This week I am adding a new category to the blog for troubled teens, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). I do not have personal experience with either of these disabilities, but I know that 1 in every 350 kids (and 1in 80 boys) is now diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), that its incidence has increased by 300% over the last decade, and that the communities and schools are woefully ill-equipped to meet the needs of these kids and their families. I am on a few forums and I read about both the struggles and rewards that AS and ASD children add to your life. This is a community that I would like to represent on TroubleTeenBlog.
Today in our local newspaper there was an article about Autism and Schools. How the schools do not have a plan in place to deal with this community. I can only imagine how frustrating this must be for all the parents. The article A Critical Condition Autism Threatens To Ovewhelm Schools includes:
- State’s schools lack cohesive plan for autism
- Along autism spectrum, personalities contrast
- Chronicle Radio: Students with autism coped with challenges of public school system
This is a podcast of two men with autism and how they coped with the public school system.
Many of the therapeutic boarding schools and residential treatment programs I toured have units to support teens with Autism or Asperger’s and their personal issues.
Tomorrow I will feature a special author and poet Rebecca Foust who has three teens, one of whom has Asperger’s Syndrome.
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Hi Carolina, I am sorry but I cannot give you specific details about which facilities support teens with these diagnosis. See my post Choosing an Adolescent Residential Treatment Center for your Teen . I know at Heritage Schools in Provo, Utah they have special units for teens with special needs and one is called the “low stimulus unit”. I would consult an educational consultant if you are looking for a facility that can handle your child’s specific needs.
Which therapeutic boarding schools did you tour?
Dear Becky, First my thoughts are with you as you go through these tough times. I am not an authority on Autism, but you should have an IEP. I would think that is where you should start. Finding a therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment on your own is an overwhelming task. It is important to find the facility that works with your sons diagnosis. If your school district and county mental health is not of any help then I would look to an educational consultant in your area for recommendations. RTC’s are located all over the United States, it does not matter where you live sometimes it may be better if they are not close by. Good luck to you and your family and please let us know how you are doing.
My oldest son is 15 years old, with a diagnosis of A-typical autism with Asperger like symptoms and bipolar disorder. We live in Upland, CA and had him admitted last night at a behavior medicine center for evaluation. He has always been difficult to deal with at home. However, he is now acting out at school more and more. I have not been impressed with the school district here in how deal or more to the point NOT deal with children who are autistic. I’ve been looking on the internet at therapeutic boarding schools. I haven’t found one in southern CA that seems like it would be a good fit for my son. It looks like my husband may be offered a job with a company in upstate New York. Are you familiar with this area and whether or not they have therapeutic boarding schools and how they rate?
Thank You,
Becky