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The first time I ever experienced someone who had autism was in the early 1980's when I was a young teenager. My first cousin, a beautiful little boy, began to show the inability to communicate, made peculiar sounds, and had some unusual gestures. My family, not aware of his condition, always had advice for my aunt on how she could "make him normal"; however, his condition never changed. As a school counselor, I experienced life with my first autistic student. This student had parents who were professionals (mom was an attorney and dad was a psychologist) and they let me know very early in his 9th grade year that their child had special needs, but
I can't imagine the difficulties my aunt has experienced with my cousin over the years. Later, my family noticed some similar, but not as pervasive, patterns in my sister. She had peculiar mannerisms (we now refer to as stimming), repetitive behaviors, and she often blurted out for no apparent reason. It was not until much later (after she graduated from high school) that she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. So, to say the least, I have had some experience with autism in my family.
Fast forward 20 years later...
he will go to college!!! Although I was familiar with my autistic family members, I was still very unfamiliar with the Autism Spectrum. At this point in my career, I never had to try to come up with strategies for working with a student with Autism and I often felt unprepared in helping him to become college ready. For four years, I sat through contentious IEP meetings with the parents (these meetings often lasted three to four hours), met with special education advocates, and tried to work harmoniously with his often anxious parents on post secondary plans. Although he graduated and went to a two year school ( whew!), I think I could have done a much better job of working with the family to assist the student in his post secondary plans.
S ince it's Autism Awareness month, I wanted to provide some information for school counselors who may not be confident when working with students who are diagnosed with Autism, like me!

Okay, let me preface this by saying I am not an expert and I am sure I have left out some important information. So, please be gentle...

According to Before I get into suggested interventions, when working with students with ASD, here are some common symptoms that your students may experience (
Autism Speaks, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) "are characterized by social interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors." In fact, one out of every 110 children are diagnosed with ASD (American Counseling Association Conference Paper, 2012). Also, ASD now poses a "significant public health risk" as males are three to four times more likely to develop ASD than females (CDC, 2011). With increasing numbers of students being diagnosed with ASD, school counselors must have an understanding of the disorder and develop best practices for helping students in their educational plans.
Want to know more about Autism? Click the courses below.

honestly, these outward signs often impact our perception that the student is difficult or peculiar). Understanding an ASD student's behavior is an important part of knowing the daily struggles that may impact his or her educational success.
Common Symptoms
Sleep deficits
Moodiness
Anxiety
Hyperactivity
Lack of attention

If you work with students who are diagnosed with ASD and don't feel prepared, you are in good company. Many educators often feel they do not have the training or information to serve ASD students. So, from my own struggles, I have provided some tips that may be helpful for you as a school counselor ( one additional thought when reading these tips, these tips are aimed at higher functioning students on the Autism Spectrum).
Now, what you have been waiting for...
Tips for School Counselors to Help Students with ASD:

The student speaking up for himself or herself.

The student address needs or wishes.

The student takes responsibility for his or her actions.

The student knows his or her rights.

The student knows how to get help.

7. Educate classmates, bus drivers, teachers, lunch staff, on autism and how to effectively communicate with the ASD student ( see page 30-70 of the Autism Speaks Information for Classmates, Bus Drivers. Teachers, Custodians, Front Office Staff, Coaches, Administrators, School Nurses, School Security for specific guidance).

Here is a great video explaining the needs of students on the spectrum from a college professor for other college professors. However, I think it has a lot of great information that may be useful for high school teachers.

10. Teach your ASD students social skills. See the Social Skills Teaching Curriculum from Autism Speaks.
11. Attend a conference to learn more information and skills.

ASCA Position Student on Working with Students with Disabilities

Teens with Autism: Apps, Ideas for Lessons, & Common Core Reading Connections for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Developmental Delays
Web, Print, and Video Sources from Autism Speaks

As always, I would love your feedback and thoughts!!

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Helping Students With Autism: Tips for School Counselors

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The first time I ever experienced someone who had autism was in the early 1980's when I was a young teenager. My first cousin, a beautiful little boy, began to show the inability to communicate, made peculiar sounds, and had some unusual gestures.

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Both Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans can offer formal help for K-12 students who are struggling in school. They're similar in some ways but very different in others. This chart compares them side by side to help you understand the differences.

