try demanding it, but the point remains, there aren't many even in the system that are trained. The huge explosion of ASD has caught the school systems unawares and it will take years to catch up. Many people stil have a hard time finding a properly trained person to do IBI or a psychologist to supervise programs. ASD training while not really all that new is still considered a growing field. WE as the parents have to fight the boards and the GOvt to spend the money to train and hire new people. My school hired a trained teacher for my DS for SK. And even her, while wonderful with my child, I asked her some very specific questions and she avoided them like she couldn't answer them.

Couldn't hurt to try.

I know to become a paraprofessional all one needs is 60 credits and/or a Associates Degree. The aides who had been in the system prior to Jan. 2006 needed to have the 60 credits as per No Child Left Behind. I was going through a number of classes prior to that with many trying to make the deadline.

My son's aide is wonderful. However, she had to leave on a medical leave quite suddenly last year for approximately 6 weeks. They replaced her with an aide who knew nothing of ASD's. I discovered this after she wrote in my son's journal that comes home to me each day. I could tell based on what she wrote that she thought my son had a behavior disorder. She actually asked me if she could give my son candy if he listened to her. It was then I went to the school to speak with the Principal/Vice-Principal. I then discovered she knew nothing about ASD's, nor how to handle a child with it. I then decided to meet with her and give her information regarding my son's issues. The school also put her in training while my son was in his speech and social skills classes. He was also having difficulties with her as she didn't understand where he was coming from. Things started to get better towards the end, once she received the training. I think it's important to speak with the school about it if you see any problems, whatsoever.

But, my son was and is much better off with his original aide. I agree with Challenger on this, the schools are unprepared. I also have to mention in my son's district, aides start out at roughly $8 per hour. I don't think it's very much considering what they do and have to know, but then I think the same of teacher's salaries.

That is a good point. I just know my best friend is an aide in Los Angeles. We worked together 25 years ago in the fashion industry. She had a bad health issue and had to change careers due to various things, and she is now studying ABA and works as a one on one in a charter for big kids. I think a lot has to do with the person and the level of compassion they have, and the training is a on your feet by the seat type of thing, but the committment to be on the ball with the kid is what's important. The info for this is still cutting edge, so as long as the needs are being adress and met, then tha's good by my book.

I'm actually a independent behavior consultant and per parent request go into the classroom and give a crash course to the client's aide -it's just that I'm always surprised to find how little the aides know about the wide population that they are serving. Everytime I leave the first thing I say to the parent is get the district to educate your child's aide and here's the evidence on why this (often loving) person needs support in working with your child.

I'm a sub class aide for my local school district. However, I am a mother of a severly austic child who also has cerebral palsy. I actually agree with you. I think they should be trained. In order for me to get a perminent position I do have to take the para professional test. It is a state requirement. I do work alot because teachers will request me because they know I have the experience with a special needs child. But many do not and I think they should. I have voiced this to my school district. My son's attendent didn't have experience but is wonderful with my son and took it upon himself to educate himself about autism and cerebral palsy. He made time outside of school to spend with my so that he could learn who my son is and what he needed. But I do agree that attendent should have to be trained.

We've had wonderful aides for Daniel, and horrible ones. The aide makes such a difference in the school day, it really should be illegal not to train them. Poor aides, after all! Can you imagine being in a job where you were expected to get certain results but were not shown how to do it? Wait a minute, that's the parents, too...

I had the same issue with my son's aide here in Texas. His assigned one to one aide was an old lady that volunteerd at the scool to bide her time. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but assign her to be a teachers aide or something, not an ASD child's aide. My son was having problems every single day. She didn't know how to handle him, making things worse for all involved. I finally beacme fed up with it. I was on the verge of pulling my son out of school. I had a meeting with the principal and school counsler(sp?) I was respectful and polite but I was also very stern. I demanded that My son have an aide that was trained to work with a special needs child or at least have a behavior therapist work with him. The very next day he had a new aide. She had been with the school for 10 years, with plenty experience working with special needs children.She's been absoultely wonderful with him. Since then my son's had much less meltdowns, he's doing his work and fitting in with his classmates. He still has some "difficult" days but they are few and far between.
I think there should be some sort of guideline set in place for who they allow to work with our special needs children, it makes all the difference in the world. For now however, the best hope for our kids is us as parents going in and fighting for what our kids are entitled to.

Having an educated aide makes all the difference! - it's aserious problem when parents can attest to having wonderful aides and horrible ones which shows me that there is no consistency in competence. I really do believe that training aides should be mandatory and I wonder what it would take to make it mandatory. I think I'll look into that.

I wonder if getting a nationwide petition started would help. Maybe we could all get one started in our respective states and present them to congress. Autism is a growing issue these days, who knows if enough parents get involved we could start making some changes.

I understand that the law states the IEP drives your kids placement, so you need to demand a trained AIDE but you also need to have an experienced aide , I think the mother of a ASD kid is the best. A certified Special ed teacher is not necessarily trained in ASD. I found that out the hard way. Our home school has an autism contained unit for big kids, and I think there would be good poteential in that situation because there is a good reference point with that group in the school. My 3 year old was placed into the next school over with a general disabilities class and mainstream in a 4 year old PreK. It sounded good at the meeting, but it turned out to be a disaster. I contacted my state senater office and the gal there was very kind to research for me and the end story is that you need to demand that at the IEP meeting and have it clearly writen with no exception. If they do not comply, then you have legal clout. Another thought, I know a special ed resource teacher who really is on the ball, but not at my school. She told me I need to educate my teacher. imagine.. but I realize that it is true.