Pre- school especial education at Sacramento, Ca.?

Question

Hi I just move to Sacramento, Ca. and I have a 3 year old son who is autistic, he'll be 4 at march, but I would like to know what do you think about the Sacramento district? and what are the schools for this little ones with autism, do you like them?

I'm a little scare to put my son at school because I didn't have a good time with his first school and he's been without school for a few months...Does somebody know something about it?

Answer 1

Sorry to not be able to answer specifically about the school district, but may I suggest calling the school district as soon as possible to set up an initial meeting if you have not done so already. It is best to get your son in school right away considering the summer will be coming soon.

Having taught a preschool special needs Autism/Cross-categorical class, the earlier and longer a child who has Autism gets used to school and a schedule, the easier it will be in the long run. It is going to be difficult in the beginning - trust me I know! Children who have Autism do not like change, therefore, it may seem he did not have a "good time" in school.

It is best to get him acclimated now before he is required to be in school on a daily basis. Maybe try it initially 2 or 3 days a week, then when the summer comes try enrolling him in a camp or program geared toward students who have Autism. Once the fall rolls around, he will be used to going to school (or somewhere) on a daily basis then come to welcome the idea.

May I also sugget using pictures to let him know where he is going. Take pictures of the school bus, school, and his teacher to let him know what is going on to cut down on any anxiety he may be having that morning.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 2

Are any of the schools on this site in the Sacramento area?  They are dedicated to educating children on the autism spectrum and it seems that several have preschool programs.

http://www.theautismeducationsite.com/Ca...

Good luck to you, finding the appropriate educational environment can be difficult but once you do the results are usually good.

Answer 3

You need to call the school district and they will let you know what schools if any have programs for autistic children. I am a teacher and just went to a wonderful conference on autism. It is very important that you get your child into a behaviour intensive program designed for autistic children. You did not say if he is high or low functioning autistic. Also ask the school district if they have a parent group in your area. Our school district has one. Educate yourself on all that you can do for your child. The lastest studies show that children with autism have high levels of dopamine in their body and because of this they have a tendency to "tick" and have problems with sensory integration disfunction. A wonderful book is "The Out-of-sync child." It will have many useful tips for you. Also speak to your child's Occupational Therepist or Adaptive P.E. person. It is important the you know what your rights are as a parent and that you get the help you need for your child. Good luck!