A blueprint or plan for a child's special education experience at school.

A blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability.

To get an IEP, there are two requirements: A child has one or more of the 13 disabilities listed in IDEA. The law lists specific challenges, like learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and others. And the disability must affect the child's educational performance and/or ability to learn and benefit from the general education curriculum. The child must need specialized instruction to make progress in school.

To get a 504 plan, there are two requirements: A child has any disability. Section 504 covers a wide range of different struggles in school. And the disability must interfere with the child's ability to learn in a general education classroom. Section 504 has a broader definition of a disability than IDEA. (It says a disability must substantially limit one or more basic life activities. This can include learning, reading, communicating, and thinking.) That's why a child who doesn't qualify for an IEP might still be able to get a 504 plan.

There are strict legal requirements about who participates. With a few exceptions, the entire IEP team must be present for IEP meetings. The team must include:

The rules about who's on the 504 team are less specific than they are for an IEP. A 504 plan is created by a team of people who are familiar with the child and who understand the evaluation data and special services options. This might include:

* The child's parent or caregiver

* General and special education teachers

* The school principal

* The child's parent or caregiver

* At least one of the child's general education teachers

* At least one special education teacher

* A school psychologist or other specialist who can interpret evaluation results

* A district representative with authority over special education services

The IEP sets learning goals and describes the services the school will provide. It's a written document. Here are some of the most important things the IEP must include:

There is no standard 504 plan. Unlike an IEP, a 504 plan doesn't have to be a written document. A 504 plan generally includes the following:

* Specific accommodations, supports, or services for the child

* Names of who will provide each service

* Name of the person responsible for ensuring the plan is implemented

* The child's present levels of academic and functional performance - how the child is currently doing in school

* Annual education goals for the child and how the school will track progress

* The services the child will get - this may include special education, related, supplementary, and extended school year services

* The timing of services - when they start, how often they occur, and how long they last

* Any accommodations - changes to the child's learning environment

* Any modifications - changes to what the child is expected to learn or know

* How the child will participate in standardized tests

* How the child will be included in general education classes and school activities

When the school wants to change a child's services or placement, it has to tell families in writing before the change. This is called prior written notice. Notice is also required for any IEP meetings and evaluations. Families also have "stay put" rights to keep services in place while there's a disagreement about the IEP.

The school must notify families about an evaluation or a "significant change" in placement. Notice doesn't have to be in writing, but most schools do so anyway.

How to resolve disputes

IDEA gives families several ways to resolve disputes (usually in this order):

Section 504 gives families several options for resolving disagreements with the school:

* Mediation

* Alternative dispute resolution

* Impartial hearing

* Complaint to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

* Lawsuit

* Mediation

* Due process complaint

* Resolution session

* Civil lawsuit

* State complaint

* Lawsuit

And if you need help navigating special education law in your state, consider reaching out to your local Parent Training and Information Center. The people there can answer questions and give practical advice on issues specific to your area.

Do you want to learn more about how IEPs and 504 plans compare? Watch as an expert explains the differences between them.

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

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The difference between IEPs and 504 plans

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Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans are similar but different. See how they compare in what they provide and the processes and laws involved.

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Niemi, L., Suvisaari, J., Haukka, J., & Lönnqvist, J. (2005). Childhood predictors of future psychiatric morbidity in offspring of mothers with psychotic disorder: Results from the Helsinki High-Risk Study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 186(2), 108-114. doi:10.1192/bjp.186.2.108

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Watching for Signs of Psychosis in Teens

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Watching for Signs of Psychosis in Teens

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There are fewer more frightening or challenging psychiatric conditions for a family to face than psychosis, an extreme mental state in which impaired thinking and emotions cause a person to lose contact with reality. This could mean hearing or seeing things that aren't there (hallucinations), or believing things that aren't true (delusions).

The illness most often associated with psychosis, schizophrenia, usually doesn't show up until very late adolescence or early adulthood. Recently, however, experts in the field have been working to identify high-risk kids who show symptoms that could serve as early warning signs of psychosis, and several academic centers have been set up to focus on this crucial period when it may be possible to change the trajectory of mental illness.

