Autistic Children in Mainstream Schools

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Recommended: Effects of autism on development and education

“The current prevalence rates of Autism Spectrum Disorders range from 0.5 to 6.7 per 1,000 among children ages 3 through 10 years” (Shtayermman 88). With this dramatic change in the frequency of autism comes the development of special education schools and, in turn, a rise in the presence of autistic children in a general classroom setting. While many think that a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, in attendance at a regular school would be beneficial to the child in question, there are instances where it would be unwise to place them in such an environment. Considering the characteristics of children with ASD, the victimization they go through in a regular classroom, and the lack of knowledge amongst teachers, the experiences of children with autism in mainstream schools may not always be beneficial to their wellbeing.

Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning the symptoms and characteristics associated with the disorder vary from child to child. All individuals on the autistic spectrum share a common difficulty in making sense of the world, whether they are diagnosed with “classic” autism, which is on the lower end of the autistic spectrum, or with Asperger’s Syndrome, a higher functioning form of autism (Humphrey 41). Some of the characteristics that are recurrent with cases of autism involve the lack of social interaction and their frequent aggressive behavior. The occurrence of severe mood swings or tantrums for no apparent reason are quite common in children diagnosed with autism. Something that may cause for these episodes can be a change in their routine, for it would be greatly distressing for a flux in their daily life. The most noticeable traits in children with autism are their inability to make eye conta...

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... with disabilities. Individuals diagnosed with AS also exhibit restricted, repetitive, and unusual patterns of behaviors and interest. Those who have Asperger’s Syndrome are known to have higher verbal abilities but are often very uncomfortable in social situations. Those diagnosed with AS are considered socially abnormal, naïve, emotionally detached from others, and have poor nonverbal communication skills. This pertains to my research in that it explains why bullies act the way they do and how there is so little research done on the victimization of those with disabilities such as Asperger’s Syndrome. Bullying is not something that should be taken lightly, especially for those who suffer from mental disabilities. This journal article also explained another form of autism, AS, which gave a new perspective as to how adolescents diagnosed with this react to bullying.

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