who are differently able to flounder while children who are considered normally enabled find a curriculum almost exclusively geared toward them. Parents who kids diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome have been wondering for some time if there is a good way of educating their youngsters, and since neither the all inclusive nor the special education classroom experience seems to have worked, there is some confusion and frustration evident.

It is important to recognize that Asperger’s Syndrome in no way affects a child’s IQ. As a matter of fact, while children with the condition may have a hard time in their social development, their ability to learn and even excel in some studies is well documented. Unfortunately, it is there that some run afoul those educators with a specific agenda that would see them once again crammed into special education classrooms where – under the guise of having their special abilities catered to – they are kept separate from other kids with different abilities.

Parents must be vigilant in their efforts to keep their children in educational environments that combine those with Asperger’s Syndrome and those without the condition. At the same time, teachers trained in the fine art of teaching students with all levels of abilities should make up the majority of the faculties of education facilities. The separation of differently able children who have the cognitive wherewithal to learn alongside their peers is a process that presents more problems than it solves while at the same time failing to properly help children to integrate and interact with those who might be slightly different.

There is, however, a bona fide venue for special education when it comes to teaching children with Asperger’s Syndrome to interact with others. Lacking of course are social skills and the ability to read and understand verbal nuances and nonverbal body language clues. A form of special education that promotes interaction between children with Asperger’s Syndrome and those without, for the express purpose of teaching the former how to interact properly, is a great idea that should find a lot of support on the neighborhood level as well as on the national level.

Of course, until both parents and educators understand that there is no IQ driven reason for separating students with Asperger’s Syndrome from other kids progress will be rather slow in coming. Once again, parents must be the educated advocates who will push on for their children’s proper education and socialization, and moms and dads simply cannot afford to remain inadequately informed on the issue.

Parenting a Preschooler with Asperger's Syndrome

If your child is diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome at three or thereabouts, you will soon find yourself in the dilemma of whether or not to send your child to a public preschool; even as many parents opt to keep children at home during the preschool years or simply do preschool learning at home, there is copious literature that believes this to be the wrong decision. After all, while preschool is the venue for a lot of basic learning that prepares a child for kindergarten, it is also a training ground for interpersonal relationships, which is of significant importance to a child diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Even as the child may start out at a disadvantage in this realm, there is little doubt that a preschooler will benefit greatly from the social interactions that preschool has to offer. This of course begs the question why so many parents are singularly reticent to enroll an Asperger’s Syndrome child in preschool, and some have suggested that it could be because the condition does not manifest in a predictable manner in youngsters, but instead only gives a number of possible scenarios, many of which may not come to pass while others are indeed amplified.

As a matter of fact, this has led some preschool teachers to eye children with Asperger’s Syndrome as possibly retarded or even as trouble makers, when little could be further from the truth. Such attitudes by those in charge at the preschools has led some parents to cast a nervous eye at the administration of such schools, and rightfully fear that their child will be pigeonholed instead of embraced, and labeled instead of gently directed. This is a very real danger and can prove detrimental to the child diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, especially if the extent of the diagnosis can not yet be predicted.

Parenting a preschooler with Asperger’s Syndrome may appear a mix of a tightrope walk and an uphill battle advocating for the child, and it is a good idea for parents to seek out the help of other parents – perhaps those who have kindergarten or elementary school aged Asperger’s Syndrome children in their homes – for the decisions they are facing. Since children with this diagnosis have normal intelligence, there is little questioning that they will do well from the academic point of view, it is simply a question of the other aspects of the experience that might not make the youngster a good candidate for such a placement.

There is now a new movement underfoot that suggests keeping the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome confidential and only sharing it on a need to know basis with a school administrator, but not with the teacher in the classroom. It has been found that during the preschool years, the actual problems associated with an Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis do not come to light fully and therefore there is little value in having the child receiving a label that may follow it for the rest of its scholastic career and also its peer interactions.

Diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome

As with any disease or condition when something is not right, especially with a child the immediate concern is for a diagnosis. A diagnosis puts a name to the set of behaviors and symptoms. A diagnosis gives hope for an improvement of the condition. A diagnosis gives an explanation for why this is happening.

As many diagnosis's the diagnosis process for Asperger's Syndrome can be complicated. At the present time there is a lack of standardized diagnostic screening or testing schedule. The same child seen by different doctors could conceivably receive different diagnosis's depending on which tool was used in reaching the diagnosis.

Most doctors look to a core group of behaviors in making the diagnosis. The core group of behaviors includes:

* An abnormal eye contact

* Aloofness of the individual to others in the room

* Failure to turn when their name is called

* Failure to use gestures to point to an object or to show someone something

* A lack of interactive play

* A lack of interest in what others are feeling or doing

Some of these behaviors occur as early as a few months of age and others don't appear until age 3. In order for the diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome to be made at least one of the above behaviors much be observed before the age of 3.

In order to make the diagnosis of AS, there is a two-stage process to be evaluated. The first stage is a screening such as a well-child check-up, the second is a comprehensive evaluation by a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech therapist, and any other professions deemed necessary in order to make a diagnosis.

