WATCH PART 1 – the explanation of what started this quest for information.
We are no stranger to school refusal, our autistic son, has been having a rough year, and even in years prior. I am on a mission to find and educate myself on this subject so that I can have a deeper understanding of what my son is facing and working through.
So here’s part 1 on the start of the journey.
Since my son started pre-school, we have always had an issue with school refusal. I have memories of the poor pre-school teacher having to remove him from the car herself, kicking and screaming all the way. Then, 20 minutes later he was settled and happy. That was our fist introduction to “transition challenges” and led to his S.P.D.* diagnosis.
He is now in Grade 4 and the school refusal instances have become less, mainly because he is older now and can understand that he cannot always stay home. With his autism diagnosis and all the learning I have been doing since, I have discovered that he fits the P.D.A.** profile perfectly and this adds another element of challenge when motivating him to do things he does not particularly enjoy. The more I learn about PDA the more I understand just how different his brain works to other autistic children and I have had to adapt and change the way I communicate demands to him.
E.G: Brushing teeth, bathing, washing hair, not eating snacks all day, going to school.
He started a new school in term 2 and we have witnessed our son shift into a more relaxed, regulated child, but now with the year moving towards the end of term 3, he has become increasingly negative about school and his refusals to attend have been quite frequent.
Without casting blame on the school or the teachers, he has a particular class that he does not enjoy, and not the subject, just the teaching style. I have attempted to explain that teachers are all different and teach in different ways, and that he needs to find something about the class that makes it enjoyable, to no avail. I have tried bribery, consequences, taking away computer time, praising him for going to school, and NOTHING works.
We are now investigating anti-anxiety solutions, the first of which came highly recommended by other moms of autistic children, a brain boosting supplement with Magnesium Gluconate and Glycinate, L-Theanine and vitamin B’s amongst other cognition boosting minerals. We have seen a marked improvement in his overall mood, but the Monday rolled around and he refused to go to school. Full meltdown, tears, hyperventilating, refusing to move out of his room, freezing.
I have spoken with the school and we are on a journey of communication and understanding, which is really amazing, as most other schools would just say “okay” and then nothing would change.
So tag along for the journey with me as we trial and error our way to finding a solution, or not finding a solution to this challenge.
Remember every child is different and requires alternative methods to thrive, it is important that in extreme cases you always consult your therapist or healthcare professional.
HERE is one of the articles I’ve read regarding school refusal.
*S.P.D. = Sensory Processing Disorder
**P.D.A. = Pathological Demand Avoidance.
Thank you for sharing your experience with parents and family members. I find your blog and articles informative. Sharing information is caring.
So glad to hear that my stories are adding value and resources for people. Thanks for reading 🙂