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Aspergers Students: Causes of School-Related Anxiety

It's common for Aspergers (high functioning autistic) children of all ages to experience school anxiety and school-related stress. This is often most apparent at the end of summer when school is about to start again, but it can occur year-round. Social, academic and scheduling factors play a major role, as do hidden environmental stressors.

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10 comments:

Joy said...

The part of the day that is most stressful for my 2nd grade son is the lunch/recess hour. All the sensory issues associated with getting from the classroom, into the hallways, then having only 20 minutes to finish lunch, out to recess and back to the classroom... it's enough to shut him down for the rest of the day.

Anonymous said...

Katie Osborn My son is swearing and just being demanding and hurtful. Ah the joy. Parents need patience and my boy needs a bar of soap in his mouth.
about an hour ago · Like · 1 person
Wendy Layne Windrich We had the WORST school anxiety the entire last month of summer vacation every year.. major stomachaches, headaches, unable to sleep, mood swings... we've switched to online public school and it's amazing how much the anxiety has reduced. We are doing social skills classes as well and hopefully it helps to relieve the anxiety.

Anonymous said...

Yara Victória Pereira mine got a fever on the first day...
16 hours ago · Like
Jessica Furches The night before the first day of school, i was up all night with a migraine sick to my stomach. Fought if of til morning and as soon as my feet hit the ground i was hugging the toilet. Horrible. Its been three weeks since school has started and he is doing really well. He has told me not to worry that he will be ok. I love him and thank God for him daily:)

Anonymous said...

Debbie Roenneburg
Anticipatory anxiety about school is horrid around our house too. The moment school supplies are mentioned she started to panic and it hasn't stopped. She has put off putting together her backpack for 5 days now. Unfortunately now that she is in middle school there are some things I just cant do for her, they need to be "her way". But I agree with Katy, the swareing and moodswings and demands have been horrid (add girl hormones!!) . Just a few more days till school starts.

Anonymous said...

What would be the most important things to tell my son's teacher about his special needs? I'd like to give her some kind of 'heads-up'.

Anonymous said...

Re: What would be the most important things to tell my son's teacher about his special needs?

Parenting Aspergers Children - Support Group
Five Things Teachers Need to Know—

1. If there will be any sort of change in my youngster's classroom or routine, please notify me as far in advance as possible so that we can all work together in preparing her for it.
2. My youngster is an individual, not a diagnosis; please be alert and receptive to the things that make her unique and special.
3. My youngster needs structure and routine in order to function. Please try to keep his world as predictable as possible.
4. My youngster's difficulty with social cues, nonverbal communication, figurative language and eye contact are part of his neurological makeup -- he is not being deliberately rude or disrespectful.
5. Please keep the lines of communication open between our home and the school. My youngster needs all the adults in his life working together.
2 hours ago · Like · 10 people

Anonymous said...

MaryBeth Ajack Matzek thanks for posting this. I am meeting with my son's teacher today...
2 hours ago · Like · 1 person
Joy-Marie Shores Anybody who would like to see an example of the "heads-up" note that I sent to my son's 2nd grade teacher this year... send me your email address and send it to you! : )))
about an hour ago · Like · 1 person
Joy-Marie Shores Send me a message, don't post to this string.
about an hour ago · Like
Michelle Waters-Sweet Those where pretty much all of the things that I said to my son's New teacher,swim coach and speech therapist. I also explained to them not to focus on his diagnosis but focus on what areas he needs help in.
about an hour ago · Like · 1 person
Babette Lane Jinkins I wrote a letter to all the teachers my son would interact with this year. It has helped tremendously!
about an hour ago · Like
Suzanne Bickford Joy-Marie, would love to see your heads up letter - tried to send you message on FB, but it only let me send you a friend request.
about an hour ago · Like
Karen Williams My son is going into 7th grade this year, and I wrote an intro letter to all of his teachers explaining his strengths and difficulties. Willing to share also, I can email anyone who is interested.
56 minutes ago · Like
Diamond Language
Provide verbal and visual information and notes. Do not assume that there is understanding of the rules and organization. Check their planner to make sure they have written all assignments and when due. If homework is not turned in, figure out why. Was it in the backpack? Did the directions change for the turn in? If a change, allow for late turn in. Make modifications when needed with agreement from the parent and student. Keep communication open and frequent.
43 minutes ago · Like
Michael Tingle Great Group. Could all of you send me the letters to michaeltingle@hotmail.com, I hate when the teachers, in May, go, I should have listened to you in September.
39 minutes ago · Like

Anonymous said...

How can I help my Aspie son get warmed-up to school? He starts next Monday and is V E R Y anxious about it.

Anonymous said...

Re: How can I help my Aspie son get warmed-up to school?

Parenting Aspergers Children - Support Group
Student Orientation—

o Meet all educators and relevant school personnel.

o Obtain information about school routines and rules (i.e., lunch, going to the bathroom, before/after school, transportation).

o Practice route(s) from various classes to the bathroom, counselor's office, home base, etc.

o Practice routines such as finding homeroom from the bus stop, opening locker, going through the cafeteria line, etc.

o Practice use of transition to home base through role-play.

o Provide a "walk-through" of the Aspergers student's daily schedule. In schools where the schedule changes from day to day, the Aspergers student should have the opportunity to practice all possible schedules. If applicable, student "buddies" should be available to walk through the schedule with the student with ASPERGERS. The following are suggestions for the walk-through:

1. Provide instruction on the procedure for seeking out the safe person and home base.
2. Provide the Aspergers student the pictures and names of all additional personnel, such as cafeteria workers, school nurse, etc.
3. Provide the Aspergers student with pictures and names of all educators in advance of orientation.
4. Provide the Aspergers student with pictures and names of student "buddies."
5. Provide visual/written class schedule(s) for the Aspergers student.
6. Show the Aspergers student where his/her assigned seat in each classroom will be.
7. Videotape a walk-through school schedule for the Aspergers student to review at home.
2 hours ago · Like · 2 people

Anonymous said...

Karen Orechowski
talking to him about what he can expect to happen in a classroom is important. Let him know that it could get loud at times. Let him know how he'll be expected to behave. And check with the teacher/s to be sure they know what to expect from your son and how to react to any possible meltdowns. Having a teacher who is not familiar with asperger's can add stress that could be avoided with a little education and preparation. Let him know school can be fun if he's able to just relax.
2 hours ago · Like
Erica Jean Rutherford I started taking my son to school wvery morning starting 2 weeks before his first day to establish the new routine, scope out the building and meet the teachers and administrators. It helped him a lot because it was no longer the unknown. If you give the school a call and explain the situation they'll probably be willing to let you do the same.
about an hour ago · Like
Vanessa Willis Request a time for him to go meet his new teacher and see the classroom. Let him/her go over the class rules and schedule. That does the trick for us every year.
about an hour ago · Like

My child has been rejected by his peers, ridiculed and bullied !!!

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the ASD child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually.

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Although Aspergers [high-functioning autism] is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager on the spectrum are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

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Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent? Parents of teens with ASD face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

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Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism

Two traits often found in kids with High-Functioning Autism are “mind-blindness” (i.e., the inability to predict the beliefs and intentions of others) and “alexithymia” (i.e., the inability to identify and interpret emotional signals in others). These two traits reduce the youngster’s ability to empathize with peers. As a result, he or she may be perceived by adults and other children as selfish, insensitive and uncaring.

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Highly Effective Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children with Asperger's and HFA

Become an expert in helping your child cope with his or her “out-of-control” emotions, inability to make and keep friends, stress, anger, thinking errors, and resistance to change.

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