Not all the kids who are identified with what experts call "prodromal" symptoms will progress, or "convert" to full-blown psychotic illness. But early intervention has been shown to improve outcomes for those who do. And since psychotic symptoms cause disruption across a teenager's life, from school to friendships to family, researchers are hoping quick action can prevent impairment and prolong typical functioning.

What's more, some of the approaches that show promise in delaying onset of psychosis or mitigating symptoms include fairly simple lifestyle changes like stress reduction and sleep hygiene, and managing co-occurring disorders like anxiety. The key: identifying at-risk kids earlier when these low-impact measures are still effective.

What are "prodromal" symptoms?

Prodromal symptoms are "attenuated" or weak symptoms of psychosis. Moreover, "they are a warning sign," says Dr. Christoph Correll, the medical director of the Recognition and Prevention Program (RAP) at Zucker Hillside Hospital in Queens, NY, which specializes in diagnosing and treating early symptoms of mental illness in teenagers and young adults. "These signs can happen in people who don't go on to develop psychosis-but if we follow these people who are in the risk state based on these watered-down versions, one third will probably go on to develop psychosis. That's a lot more than in the general population."

Prodromal symptoms occur on a spectrum from very, very mild to severe and can include:

Withdrawing from friends and family/feeling suspicious of others

Changes in sleeping or eating patterns

Less concern with appearance, clothes or hygiene

Difficulty organizing thoughts or speech

Loss of usual interest in activities or of motivation and energy

Development of unusual ideas or behaviors

Unusual perceptions, such as visions or hearing voices (or even seeing shadows)

Feeling like things are unreal

Change in personality

Feelings of grandiosity (belief he has a superpower, etc)

In some cases, these symptoms represent the early stages of a disorder, and will eventually convert. In others, the symptoms actually fade or remain mild. Dr. Tiziano Colibazzi is a psychiatrist at Columbia Presbyterian's COPE clinic (Center for Prevention and Evaluation), which was established to research and treat prodromal symptoms. "We can identify a group of people that are at clinically high risk," says Dr. Colibazzi. "What we can't do is narrow that group down further to identify the 30 percent who will convert."

First step if you feel your child is at risk: An evaluation

The right treatment for prodromal symptoms depends entirely on how severe they are when they are diagnosed. The first step is a proper and complete diagnosis by a mental health professional with experience in assessing psychotic illness.

If you see marked changes in motivation, thinking, and/or behavior in your child, the first place to start is with her pediatrician to rule out a medical illness. Substance use also needs to be ruled out as the cause of any behavior changes in adolescents. After that, you're going to want to have your child evaluated by a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist. This in itself might be a multi-step process.

"You can't just look at the kid once and get a bit of a history and then know what's going on, " says Dr. Correll. "Kids develop; symptoms develop. And the trajectory-how things change, get better or worse, what other symptoms add on to it-will be highly informative in telling us something about the prognosis, what we expect to happen."

One aid to predicting the evolution and severity of symptoms, notes Dr. Colibazzi, is the patient's ability to doubt his symptoms. If your child retains the self-awareness to know that it's his mind that is playing tricks on him, it's an indication that symptoms are still in the very early stages. As symptoms become more severe, the patient's beliefs (whether paranoid, grandiose or hallucinatory) become increasingly difficult to challenge.

Lifestyle and mental health options

Psychotic symptoms and illnesses have been shown to vary quite a bit depending on the environment-the health of our bodies, our interpersonal relationships, our mindsets. As with any illness, but particularly important in at-risk youth, healthy living is key. Regardless of the severity of prodromal symptoms, Dr. Correll says that your child's outcome can be improved by making sure your kid sticks to a routine that includes:

Eating well

Getting regular exercise

Adhering to a regular sleep schedule

Reducing stress as much as possible

Staying away from drugs-particularly marijuana, which can interact with prodromal symptoms and increase the risk for psychosis significantly

Also, don't forget to address depression and anxiety. According to Dr. Correll, "adults who eventually developed schizophrenia identified a three to five year period during which they experienced depression or anxiety before developing the prodromal symptoms of psychosis and then developed full-blown psychosis." "So treating the depression early," he says, "might actually interrupt the progression from depression to psychosis in some patients."

