The start of a new school year often presents challenges for children with autism, as changes in routine, sensory input, and social expectations can be particularly difficult to navigate. Experts emphasize the importance of gradual adjustments, predictable structures, and strong collaboration between families and schools to help ease this transition.
Dr. Hanadi A. Al-Mutairi, a developmental paediatric fellow at Sidra Medicine in Qatar, highlights the value of routine and predictability in helping children with autism feel secure and regulated. She recommends maintaining consistent sleep and wake times and breaking morning routines into smaller, manageable steps. Dr. Al-Mutairi also suggests that families engage their children by discussing the school day, using visual aids such as photographs of classrooms and teachers, and involving them in preparing school materials like uniforms and lunch. These actions can help make daily routines more concrete and less overwhelming.
Amani Suhail, an autism specialist at Renad Academy, which is part of Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education, points out that the sensory environment of a school can be highly stimulating. She advises parents and educators to consider potential sensory triggers—such as loud noises, bright lighting, strong smells, and certain textures—and to collaborate on supportive accommodations. These may include the use of noise-cancelling headphones, sensory tools, scheduled movement breaks, access to quiet spaces, and additional transition time between activities.
Suhail stresses the value of ongoing communication between home and school, encouraging parents to share their child’s individual needs and effective strategies with teachers, while also requesting feedback on observations from the school setting. Teachers can contribute by providing clear, simple instructions, establishing consistent routines, using visual schedules, and offering advance warnings before transitions occur.
Dr. Al-Mutairi notes that children with autism may express their feelings through changes in behavior rather than direct communication. Parents should be attentive to signs such as increased irritability, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, altered sleep or appetite, repetitive behaviors, or physical complaints like headaches and stomachaches. Some children might appear to manage well during the school day but become more dysregulated afterward. She advises caregivers to view behavioral changes as a form of communication and to seek to understand what their child may be trying to convey rather than solely focusing on stopping the behavior.
Recognizing that adapting to a new school year is a process for both children and families, Suhail encourages patience and underscores that the objective is not merely for a child with autism to adapt to the school environment, but to foster an atmosphere in which the student feels safe, understood, valued, and supported in their learning journey. Individualized approaches are essential, as what benefits one child may not be effective for another.