A child with autism may be able to benefit from the programs given to children with an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). This is a specific program intended to assist school children with disabilities. When it comes to getting an IEP for your child with autism, the process is generally the same as it is with getting any other kind of IEP. Parents must reach out to the school in order to apply for this program. Your child will need an evaluation to see if they are eligible for the IEP. You can do this by getting a formal diagnosis of the disorder from a pediatrician or child psychologist.
If your child is found to be eligible for an IEP, then the next step is to set up an IEP meeting. The attendees will be the parents, possibly the child, and teachers (including special education teachers). You will all work together to figure out what special services the school will be giving your child.
So, what specific services will the school be giving your child? Well, that can definitely depend on a number of factors like your child’s individual needs and the kind of autism they have. But according to WebMD, the IEP may contain goals for your child to work on improving certain skills such as behavior, social, and motor skills. They may learn how to appropriately interact with other children. They can learn how to avoid certain bad behaviors such as yelling or hitting and learn how to instead communicate with others better.
There are also options for your child to take special education classes and work with special education professionals. There’s even the option for your child to get different forms of counseling or therapy (including physical therapy). But this all depends on their individual needs. There’s plenty that can be done to help and a lot of information out there on it. So if you have a child with autism, an IEP is definitely something to look into.
Links:
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/individualized-education-programs-ieps-for-autism#1