Treatment for prodromal psychotic symptoms

Dr. Correll recommends trying several approaches. Mild symptoms call for more low-key treatments including:

Psycho-education: teaching both the kid and the family more about the symptoms and the illness.

Therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy: "CBT can be good to change one's thinking patterns," says Correll, "and also to address developing self-esteem. We have to be careful that kids with a psychiatric diagnosis don't self-stigmatize and get into a hopeless or negative mode where they feel they can't achieve."

Lifestyle adjustments: Assessing whether the current school environment is best for the child. Perhaps a therapeutic social group to help the child cope.

Reducing Stress: Stress is often a trigger for symptoms, so reducing stress in these kids' lives is crucial and may prevent or delay conversion to psychotic illness.

Understanding prodromal symptoms and monitoring kids who are at high risk for psychotic illness means that parents can do more for their kids than wait for symptoms to get worse or merely hope for the best. Early monitoring and intervention can give high-risk kids an advantage, which researchers hope will eventually change the odds when it comes to psychotic illness.

"The duration of untreated psychosis does actually seem to affect the course of the illness," Dr. Colibazzi says. The longer the illness goes untreated, the greater the chance that it will cause serious disruption in all areas of the patient's life. "So it is reasonable to think that just following someone very closely and treating them very early, as soon as they develop symptoms, would be helpful."

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Psychosis Symptoms and Signs in Teens | Child Mind Institute

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There are fewer more frightening or challenging psychiatric conditions for a family to face than psychosis, an extreme mental state in which impaired thinking and emotions cause a person to lose contact with reality. This could mean hearing or seeing things that aren't there (hallucinations), or believing things that aren't true (delusions).

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For children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. And for a teacher, it can be easy to misread the symptoms of OCD as oppositional behavior on the child's part, or as ADHD.

But if teachers can recognize the behaviors associated with OCD, especially when a child is embarrassed and trying to hide his anxiety, they can help save him to receive treatment or make adjustments to from unnecessary struggle, and clear the way for him to learn successfully.

Related: How Teachers Can Help Kids With OCD

Here are the kinds of obsessive behaviors you might see in kids with OCD:
Frequent requests to go to the bathroom: This could be to wash hands, if someone near the child was coughing or sneezing, or if she touched something that she perceives as contaminated. She could be washing items-pens, pencils, backpacks, books. It could also be an excuse to get out the classroom and just be away from everyone, and have some respite.

Constant reassurance-seeking. This takes the form of repetitive questions. "Are you sure that's the answer? Could you tell me again? Did you hear what I said?" Checking doors, windows, lockers, desks. Over and over and over again.

Getting stuck on tasks. Sometimes kids with OCD will need to finish something to completion, or understand it to completion, before they're able to move on. So if a child is working out what he did wrong on a math test, and the teacher says, "Now let's open the textbook and start a new chapter," he's not going to be able to shift gears.

Retracing: If a child leaves the classroom and worries that she left a pencil behind, she'll go back into the classroom and go to her desk and check. If she had a bad thought as she went through the doorway, she might have to "fix it" by going back through the doorway again saying a good word. If she had a bad thought when she went down a flight of stairs on the way to class, she might need to go back up that same stairway at the end of the period, even if it means being late to her next class.

Obsessive erasing: A child could be erasing a lot because the letters have to look perfect. Or he could have used a word that disturbs him. For example, if he has a fear of vomiting and he's written the word vomit, he might not be able to stand seeing that word, so he erases it. Kids start having erasers worn down to the metal. Teachers start to see holes in the paper. Words will be drawn over on the back of the page. A lot of different areas of writing become problematic.

Distraction: If a child is busy thinking that if she doesn't turn the pen cap and count to four the right way then her mom is going to get sick, she's not going to be paying attention in class. And if her teacher calls on her to answer a question, her distraction might look like ADHD, but it isn't.

Slowness on exams and papers and tasks: Sometimes when kids take a long time they're struggling with the perfectionism of needing to do things the right way. This could look like learning problems, or inattention, but it isn't.

Avoidance: Teachers might see a child who doesn't want to sit on the floor, or pick things up that touched the floor, or get his hands dirty in art class. He may avoid a lot of playground activities-kids with germ fears will look at the playground the way some adults look at the subway-it's gross. Why touch anything there?

