“Not true. The system forces it on the parents. The mainstreaming of autistic kids is mandatory.”
I didn’t know that. Years ago, didn’t they have special classrooms within the school for these children? Is it up to the school to provide these certain classrooms, or is mandatory that the child be placed in a regular classroom?
Believe me, I sure wish they would come up with a “cure”....better yet, how can it be PREVENTED! I really am concerned for these children and their parents.
Did you see Jennie McCarthy on TV a few days ago? She changed her autistic child’s diet, and said it has made a world of difference. It was then I googled a “cause.” With autism on the rise, yes, I am interested.
There are special education classrooms & even special education schools. The problem is the diagnosis of autism has been singled out for mainstreaming by someone who should have left well enough alone. Autism covers so much territory. No two are really alike. One may be highly functioning to the point you would be surprised that they are in need of special education & another completely non-verbal & unable to function in a classroom setting of any kind. Yet both are autistic. My daughter was attending a special education school where the staff was trained & committed to their jobs. Great dedicated people. But this was prior to the diagnosis. I tried to keep her there & was denied. I knew the PS would not work. The system barely operates as it should in the best of circumstances. I ended up taking her out because her teacher was poorly equipped for the job. She was released by the school shortly afterward. These things should be decided on a case by case basis because there are some who should be in the “regular” classroom & others whose needs would be better met by special ed.
I know Jenny believes it was the vaccines in her sons case. I doubt the reason will ever be found because I don’t believe there is any “one” reason for it. I do believe the vaccines may play a part in a child who is possibly predisposed for some reason. But the pharmaceutical companies will always be protected. So I don’t expect to ever see any headway there. Sounds like Jenny is trying the gluten-free diet. Some people are having success with it.
It varies by school system. My son’s school has a special education classroom as well as a speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, and an ‘adaptive PE’ teacher. My son does about a half split. He goes to the normal class for the activities which he can benefit from and can handle. He goes to recess with his normal class(with the special ed aid who also aids with 2 other children with special needs), he goes for ‘circle time’ and other group activities and art, music, and quiet reading time(gasp, yes, my 7 year old can handle quiet book time without being prompted too!). They can and will adjust his schedule if he is having an off day to allow him more time in special ed. He also eats in the special ed classroom as opposed to the cafeteria because of the stimulus there. The academics for the most part are handled with his special ed teacher because he learns differently then the other children...he needs more one on one and he is a bit behind academically because of the communication challenges with autism.
To me, what is going on with him is ideal. What we do for him outside of the class focuses on behavioral and more speech therapy type stuff. It can not be stressed enough though that the teachers, parents, and doctors have to see themsevles as a team for their child. They have to work together. Our school also has a policy of allowing the regular teachers to choose who will take on the special ed kids in their class. Normally the same teachers volunteer and that’s a blessing since they then work as a team with the special ed teacher.
If any of your are wondering, I would be just fine if my youngest son ends up in the class of this regular teacher and has to be in class with special needs kids. Violence is individual to any child. We don’t isolate teens because some of them act like idiots on their hormone kicks and by the same token we don’t isolate all special needs kids because ONE child hit his teacher. That child should be dealt with individually and frankly I’m surprised by the hysterical, overreactions on this forum. My son has EARNED his right to sit in that regular classroom—something many normal kids do not have to do. He is a good boy and regularly gets praised for his good behavior.