Autism Signs

The topic of community inclusion is becoming increasingly important to families with children on the autism spectrum - and for people with autism in general.?? And community inclusion encompasses a huge field of possibilities.? The "community" includes everything from places of worship to bowling alleys; from soccer fields to concert halls.'m conducting research right now in pursuit of several outside projects, to determine how inclusion is typically conducted.? There are several models - autism-only events and programs; unsupported inclusion (you're welcome to come and we won't stare); supported inclusion (trained staff provides help and support); reverse inclusion (people with autism are in the majority, while typically developing peers "push in" to provide models and support).? There are also a wide variety of ways in which support can be provided to people with autism, ranging from provision of visual planning tools (social stories, photo books, videos) to modification of the program itself (lowered sound in a movie theater) to intensive staff training at the community venue itself.When my son was smaller, I was convinced that supported inclusion was the best possible way to involve kids with autism and their families in the community.? Families (parents, siblings) could be part of the world again, while the child with autism could take part in a situation where his needs would be anticipated and provided for. We've had very good experiences with supported inclusion at camp, in band, and in other typical settings.? In fact, supported inclusion has allowed our son to build some terrific musical skills, and to gain self-confidence, skills and knowledge in a variety of settings such as the YMCA, the bowling alley, and the museum.What I've learned, however, is that supported inclusion - while it is the gold standard - has a lot of barriers to entry.? To start with, it's expensive: the cost of training or bring in trained staff is very high, and modifying program elements can also be quite pricey.But just as importantly, full supported inclusion is not always best for the "autism families" themselves.What could be wrong with a program that welcomes autistic family members, their parents and siblings, and makes provisions for special needs?? While the concept of full, supported inclusion is terrific, for some families its extremely stressful.While it may be possible to include a child with autism in, say, a typical soccer team or at a special exhibit at the zoo, the experience may be too much for the child.? Yes, he might be able to run up and down the field and, with support, kick the ball - but without a great deal of preparation, many kids with autism won't fully understand what's required of him relative to teamwork.? He's on the field, he's cared for, but he's really not part of the team.? Similarly, it might be possible to provide trained staff and quiet spaces where a child can engage with animals at the zoo, but for some children the smells, crowds and heat may be simply unbearable despite everyone's best efforts.Perhaps just as important as the child's experience is the parents' and siblings' experience in the community.? For some parents, the experience of watching a child with autism flap or become agitated in a typical setting with special support provided is just to hard to handle.? Depending upon the situation and the child's level of ability, it can be flat out embarrassing to be the only sibling or parent of a special needs child in a typical setting.? The kindly meant sympathetic glances can be infuriating, and the desire to leap up and step in can be overwhelming.These days, I'm much more sympathetic to the families and institutions that take a less stressful, less costly approach to inclusion by creating autism-only events and programs.? Whether at the movies, at camp, at a museum or on a playing field, autism-only programs can offer families a combination of community, support, and ease.? If everyone around you is dealing with an autistic child, your family is no different from anyone else.? No one will give your child the evil eye for flapping, shouting, or melting down.? And of course the price of providing such a program is much lower: no need for special training for staff or modifications to programs or classes.