Autistic children are going to be returning to school over the next few days. Here's some things to be aware of and things to help.

A thread.

#autism #autistic

1. Autistic children might be better informed on Covid than you expect. Talk to them maturely, don't patronise. Listen to their worries. #autism

2. Autistic children may be extremely unhappy at returning to school if they perceive it as dangerous. It'll trigger that 'unjust radar' we seem to have. Talk over the risks realistically, without hyperbole either way.

3. Autistic children might be so in a routine now, changing it will be extremely hard. Start the school routine ASAP, even before school starts, to help get in the groove. #autism

4. If your child cannot cope, say they have a day in and meltdown, don't feel bad for letting them take thd next day off sick if possible. This is better than pushing them too far. This situation is unusual, remember. #autism

5. Autistic kids might really struggle going back into blazers and ties. See if your school will give them a break on these rules for a bit. #autism

6. Autistic kids often have friends outside their year group. This might cause issues in 'bubble' schools. Make sure they are prepared for this and know they may not see their friends. #autism

7. Autistic kids very frequently hide out in little visited areas of school. This may no longer be possible. Even libraries etc may be repurposed and therefore unavailable. Make sure your #autistic child knows this in advance. #autism

8. Lack of access to hyperfixations will be hard to adjust to after 6 months of relatively unfettered access. Let them take a book or other source of information with them. #autism

9. Be compassionate. I can almost guarantee they will be going through more inner turmoil than you can imagine (unless you're autistic too). Be kind and understanding, parents and teachers. #autism

10. Readjustment to working in class will take time. Probably weeks, maybe months. Do not apply hard and fast rules to your #autistic students straight away unless you want to destroy their wellbeing. #autism

11. Some autistic children will be so happy to be back in school, so bear this in mind. Chat with them about their interests, ask them what they've been doing - nice clear, non-loaded questions. #autism

12. Some autistic children may have read about the exam fiasco and be angry on behalf of their peers. Speak to them about it and reassure them that the school and teachers - their immediate surroundings - is on their side. #autism

13. Don't patronise your #autistic students. Not after all this. They may have been through hell and deserve to be treated with respect.

14. Clearly explain to whole classes how some students may not be able to wear masks, or may wear them all the time, or may use handgel all the time - normalise these behaviours. #autism

I haven't dipped my toe in autism content for a while but felt this was vital. Hope it helps. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/UfTVnRY