Your child does well academically. Their teacher says that they are well-behaved. But after school, your child often seems irritable. On bad days, it sometimes seems like they’re on the verge of having an emotional meltdown.
This scenario is familiar to many parents of children with autism. While many children behave differently at home than at school, autism complicates school in many ways. Once home, the pressure to “behave” disappears, and the emotions flow.
This article outlines why children with autism may have difficulty at school. It then discusses why these school day difficulties can affect behavior at home. Finally, it explains how a therapeutic school can help children with autism meet their full potential.
Why Autistic Children Often Find School Challenging
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines autism as “a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction.” It goes on to say that autism is “often associated with” characteristics such as “engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.” Here’s how these characteristics can make school difficult for children with autism:
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication. School requires frequent verbal communication with teachers, students, and staff. Additionally, students must focus on decoding nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
- Repetitive Actions. Children with autism may engage in repetitive habits to calm themselves, regulate their emotions, and for many other reasons. However, the school day and environment often do not allow children to engage in these soothing activities.
- Resistance to Change. Children with autism often prefer predictable schedules. While the typical school day is fairly structured, children with autism may have trouble adjusting to unexpected changes such as a substitute teacher or a schedule change due to a fire drill or other event.
- Sensory Issues. Many children with autism react to strong sensory inputs. Schools are filled with bright lights, noisy bells and alarms, and crowded areas that can push a child with sensory issues to their limit.
Why Autistic Children May Behave Differently at Home
When adults get home from work, most of us can’t wait to change into more comfortable clothes. For children with autism, behaving at school is the same. Like adults, they also want to relax once they’re at home. But instead of changing their clothes, they “change” their personality.
Many students with autism feel pressure to fit in while at school. To do so, some engage in “masking.” Organizations such as Autism Speaks define masking as the process of downplaying the aspects of autism in a certain environment. For example, a child may work very hard to ignore the bright lights and noises in the classroom. Wearing this “mask” all day can be exhausting, so when the child enters a more comfortable environment, they let the mask down. When the mask is removed, the pent-up frustration from the school day is often revealed. This is sometimes referred to as after-school restraint collapse.
If you notice your child’s emotions changing drastically once they get home, take note. An evening outburst is often a sign that your child has been masking during the school day.
How Parents Can Help Children with After-School Restraint Collapse?
If you notice your child becoming more emotional in their evenings at home, there are things you can do. Here are some steps to consider.
- Hold off on “How Was Your Day?”
A lot of parents want to ask, “How was your day?” the second their child sits down in the car or walks in the door. But after a long day of masking, this is not a good approach. Talk to them, but focus on non-school topics. Give them a chance to let their brain settle.
- Feed them
As the commercial says, you aren’t yourself when you’re hungry. In many schools, kids can go hours without a meal or snack. Giving your child some water and a healthy snack can help them transition to the evening.
- Get Them Moving
Children – both with and without autism – find it difficult to sit still for hours. As such, after sitting all day and all through the ride home, asking a child to immediately sit some more to tackle their homework might not be the best move. Instead, encourage physical movement and play. Additionally, play can be a fun way to help your child shed the “seriousness” of the school day.
- Create a Predictable After-School Schedule
As noted, children with autism thrive under routines. Chaotic after-school transitions before homework can add to your child’s mental stress and pave the way for a breakdown later in the evening. Instead, make sure snacks, rest time, playtime, and other activities follow a regular, consistent rhythm.
- Honor Their Sensory Needs
If your child has autism, make sure that their homework area meets their sensory requirements. A quiet room with dim lighting is a good choice, and noise-canceling headphones can be helpful.
How Therapeutic Schools Can Help Reduce After-School Emotional Collapse in Autistic Students
As briefly mentioned above, many features of traditional schools can make the school day difficult for students with autism. On the other hand, therapeutic schools are designed to address these issues for students with autism, learning disabilities, and other issues.
For example, therapeutic schools anticipate sensory needs. Their classrooms are designed to minimize issues with sensory overload. Additionally, breaks are built into the day. Conversely, traditional schools often find it difficult to change the class environment too much.
In traditional schools, repetitive behaviors may be seen as distractions. It may even be difficult for students to use fidget tools. However, therapeutic schools anticipate these actions. Also, therapeutic teachers are trained to understand the underlying meaning of these actions and to help students with emotional regulation.
As noted above, autistic students are expected to adapt easily to changes in the school day. However, teachers at therapeutic schools can take the time to prepare students for major changes and provide support after unexpected events.
Finally, teachers in therapeutic schools are trained to help autistic children with their communication skills. They’ll clearly state their expectations rather than making students interpret what they mean. Additionally, the therapeutic curriculum is designed to help students navigate social interactions and manage emotions.
If your family is considering a therapeutic school for your autistic child, consider Academics West. Our school day is designed to help every student get their unique needs met. To learn more about our school, call 212-580-0080 or use our online contact form to schedule a visit.
