Hi, my ds who is autistic is in a mainstream secondary sch. He’s academically able but lack in social skills. The school is not one of MOE’s list of secondary school. Due to his above-average IQ, I was advised to enrol him in a normal school to challenge his learning skills. I liaise with the school to support him in other ways like his anxiety and not communicating outside home environment.

Visit the schools when they have open-house and get a feel of the school environment, and find out if the schools can support ASD kids.

Hi jlim,

Could you pm me the name of the school? If not too far from home, would like to go to the school and speak to the principal personally if they could help my child.

Thank you!
MTMT03

MTM03


Can share what struggles your son has with his teachers in pri school? I suppose is not on academic since you said he is able in this area. Is it behaviour? can give examples?

DoubleE, Son is loud, with SPD and lack of social skills though kind in nature. Any time when he deemed too noisy or hot, he may switch off and get into own world. Often, reported as being rude to teachers. However, when I observed child in school, he is actually repeating loudly what his classmates are saying softly or he may find what teacher has said is funny and keep repeating. I have told him not to repeat what others say and helps him. But, need constant reminder as for few weeks that he stopped, he may get triggered to do so again.

Then, he may use "bad" or "foul" words. We do not speak those words at home and they were picked up from school. Observed, children who say it knows that it is wrong and dare not do so in front of teachers. Some was so horrible, used word like "CCB". Son do not know and believe the meaning that the schoolmates say and used them. E.g crazy in hokkien was told to him as OMG and he used it when teacher scolded him. Getting into trouble in school and we only found out about this misunderstanding months down the road when one day he used it again when sibling do something.

Need to find one that knows it is ASD and not bad behaviour that son is having even though son has better control than many autistic children. He needs to be given transition time and be taught of various situations. I do not want to send him into a school and later just keep calling us to say he is disruptive and get him home. I understand it is not easy to have such child in school but school should do duty to educate child and let him know his mistakes. Many times, when child is sent home, he does not know what has he done wrong, no one bothers to explain to him and we do not get the details mostly the opinion that was formed about him when incidents occurred.

Child who is weak in a subject, school give tuition. Child having problem integrating to school, what does school do? Too weak academically, school suggest send for external tuition. Problem with behaviour, send to pathlight? What is the definition of a school then? Isn’t it called education? Sorting the children like a production line? If a child can be coaxed easily, how bad behaviour can the child be if effort is made to help?

I believe there must be schools with passionate teachers, willing to spend time understanding and helping the students having difficulties in terms of behaviour and academic. Importantly, not labelling the child.

Hope that you could share how your child’s school handles cases of meltdown of autistic child. Was it effective?

My DS is diagnosed with high functioning autism and is academically able. He is giving the teachers hardtime in primary school now and we have been working with the teachers to help him in the mainstream.


We are worried how he is going to survive in the secondary school. Hope to hear from parents with child diagnosed with ASD whether the child has good support in the mainstream secondary school.

schweppes:

Some teachers are genuinely concerned and really want to help the child. They are willing to work with the parents to bring out the best in the child.

On the other hand, there are also teachers who are less than sympathetic. Guess, can't have everything. With such teachers, must handle with \"delicate\" care as we don't want to make them dislike the child more.

Having said that, it also depends on the temperament and personality of the child. If the child is violent, aggressive, rude, then no matter how saintly the teachers are, can be an uphill task to handle challenging kids as well. (don't forget, the poor teachers have 30 other kids to manage as well)

At the same time, we must also work on the special needs child to help them cope with the demands of school - not just academically but socially and the sensory overload aspect as well.

I agree with Sweppes. My son is an ASD. Interestingly, he was reported to be rude from P3. I wonder why.

Also, started to help friend to beat student cos he say the friend is the only friend he has now in school.

With some teachers giving lip services to help, but later tell you they are too busy, you need to be prepared to get calls and requests to quit your job and support in school.

Given the high costs of living and the high fees for counselling, therapists and support for other siblings, unless we are very rich, how to support?

Sometimes I try recalling those olden days when we have mono stream friends who are often involve in such cases of fighting and rudeness. They go through P8 and later join the society. The principal and teachers are more passionate to let them at least complete their primary education before sending them out. Why is it that nowadays, they need to push the child to pathlight?

MOE wants to focus on character building but I often heard teachers saying they need to ensure the students get to do well in PSLE and some classmates could be mean to child. Shouldn't they be educating these children? What kind of character do they have? Just because they are not disruptive in class they get to stay?

[quote]Any one transfer your child at start of P5? How did your child cope in the new school? Would like to gather some advice.[/quote]

Mummies and Daddies,


Any of your child goes to mainstream school? Are they supportive of high functioning autism/Asperger? How do the school support your child? Mine suggests to get a shadow teacher. How much does a shadow teacher costs? School often conducts counselling sessions during curriculum hours, indirectly affecting the child and I could see that the teachers are not that happy with children returning after the sessions (kind of disrupting).

Child is offered a vacancy in another school. Wonder would changing a school environment be better for the child. Child is in the top class in the current school.