How to Decide if Your Child with Autism Needs a Classroom Aide

Do you know if your child with autism needs a classroom aide? It may seem like they should do much better with an aide. In fact, an aide can often help your child with autism to be in a more mainstreamed classroom successfully. However, there are advantages and disadvantages. Consider all of them before you decide if your child needs a classroom aide.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Know the advantages of having a classroom aide for your child with autism.
   
   If your child with autism is in a special education classroom then they should already have an aide in the room. However, if they are in a mainstream classroom they may not have an aide in there. If they did have an aide in the mainstream classroom, it would enable your child to get individual help with concepts, rewording of instruction in more literal terms, prompting for what to do, etc. Having an aide might even help a child with autism to be in a more mainstream setting.

2. Know the disadvantages of having an aide for a child with autism in a mainstream classroom.
   
   Kids with autism often become too dependent on others and do not initiate tasks independently. Independence is very hard to instill in kids with autism. Having an aide to prompt them too much can take away from trying to instill that independence. They often have a hard time working unless the aide is right by them.
   
   Having an aide in a mainstream classroom can also stigmatize kids with autism. In Kindergarten and first grade that probably would not happen. However, by second grade, kids are becoming very aware of how other kids fit in or are different. One of the biggest challenges for kids with autism is their ability to fit in socially. Stigmatizing them in front of their peers can impact that. If there is an aide in the mainstream classroom, they should move around the room and help all children even if they are really there mainly for your child and they keep your child in the corner of their eye so to speak. Often, extra help from the teacher, the right modifications, and extra help outside of the classroom, along with good peer models near then can be just as helpful as an aide.

3. Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of having an aide for a child with autism in the mainstream classroom.
   
   Talk to our child's school if you feel like this should be considered. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages with them. Make a decision based on all of the relevant information.

Tips & Warnings

• Just because your child has an aide now does not mean that they will always need an aide. An aide may be needed now, but they should be gradually phased out so that your child can function more and more independently.

[karileighk]

on 7/5/2009 My baby brother had to change schools, and get more help. Each kid helps look after another kid in the group...I forgot what they called them though. Great tips.