Tapping and touching symmetrically: If a child sits down at her desk and she accidentally kicks the chair of the kid next to her with her right foot, she's going to have to then kick it with her left foot. That might look like somebody who's being oppositional, or somebody who's got too much energy, but actually it's OCD.

Complaints of anxiety and fatigue. There's one interesting theory that kids with OCD are smarter than other kids. And if you consider how much thinking they're doing, they're really using their brain more frequently than a lot of other kids are. But when that's coupled with a lot of anxiety, you can have a lot of fatigue. So it's common for kids with OCD to want to come home and take a nap after school.

Read More:
What Teachers Should Know About OCD
The Pain of Hiding OCD
OCD and Internal Compulsions

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What Does OCD Look Like in the Classroom?

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For children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. And for a teacher, it can be easy to misread the symptoms of OCD as oppositional behavior on the child's part, or as ADHD.

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Suffering in Silence- Examining OCD in School Setting

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Take it Seriously

Eating disorders are illnesses that have biological and psychological components. The symptoms can be life threatening. Every organ system of the body can be damaged, including: brain, heart, kidney, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, skin and bones.

Create a Safe Environment

Create an environment where students feel safe to discuss matters privately and confidentially. Remember the saying, "We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we talk." Listening without judgment helps students feel safe enough to tell you what they're thinking, feeling, and doing.

People with eating disorders are 18 times more likely to die early compared with people of similar age in the general population.

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.

Eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness among adolescents.

Prevention is the First Line of Defense

Coaches, teachers, and other school personnel are role models for young people. It's important to be a resource for them. The environment you create will help students and athletes form healthy attitudes about weight, body image, nutrition, strength and even success.

Focus on Healthy Habits Rather Than on Body Weight or Fat

The factors listed below can enhance performance by improving both physical and psychological health. Emphasizing healthy behaviors in this way does not put students at risk for eating disorders.

Nutrition and Exercise - Young people need information about healthy meal planning and regular exercise, especially if they're athletes. Educate your students by providing nutritional information through the school curriculum and as part of their athletic training. Having knowledge about healthy habits will help them avoid overeating or under-eating. Some examples are:

Eat Breakfast! Grandmother was right. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who eat breakfast, eat healthier the rest of the day, have more energy, and do better in school.

Meals and snacks should be nutritional and well balanced.

Plan for a regular mealtime schedule rather than eating on the run or skipping meals. Students with unusual or no meal schedule are at risk for eating disorders.

Sleep and Rest - Young adults and teens require between 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Many student-athletes sleep less than 6 hours a day. Encourage students to form regular sleep habits. The teen lifestyle of staying up late and getting up early is difficult to change but getting enough sleep is essential to health and wellbeing, which in turn helps to maximize both physical and mental performance. Lack of sleep can also lead to:

Body aches and pains

Irritability

Difficulty concentrating

Increased appetite

Decreased resilience and performance

Substance Use and Abuse - Provide your students with information about the consequences of drug and alcohol use, and teach them interpersonal and behavior skills. Include information about:

Alcohol and prescription or illegal drugs

Nicotine

Performance enhancing drinks or supplements

Dietary or "stacker" supplements

Peer pressure

Psychological Factors - Both thinking and emotional factors can affect performance. Educate young people to resist visual and social messages that imply they should achieve unrealistic body types such as extreme thinness. Mixed messages fill the media. Ultra-thin models happily eat fast food, while the nightly news reports an increasing number of Americans are obese. Replacing these messages with an emphasis on healthy eating habits can help the student make informed decisions and good choices for their own health and wellbeing.

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What Can I Do - Educators & Coaches - Eating Disorder Program - Adolescent Medicine - Golisano Children's Hospital - University of Rochester Medical Center

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Eating disorders are illnesses that have biological and psychological components. The symptoms can be life threatening. Every organ system of the body can be damaged, including: brain, heart, kidney, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, skin and bones. Create an environment where students feel safe to discuss matters privately and confidentially.

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How To Help A Child Struggling With Anxiety : Life Kit

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When a child is scared of the dark or being left alone, it can be hard for adults to know the difference between an age-appropriate fear and full-blown anxiety. This episode is full of tools to help parents better understand and manage their child’s “worry brain.”