The diagnosis is made by looking at the testing and assessment results combined with the child's developmental history given by the parents and also the current symptoms that the child is exhibiting.

Adults who are intelligent, articulate, but socially clueless are often suspected of having Asperger's Syndrome. Many adults are walking around having been misdiagnosed with other conditions when they really have AS. Besides being misdiagnosed, it goes undiagnosed as many physicians are unaware of the symptoms or view it simply as a set of odd behaviors.

If an adult is suspected of having Asperger's Syndrome it is important to seek the help of a medical professional such as a neurologists, psychiatrist or psychologist. It may take a team of doctors to make the diagnosis. A series of tests and assessments are used to make the diagnosis as well as a history of developmental milestones and history of communication and behavior.

The tests focus on intelligence, social and communication skills, personal developmental history and other symptoms like anxiety, social phobias etc.

Finding What Works: Dealing with Autism

When dealing with autism, just as in most other disorders, you will be faced with a number of treatment options for yourself or your child. These include treatments that are educational, behavioral, biomedical, nutritional, and sensory. Unfortunately, for patients who are not affluent or who do not have good medical insurance, the cost of these treatments can be pricier than what they can afford. One way to ensure that you or your child receives the best possible treatment for autism is to carefully monitor the effects a treatment has over time. By finding out which treatments work and which do not, you can stop paying for the ineffective methods and put more of your money into those which are creating a positive difference.

First, evaluate the abilities of the autistic individual before treatment begins. To do this, many services and organizations, including the Autism Research Institute, provide a checklist of evaluation points that focus on behavior and illnesses associated with autism. Autistic individuals tend to have increasing functionality as they mature, so remember that some of the positive effects in his or her life are simply due to the natural growth process. However, after two months fill out the checklist once again and compare it to the first. Are there any sharp positive increases in behavior characteristics? If so, this is more likely due to the treatment.

It is important to begin only one treatment method at a time. If you try everything at once instead, good and bad effects may cancel one another out, or even if the effect is totally positive, you will not know which treatment method is causing it and which are not doing anything. Of course, past studies can help you choose which methods to use, but because autism is an extremely complicated and individual disorder, these studies are not always helpful. Also, some treatments are so new that the studies done are only on short-term effects, which is usually unhelpful. Instead, it is a process of trial and error. Two months is a good amount of time to study the differences within an autistic individual trying a new treatment. After two months, if you do not see positive improvement, you can discontinue your use of that particular method and better invest your money in treatment options that work.

Remember that you do not always have to wait two months to make choices about whether to continue or discontinue a treatment method. If the side effects of a medication, for example, are interfering with the patient's life in an unbearable way, then you should discontinue the treatment. You can also make continual treatments based on immediate good reactions-just remember to continually monitor the various methods. Autistic individuals grow and mature just like everyone else, so treatments may stop working after time. Before trying anything new, consult your doctor to make sure you are being as safe and healthy as possible.

Achieving Self-control with Autism

Self-discipline is a skill that most autistic children have trouble acquiring. This includes not only inappropriate outbursts, but also habits that can be potentially dangerous, such as being aggressive towards others or causing harm to themselves, such as banging their heads off walls. To prevent these and other behaviors, one technique parents and educators can use to control autistic tendencies is self-management. Giving the child power over him- or herself is often the key to keeping control over violent situations and may be a positive step towards learning other behaviors as well.

Self-management works because the child is no longer fully controlled by others. By teaching self-management during specific times of day, such as while the child is at school or therapy, the child will be more likely to continue to practicing self-control during all times of the day. The key is to implement a program in which he or she monitors his or her own behavior and activities. Begin with short amounts of time, and continue to monitor the child from a more passive standpoint. Every ten to fifteen minutes remind the child that he or she is in control and needs to monitor and be aware of good and bad behavior.

This monitoring is a form of self-evaluation. When a child is in control, he or she may think more closely about behavior in the past and present. Set clear goals with the child-for example, an afternoon with no aggression towards others or a day at school with no self-injury. Every fifteen minutes ask the child how he or she is doing. Is the goal being met? If the answer is no, perhaps the child is not ready for self-management, or perhaps the goals are too unattainable. You want to make sure that the goals are easy to reach at first, and then move the child towards more difficult goals in the future. When a child is successful at self-monitoring, he or she will have a more positive attitude towards the experience.

Of course, an important part of self-management is a rewards system. Have the child come up with his or her own reward, depending on interest. Reinforcement will make these good behavior goals more clearly marked in the child's mind, and by choosing and rewarding him- or herself, the child will feel completely in control of the self-management system. Choose simple rewards to start, such as smiley faces for every goal met and sad faces for every goal not met, and work up to a larger goal, such as a special activity or new toy when a certain amount of smiley faces has been attained.

These types of programs do not develop overnight, so it is important that you and the child have enough time to devote to a self-management experience. By reinforcing good behavior with rewards, as determined by the child instead of by an adult, he or she will be more likely to carry this on even when not participating in the program. If your autistic child is mature enough, this could be a good treatment program to try.