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POSITIVE MOVE: Many children with autism can flourish at school if they have the right support

AS A parent, would you do if after inviting the classmates of your autistic son to his 12th birthday celebration, none of them decided to turn up?

Such was the recent experience of a relative of mine. To their credit, their response was to celebrate the occasion themselves.

This year marks 10 years since a campaign by the National Autistic Society to recognise and support autistic adults led to the successful implementation of the Autism Act.

It was also 30 years ago that legendary Hollywood actor Dustin Hoffman picked up an Academy Award for his evocative portrayal of an autistic adult inspired by Kim Peek (an American savant) in the Academy Award winning film, Rain Man.

Late last year, the Government announced that the autism strategy would be extended to also cover children.

So how far have we come in our understanding of autism in children and why is it important to have them included in the autism act?

Since 1962, the National Autistic Society have been transforming lives and changing attitudes in their pioneering work with individuals and their families who are affected by autism.

The society describes autism as a lifelong disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world.

Autism can occur in all families, with high-profile personalities from Boyz II Men member Shawn Stockman to US actress Tisha Campbell-Martin and vocal coaches Carrie and David Grant all having children affected by the condition.

Carrie and David’s daughter Talia stars in Hollyoaks, and is the show’s first autistic actress.
Of the 700,000-plus people in the UK with autism, around 150,000 of those are children.

AFFECTED: Carrie and David Grant have spoken out about having children with special needs, and two of their daughters, including Hollyoaks actress Talia Grant, are on the autistic spectrum

According to extensive research done by the National Autistic Society, children on the autism spectrum:

• Find it hard to understand non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions and tone of voice
• Have difficulty understanding people’s behaviour and recognising others feelings or expressing their own
• Take language very literally and find metaphors and idioms confusing
• Engage in repetitive behaviour and routines and can develop intense and highly focused interests
• Find change and unexpected situations stressful and very scary
• Are very sensitive to light, touch, sound or smell.

Working with autistic children can be a challenging but very rewarding experience.
I know this well, as most of my 11 years as a primary school teaching assistant has

involved working with such children. Like all children, autistic children want to be seen and heard. They want to be included and not be made to feel different to everyone else.

It is important that provisions are made for autistic children to continue to be included in mainstream schools, and that adequate funding is given towards the training of those who work with such children.

This does not mean that we should abandon the provisions provided in special educational needs schools, but that there are a variety of options and support available to parents in meeting the needs of their child. With the right resources and support, autistic children can and do very well in education and beyond.

Many autistic children are gifted and talented in a particular area, so it is important for those who work with them to encourage further developments in those areas. If the child does not like reading, for example, but has a passion for football, you could introduce them to reading football magazines or books to spark their interest in reading.

A busy classroom can sometimes be an overwhelming place for autistic children, so it’s important for them to have regular breaks in a sensory room or quiet space, where they can regroup, gather their thoughts and get into a zone which enables them to be ready to return to learning again.

COMMUNICATION

For many of us, eye contact is a sign of good body language and communication. It lets the person who is speaking know that a person is listening. For many autistic children, eye contact can be uncomfortable and unsettling, so this must be taken into account when working with them.

Non-eye contact from autistic children does not mean that they are not listening – it’s just something they do not do well, and therefore we must not take offence at that. Perhaps the most important support autistic children need is that you are there for them to listen and to give advice when necessary.

Good and clear communication, whether verbal or visual, makes life easier and education a more enjoyable experience for autistic children. Once they have a clear and regular routine and know ahead of time what’s happening in school or elsewhere, they are able to better manage themselves.

If some of the measures explored here are considered when the Government decides to fully extend and implement strategies for children within the current Autism Act, then we can truly say that we have come a long way in our understanding of children with autism and with continued research and support geared towards their childhood learning right through to adulthood, that their future is bright.

For more information on autism, please visit autism.org.uk

Darell J Philip is a teaching assistant in an east London primary school. He is also a writer who has had work published in the Guardian, the Daily Mirror and New Nation. He blogs at darellphilip.wordpress.com

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