How to Prevent Regression on Autistic Children?

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Summer is a wonderful time for both parents and children. It is the time for campsites, picnics, beaches, BBQs, fun parks and poor parties. However, things can be complicated for families with autistic children. In fact, everyday is challenging when we deal with children with autism. One dreaded thing about autism is called regression and it is important for parents to ensure that their autistic children are safe and secure. Summer recess should be a time when people have positive impacts in their lives. It should be a welcome break from the usual school overload. It is the time for autistic children to have a more forgiving and relaxed social environment with friends and family. However, summer could also cause regression.

The lack of regular contact, training and structure could cause regression in social and academic skills. When autistic children return to school in a few weeks, they may lose some of the hard earned skills. As an example, autistic children could fail to remember the names of friends and teachers. Some essential therapies, such as physical therapy and occupational therapy will be discontinued during summer. This could cause a regression in motor, language and speech skills. If parents are concerned that their autistic children have regression, it is a good idea to participate in extended summer school. Summer school for autistic children usually ranges between 4 to 6 weeks. For this reason, it is a good idea to include summer school in the long term educational plan for autistic children.

Parents need to consult with experts and consultants to know whether the autistic child is likely to regress during summer. Although summer school is usually less structured than regular school, it is still enough to maintain skill retention. As part of the summer activities, summer schools may still include some fun activities, like walk on the parks, playground time and water play. Summer school is more about making sure that children are ready for the next regular school session. However, children are still able to learn many things, but the whole experience will be less intense than usual. It should be noted that some schools are affected by budgetary constraints, so they may discontinue summer school programs. So, it is a good idea to find educational organizations

Summer schools could target certain academic, social and behaviour skills. Summer camps can be privately run, so they can be somewhat expensive. Full inclusion day camps are more comprehensive and parents should make sure that their autistic children are well managed. This can be a big challenge for some autistic children. As an example, some summer camps are too noisy, which can be distressing for some children. Autistic children can be ill-equipped to handle various problems outside schools. Sleepover camps may not be appropriate for some autistic children, because they need to have routine sleep patterns and they may not be able to stay far from their parents for too long. However, older autistic children can be more independent and they can retain skill better, so they can participate in more relaxed summer schools.