MAINSTREAMING THE AUTISTIC CHILD

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder which may affect a child's social skills and communication skills. The disorder may also interfere with motor and language skills depending on what degree the child's diagnosis falls under. Autism in and of itself is a broad diagnosis that can include children with high IQ's and mental retardation. Children with autism can be chatty or silent, affectionate or cold, and methodical or disorganized. At any level the classroom can often be a terrifying place.

As parents we want our children to have the best of everything. Just because a child may have been diagnosed with Autism does not mean that he or she is not able to learn, communicate and participate with other children. In local public school the child who has autism is separated from the "normal" children and placed in a special needs classroom. The special needs classroom is not a bad place to be, as the groups are normally smaller, the teachers spend a great deal of time teaching social skills, and the class is included in all school events. However, a simple diagnosis of autism is as broad a term as could be. This spectrum disorder has many varying degrees and many children do not need to be treated as special needs kids.

Inclusion is a term which refers to the mainstreaming of children with autism with children who have no diagnosis of autism. In the right setting, inclusion can be the best option for the autistic child. In order to be successful the child may have a one on one aid and an adapted curriculum. However, we all know how cruel children can be and this is often a downside to inclusion. The autistic child is seen as "different" than the rest of the children and so they may tease and taunt the autistic child causing emotional trauma to the autistic child and hindering the learning process.

The special needs classroom is often designed for children with typical social development who have a tough time with academics. A child with Autism usually has the opposite problem. For this reason an autistic child in a special needs class is completely wrong for the child.

Inclusion takes the child out of the special needs classroom and puts the child with the other children who do not have autism. This is helpful only with the support of the teacher, an aid, an adapted curriculum, and a special social group. Inclusion at first may be tough on the autistic child but once the child has adapted

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