What to Look for in Early Learning Services for Autism

If your child has recently been diagnosed with autism, you may notice that services are limited or harder to find. You may find that some services are available when you ask for them specifically. This isn't a bad thing. In fact, having to ask about certain services and knowing what to look for can help you find the best early learning services for your autistic child. If you are new to finding the right services for your autistic child, here are some things to look for. 

Low Student-to-Teacher Ratio

One of the key things you need to look for, in an early learning services centre for your autistic child, is a low student-to-teacher ratio. Your child, and other children with autism, tend to do better in environments with more personal focus. In larger classrooms and environments, this can be difficult. This means that certain issues with your child may be overlooked and may go unnoticed, causing progression to become regression in certain aspects of academics and daily living activities.

On-Site Therapies

Depending on the specific diagnosis your autistic child received, they may need several therapies. The most common are occupational, speech and ABA. By ensuring the early learning services center you choose has these therapies on site, you can make things easier on both yourself and your child. Your child can stick to a routine at the same location while you can reduce the number of trips you have to make to different therapy appointments.

School Preparation

Most of the early learning services centres will prepare your child for public school. The issue for many parents is how the centre goes about this preparation. If you plan on homeschooling or using an alternative form of education such as Waldorf, then the way they help prepare your child can become vital. Make sure to discuss this with the school, or do some research on each learning centre to determine if their preparation methods will fit with your long-term education goals and style for your autistic child.

By asking about these specific services from local early learning services, you will be able to narrow down which centres may be best for your autistic child. When you have narrowed down your options, ask for a final consultation to discuss your specific child's needs and what the center has to offer for those needs specifically. They can also answer funding questions, pricing and additional service questions that you might have. 

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