My friend lives in NYC. Her son has a learning disability and needs to be enrolled in a special needs school in NYC as his preschool days are almost over. Unlike my daughter who was really excited about her new school, this child was terrified. Seeing him fret and fume over this transition, I realized this change is challenging for children with special needs. Therefore, I decided to write about it and provide a few possible solutions for this situation.

Break the Ice as Early as Possible

It's important that parents to children with special needs inform their child of the upcoming change as early as possible. Let your child know at least a month in advance before the transition is supposed to take place. It will be easier for your child to accept the fact that he/she has to leave the preschool and head to a special needs school. They may get excited about it (which would be great), but if the child faces anxiety, sadness, or any kind of discomfort, you will have enough time to help him/her deal with the upcoming transition and paint the event in a positive light. You can make it more exciting for them by engaging them in special, related activities such as creating a photo book documenting their time at the preschool or putting together a list of all of the wonderful activities they will be able to take part in once they start attending their new school.

Visit to the New School

Although special needs schools in NYC are very friendly, it is important to tour the school personally at least once or twice with your kid in advance. Helping them gain an insight into the environment that he/she is going to spend the coming years in will help them get comfortable with the place on his/her first day at school. It will also help them deal with any ”first day jitters” and allow them to develop a positive outlook into their future in the new school.

Set Your Expectations

Having unrealistic expectations regarding your child's first few days at the new school is not beneficial for you or for your child. You know your child best and hence your expectations from his/her must be set while keeping in mind both their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Discuss these expectations with your child and engage them into sharing their own expectations from the upcoming transition with you.

Last but not the least, teach your child that transition is an indispensable part of their lives. Help them develop into becoming someone who welcomes any kind of change with an open heart and an open mind.

For special needs children, the world can be a rather crude and incongruent place. At times it may feel like the world does not understand them nor do they understand the world. Various types of disorders can be found in children, one of which is Autism. People seem to have a number of preconceived notions about Autism. This is partly due to lack of knowledge and infrastructure when handling such special children. Hard work and loads of patience on the part of both the teachers and parents go a long way in bringing such children into the folds of the so called “conventional” society. While there are some who refuse to accept the fact that such children can be greatly assisted when dealing with their ailments, there are many who believe the opposite to be true, and work day and night towards making the lives of such children a better, brighter one.

Causes of Autism

A lot of research has gone into finding the causes of Autism but as of yet no conclusive findings have been realized. Some of the reasons that have been supposed to be causes of Autism include genetic, cognitive and neurological. The most common symptoms of Autism include repetitive behaviors, difficulties in communication both verbally and non­-verbally and problems pertaining to socializing be it within the general society or as part of peer groups. Yet, this does not in any way mean that these children cannot grow up to realize their full potentials, make their own identities and shape their own careers.

Autism Schools in NYC

A number of schools in NYC offer special care and professionally curated programs that cater to children who suffer from Autism. These schools cater to the unique needs of autistic students, are run like conventional schools and are open for both boys and girls. To find which autistic school in NYC is best suited for their children, parents can take tours of potential schools, talk to teachers and therapists, and get a better idea of which program is the best fit for their child. These autism schools in NYC provide a plethora of activities, some of which include obstacle courses and sensory experiences. Emphasis is also put on the creative arts as many autistic children tend to display heightened creative interests and abilities. The teaching methods employed by these schools offer as emphasis on thinking based skills rather than routine learning and memorizing.

As a parent to a child who suffers from Autism, it's important that you thoroughly research the various academic options available for your child. Visit as many Autism schools as possible, do your research and make sure that the programs offered to your child compliment their unique needs and interests.