[senco-forum] pupil with autism

I had to break news of the implications of the diagnosis to mothers and  
sometimes dads in the past. The news that Autism was virtually always  lifelong 
seemed to have the biggest impact -- as parents often hope there is a  short 
term answer once the diagnosis is made. So a variety of positive ways  forwards 
and practical mediating solutions are important for parents -- with  knowledge 
that children do learn to live with their difficulty and can develop  as 
interesting personalities in their own right -- and everyone is different and  the 
more able can develop independence. 

If parents are asking the teachers to explain to a child that h/she has  
Autism -- it's because they don't have enough knowledge or positive things to  add 
to the explanation. But it's really the parents job -- in their own home --  
parents need to be supported and empowered to do this -- as it is an  
important early step in the building of a lifelong empathic and supporting  
relationship between parents and child. Brendan King