Summit Academy

Private

Most public school districts across the country begin accepting student registration in early spring, usually in March or April. Some school districts may even start as early as January or February. The exact start date will vary depending on where you live and the type of school you decide to enroll your child in.

It depends on your child’s specific needs, the types of school options near you, and your family’s budget and values. As your child grows and matures, their educational needs may change over time which may require you to re-evaluate their school placement.

Check out our complete school guide for tips.

Yes! Visiting a school in person will give you an opportunity to get a better idea of what your child’s school day will look like and ask important questions.

If you’re not sure where to start, this article lists 6 types of housing to be on the lookout for. Your child’s school and other parents are great resources to find out about potential options. Local groups, like your area’s Arc chapter, autism society, or special needs groups on social media, are good places to find resources as well. For additional help, consider working with a social worker and/or case manager.

Here are a few alternative options to consider:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It's useful for those dealing with social anxiety or difficulties. CBT addresses cognitive patterns and provides strategies to manage social challenges.
• Group therapy: Group therapy offers a supportive space where individuals can practice social skills. They can feedback from peers and a therapist. It allows interaction with others who understand and learn from each other.
• Play-based interventions: Play therapy or play-based interventions work well for younger children or those who learn through experiences. Play activities target specific social skills like turn-taking and problem-solving in a safe and engaging setting.

Yes, picky and selective eating is actually a quite common concern for children with autism. If you rolled your eyes looking at the steps above because your child with autism has never had a full day's serving of vegetables in their life, you are definitely not alone. As if getting kids to eat their veggies isn’t challenging enough, research shows children with autism have significantly more eating challenges than their peers who are not autistic.

In addition to sensory difficulties that can lead to a lot of anxiety with food, autistic children are 4x more likely to have gastrointestinal issues such as stomach pain and discomfort. This creates the perfect storm for extra extra picky eaters - and a lot of added obstacles and concerns for parents. 

The difficulties associated with autistic children and food can cause a wide range of concerns from children being underweight to overweight (overweight children can still be at risk for nutritional deficiencies!).  This can lead to slower than normal growth and nutritional deficiencies like low vitamin D and calcium levels. Even when given multivitamins, many children with autism are still found to have some of these nutritional deficiencies.

Here are some tips:

1. Keep to a schedule - setting schedules for meal and snack  time can help picky eaters build up their appetite throughout the day
2. Minimize distractions - removing distractions like screens and toys can help your child be more engaged at mealtime 
3. Approach new foods together - Make new foods less scary by trying them together. Touching and smelling the food together before tasting it 
4. Support choice & control - Allowing your child to pick which foods they eat will help them feel more in control 

For more tips, check out our guide for getting a complete diet.