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Finding The Right Aid For Your Child
If you have a child with SMA who’s in school, finding the right aid for them is important. When I was in school, I had multiple aides with me throughout elementary, middle, and high school. I did a column on this subject recently https://smanewstoday.com/2019/03/26/how-school-aides-prepared-me-for-caregivers/.
Based on my experiences, I wanted to share a few tips for parents and caregivers on this subject. Please feel free to add your own tips as well.
Basic Qualifications: This one is obvious, but it’s important that the person who will assist your child has the proper qualifications to do so. My aides were mainly there to take notes for me in class, help me with my books and supplies, help me in-between classes, etc. However, if your child has a lot of medical equipment that they need extensive help with, make sure that the aid is qualified to handle those tasks as well. All of this should be covered in your child’s 504 or IEP plan, but it’s best to double-check.
Personality: Keep in mind that your child’s aid will be with them for the majority of the day, everyday. That said, you want this person to not only be able to meet your child’s needs at school, but also to be able to converse with them and make them feel at ease. I know from experience that it can be awkward having an adult follow you around at school all day, but it helps when they have a good personality. The best aides I had were ones who I could talk to easily, and who weren’t awkward around my friends and I. It’s important to talk with your child to make sure that they’re comfortable with their aid, given the amount of time that they spend with them. This brings me to my last point.
Make Sure That Your Child’s Aid Gives Them Space: This one is important. Obviously you want your child’s aid to be there to help them, but the aid needs to have barriers as well. I can’t tell you how annoying it was when aides would insist on sitting next to me every minute of the day, and would never give me any space. When an aid is overbearing like this, it can really impede on a child’s social development. Granted, it’s up to the child to speak up for themselves, but I would still recommend checking in on them to make sure that their aid is giving them space. Let them be a kid and spend time with their friends at school, without their adult aid hovering over them.
Are these tips helpful? Do you have any other tips or experiences regarding school aides?
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1 Reply
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Find one like Kenneth on Speechless.
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