The return to school (or starting at school for the first time!) can be a big transition for any child, and for their families. This can be especially true for neurodiverse children who may struggle with changes in routine or getting comfortable with new environments. But there are plenty of strategies you can use to help support your child with this transition!
1. Collaborate with your child’s school
If you haven’t already, contact your child’s school to ensure they are well versed in your child’s diagnosis, needs, and ideas to help your child adjust to the new school or school year (afterall, you are the expert in your child and can help guide the new teacher with tips and strategies!). If your child has an IEP or 504, speak with the teacher or principal to ensure that necessary supports, as outlined in the IEP/504, are in place.
And if you are not sure if there are supports in place, contact the school to request an IEP meeting; it is required by federal IDEA law that school districts evaluate your child and identify any needed accommodations.
2. Prime your child for the return to school
Prepare your child for the return to school by discussing what to expect in the new school year. For example, begin to share the name of the school, the name of their teacher, showing your child the school or classroom, etc. Many schools provide a back to school night where your child can see the classroom if needed as well as meet their teacher. This preparation can be in any form that will be well received by your child (such as verbal discussions, pictures of the new teacher/classroom or other visuals, programming your child’s teacher into their device if they use a form of assisted communication technology, etc.). However you choose to present the information to your child, it can be helpful to focus on the positives aspects of the transition or elements that your child might find exciting.
Note: If your child tends to feel stress or anxiety about new things, it is ideal to identify how far in advance to introduce preparations…too far in advance (more than a month or two) can drag out anxiety, but giving your child a few days notice can also cause a spike in anxiety due to the sudden nature of the information. Often somewhere in the range of a few weeks can strike a balance between these two timelines.
3. Gradually transition towards a schedule similar to school
Your child may have a schedule (sleeping, eating, or otherwise) that is not conducive to attending school. In the weeks leading up to school starting, you may want to consider shifting bedtimes earlier so your child adjusts to an earlier wake time, or gradually adjust meal times to fit within when meals are offered at school. Your child’s Behavior Analyst can support by providing ABA strategies for sleeping, mealtimes, etc.!
4. Practice any routines related to school
Work with your child’s BCBA for support in school readiness skills….while ABA does not work on academic skills, there may be opportunities in ABA to practice communication or social skills that will set your child up for success at school. Your child’s ABA program may also be able to support behavior reduction for areas that are anticipated to be challenging for your child (like sitting for longer periods of time to attend to school tasks, or attending to less preferred subjects). Role playing these skills inside or outside of ABA sessions can help your child begin to become familiar with these challenging contexts and practice remaining calm and utilizing previously taught coping strategies.
In summary, supporting neurodiverse children through the back-to-school transition requires a proactive approach that blends collaboration, preparation, and routine adjustment. By working closely with school staff to ensure necessary supports are in place and leveraging your child’s ABA team to practice essential skills prior to attending school, parents can create a solid foundation for their child’s success, helping them to feel more confident and ready to navigate the school-based environment.
