Preparing Your Child with Special Needs for the New School Year

Backpack with school supplies, tablet, and balance disc

We see the ads in July screaming BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! Backpacks, pens, paper and yes, that funny commercial by Staples singing “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For the special needs family, back to school consists of so much more than just a Superman or Little Kitty backpack. Our back to school needs might also include augmentative devices, OT supplies and mock back to school training. We can all manage the back to school chaos with early preparation. Below are some helpful tips for the special needs family and according to my BFF (best friend forever), they are also great for the typical kids too!

1. Shopping for clothing and shoes

If you must take your special needs child with you, bring back up to help out when it comes to trying on clothing. If a certain shirt or pant fit well, buy it in a few colors to avoid trying on too many items. If shoes or sneakers are available in a few colors, again try on one pair and then purchase that shoe in a few styles.

2. OT supplies

If your child is using at home a padded seat cushion, special pencil or adaptive feeding tool, make sure you have a second set of these items for school. Although schools can order these OT supplies for you, it could take some time and not all budgets can accommodate immediately. Be prepared and bring your own. Add your child’s name to each item just in case it is misplaced.

3. Augmentative devices

Prepare the school by requesting a meeting ahead of time to train the staff on the augmentative device your child is using so they are familiar with the program. Many manufacturers of these devices can send out a representative to train the staff. If your device is battery operated, charge it each night so it is in full power in the morning and will last the entire school day.

4. Lunch, snacks, dressing

Prepare all snack/lunch bags the night before and lay out clothing for the child to wear. This will save so much time in the morning to get out the door on time.

5. Breakfast

Set the table the night before with a few boxes of cereal, bowls, spoons, and cups. This will also save time in the morning.

Related: Wellness: Breakfast for Champions

I highly recommend that all care givers join the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) group at school to keep abreast on training and networking. Have a contact list with telephone numbers and email addresses of all of your child’s teachers and aides. If the school does not provide a school log book, simply prepare one yourself so you can see the progress your child made each day. If your child is due for a physical, appointments are best in June or July. August is a very busy time for pediatricians and most schools will require an up-to-date medical record upon entering the school year.

Mom and Dad, it is a good idea to set that alarm clock an hour before you wake up the children to get yourself dressed and set for the day. Getting yourself ready first will let you focus on the children.

Back-to-school is a busy time for every family, being prepared for September can help keep everyone on track for the entire school year!

Susan Parziale is a certified Professional Organizer. She is also a mother to a daughter with Autism.

More Back to School Tips

This post originally appeared on our September/October 2011 Magazine