Children with Autism Face Unique Challenges Heading Back to School

Going back to school after an extended break is difficult enough for any child but presents some unique problems to parents of autistic children.

Parents across the country are anxiously waiting to hear about when, if, and what going back to school will look like after the summer break. The previous year presented some unique challenges to both students and parents, and this next year isn’t looking much better.

For many parents, the fast and rushed approach to online learning and staying at home last year threw their children’s routines and household routines into complete chaos. Transitioning to new methods is difficult for any child, but especially hard for children on the autism spectrum.

Children with autism thrive on routines. They function much better when they get into a routine that suits the speed at which they develop. Any changes to that routine can cause chaos, and when changes are rapid, they’re that much harder to adapt too.

Many parents had to quickly transition from a learning model that their children had grown accustomed to over the years in a matter of only days or weeks. Now, it looks like they may need to make the transition back to school again, but many parents are worried about what that new environment will look like. There’s an extremely high chance that the way students learned and their routines at school will never be the same again.

Ashley Bursian spoke with 9&10 News about her son Ari and their situation. She is curious to see how any new changes will affect her son.

“After the first month, I noticed his behavior changing a little bit, he seemed a little more nervous, a little unsure, why we were stuck at home all the time,” she said. “That led to a lot more tantrums and meltdowns and interfering behavior.”

When he’s at school, Ari works in a much smaller classroom that other children. He works closely with a teacher and multiple aides. Much of their lessons are hands-on and very physically involved. His education didn’t translate to online and video learning very well last year.

“It’s been the hardest thing…the whole Zoom learning has not worked for him at all,” said Bursian. Now, she’s hoping schools open back up so Ari can reunite with his classmates and aides.

“I think it’s really important, again, for autistic children to be with the teachers and to have that hand-over-hand and physical presence of helping them learn,” said Bursian.