After school meltdown - I need help educating school staff

[Jemimah_L]

Hello my son is diagnosed with A.S.D. This week we have spoken to staff at school informing them he is more sensitive/more stressed than usual. "Look at him His fine" is the response we have gotten! We have told them Monday and Tuesday afternoon/evening he was not fine.

Is there information sheets I can take to the school to help educate them re stress build up and releasing it with familiar people and safe places (mum at home)?

'After school restraint collapse' is another term for it.

[Croix]

Dear Jemimah L~

Dealing with your son when he comes home from school and 'lets go' is a very hard thing to do on a daily basis.

Do you think the school day is too long for him to cope with? Would a shortened day leave him less emotionally exhausted and less liable to break down at the end of it when he reaches a 'safe' environment?

I wold imagine the best place to get comprehensive information about the condition and relay this to the school is though a body dealing with Autism. In addition a support group can be very helpful.

If you ring our 24/7 Help Line (1300 22 4636) they may be able to put you in contact with societies and groups in your area

Croix

[Summer Rose]

Hi Jemimah L

I'm so sorry that your son is struggling and that you are being left to pick up the pieces when he gets home. It's really tough for everyone. Hang in there.

I have been in a similar situation related to my daughter's school experience. She has OCD and would work so hard to keep it together at school all day that she would come home exhausted and unable to function, including being unable to study effectively. Hence school support and understanding was needed.

I started with general information for school. It wasn't enough at our school. I then presented a letter from her psychologist, which really helped. We started to get the support she needed but there was still some resistance. I then organised a meeting with myself, my daughter's psychologist and key school decision-makers at the school. That's when we saw a genuine shift in understanding.

Throughout it all I worked really hard to keep the relationship between school and home non-adversarial.

I really hope you don't have to do all that. But I want to encourage you to keep trying. Your son has a right to access his education on a level playing field with his non-ASD peers. He deserves reasonable adjustments at school. He matters. So do you.

Kind thoughts to you and your son