Sara Cottingham  TA Project

   “I was hoping I was going to have a normal class this year,” said to a mother of a child with severely high functioning Asperger’s. This is just one example of the impact a teacher or their words can have on a student and their families. This particular student is also diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).  He is currently in the fourth grade and his diagnosis started in Kindergarten. I spoke with this mother in order to gain perspective into what a parent would like teachers to know about children with Asperger’s.

            Communication is key when dealing with any type of child to gain success in their education. It becomes even more so when you are also dealing with their mental and emotional state. Do not blame the parent for the actions of their child. No parent sends their child to school for them to be disruptive, disrespectful, or even a danger to those around them. Placing the blame of behavior on a person does not resolve any issue at hand.

            Children with Asperger’s or ODD will often times give signs when they are about to have a meltdown. Figure out a method with the child, the parents, and the school that allows for the situation to be diffused before it explodes. Children with ODD often feel like they are being backed into a corner or not understood. It can become very dangerous for all involved. When a situation does become physical, it is imperative to have a plan in place before regrettable actions are taken. Again, this is an idea that needs to be discussed with all of those involved in the child’s welfare. You might need to call the police in extreme cases, but that should be laid out as a final option before it is done without the parent knowing that it is an option. Recently this student was suspended for punching a girl classmate in the face. The teacher did not notice any signs leading up to the event, but did mention that they had just gotten back from recess where he once again, was excluded from a game.       

            Many children with Asperger’s have a harder time with their motor skills and/or sensory perception. Be aware of new tools being introduced to the class and how this can impact this student. A protractor or compass for math might not seem complicated to the other students, but it can become very frustrating for others. In this boy’s case, it caused him to throw it across the room and sparked an ODD meltdown. Areas within the school may also cause a form of anxiety with the sensory issues. The gym is a large room with different lighting, sound acoustics, lots of activity and little order. This is enough to spark the beginnings of a meltdown just so the student can get out of the situation they are in.

            This particular boy also has a repetitive OCD. He has a compulsive need to pick at tape or Velcro, flip light switches, count items forwards and backwards, place items into patterns, and rock in place. These actions seem to calm him down when he is getting frustrated. His newest school (which is a magnet school for gifted students) has recognized this and placed a desk in the hall full of tape and Velcro for times when they are able to spot the warning signs before a meltdown.

            Using a reward system will not work for all children. This particular student breaks rewards down in his head to see if it is really an attainable object for him. If he has to get a certain number of stars on a chart by the end of the day to get the reward and he still has zero stars before lunch, he will figure it is a wash and stop trying. Many students with the combination of these disorders have a very hard time with socialization. They understand what friends are and they desperately want to have friends. Forcing interaction is not always a good policy if the children know that it is being forced. The child with the disorder can sense it and the other classmates resent it. This is a recipe for disaster. There are many books such as What it is to be me!: An Asperger Kid Book by Angela Wine or Look Me in the Eye: My Life With Asperger’s by John Elder Robison. Another good resource for the adults and older students is Can I Tell You about Asperger Syndrome?: A Guide for Friends and Family by Jude Welton.

            Children with any form of disorder are aware of the differences they have compared to their “normal” classmates. They take medications, see doctors frequently, have a different approach to school, and are treated differently by adults, have feelings that classmates might not have, have a hard time making friends. They also have a unique way of looking at the world, they are very bright, and they have dreams, goals, love, and the need to be loved.

            If you find that you have a student in a future class who has a disorder of any kind; educate yourself, talk to the parents/guardians, check your bias at the door, figure out a way to educate your class on the disorder with the parent approval, be aware of any changes in the students life outside of school, make parents and students aware of any changes you are going to be making in the class or routine, know the medications they are on as well as any side effects, communicate your concerns, look for ways to improve the child’s education, don’t look to place blame, don’t force what you think should be, treat each day as a new day, and most importantly NEVER GIVE UP ON THAT CHILD.

            Many times we are taught about how we need to plan our lessons for multiple learning styles. We also need to learn how to plan our classroom for the multiple living styles that will come into our lives. No child is the same. A disorder does not classify a student and it does not determine where they will go in life.

Life with Asperger's This is a different mother and her son that will help to understand just what a child with Asperger’s is faced with.

Meltdowns A few tips to help with Meltdowns and what to expect in some cases.