COVER STORY

ELIJAH'S MOM SHARES BACK TO SCHOOL PREP FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD

BY RENEE C. WILLIAMS, M.S. ED.

In July, I started to prepare for my son to go back to school. There are things to consider when any child is going back to school, for a child with a diagnosis of autism, the preparation looks a little different. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits mainly in the areas of social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors according to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5).