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It is critical for parents advocating for their child with Aspergeru2019s to learn as much as possible about these different systems and the best ways to deal with them. To navigate the bureaucratic wilderness is just as important to have the right supplies and preparation for a trip into the physical wilderness of the grizzly bears.<br><br>
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Navigating the Wilderness: Advocating for the Teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome The desire to advocate for one’s child comes naturally to most parents – as naturally as a protective instinct comes to a mother grizzly bear seeking to defend her cubs and forage food to feed them. Parents today operate in a complex world that includes medical and legal bureaucracies much more difficult to navigate than the wildernesses grizzlies inhabit.
Autism Programs For Teens It is critical for parents advocating for their child with Asperger’s to learn as much as possible about these different systems and the best ways to deal with them. To navigate the bureaucratic wilderness is just as important to have the right supplies and preparation for a trip into the physical wilderness of the grizzly bears.
TAKE ADEQUATE PROVISIONS: Build Support Networks for Yourself First Parents have a limited amount time. Many have jobs demanding more than forty hours a week and most have other children or family members needing attention. In addition, a household needs constant management to function adequately. Advocating effectively means committing even more time to understanding and operating in the systems affecting your child.
TRAVEL LOG: Create Documentation Systems and Keep Records A notebook for tracking and recording all telephone contacts and meeting notes is even more important. Date and label notes on all phone conversations and include the full names and professional titles of everyone involved in your child’s progress. It is much more effective in a school meeting, for example, to be able to say, “On (date), Dr.______ told us that our child would need special support in ________” than to say, “A while back, someone told me . . .”
FIND GUIDES: Seek Assistance on Your Journey This may mean inviting them for a meal or coffee or finding a time for an extended phone conversation. Their advice is vital because it is local. Nothing in a book will tell you which administrators or counselors in your school district are particularly helpful, or which local therapist has the best approach to dealing with Asperger’s. Parents in your community who have been advocating for their children are often eager to share their experiences and knowledge. Be particularly alert to learn the best local sources of support.
Contact Us We believe in connecting families to the necessary resources in order to help individuals on the spectrum succeed in day-to- day life . To learn more about specialized residential programs for adolescents needing professional help, please call the toll free number at (844) 211- 1356.
