Help! Autism and Bus Rides

[hgonzalez]

I have a delightful 3.5 year child here in the Autism Spectrum. He takes a bus to Early Childhood Special Education classes 3 days a week (from daycare and back to daycare). He is very uncooperative with the process....both ways.

He lays down on the entryway floor and won't cooperate in getting his outdoor clothing on, then kicks off his boots as soon as I put them on. If I am able to get him out the door, he usually will get on the bus. I keep telling him how much fun he is going to have at school etc. and he just screams 'no' and refuses to get ready. I have another drop off going on at the same time his bus comes, so is really tough to deal with.

Coming back to daycare from school, he refuses to cooperate with the bus driver and aide. He won't get out of his seat or get off the bus. Today he flat out refused and two people could not get him off the bus. I had to run outside to the bus and get him off of it and then hold his hand tight to get him inside. He then lied on the floor and refused to take his stuff off, so I just ignored him and he finally came around and fell into his normal routine.

I cannot leave my other kids in the house to get this kid off the bus. I don't think there is anything wrong at school or anything thing wrong at daycare, he just wants to be in control I think.

Does anyone have any strategies that might help him transition better between daycare and the bus? I was thinking of printing up a 'ticket' for him to hand to the bus driver and maybe a 'ticket' to get back to daycare.
He is a very smart little guy, but can make life really difficult with his lack of cooperation.

[daycarediva]

board maker or pecs chart for those days. Laminated and velcroed with his scheduled. At Miss. Gonzalez's home, breakfast, bus, picture of preschool. Then a reverse for preschool back to daycare. I am assuming his verbal abilities are limited. Most kids on the spectrum have difficulty with transitions. Is there something he can play with, hold, do on the bus? Is the staff the same each time?

[Jack Sprat]

Can you make a schedule of sorts using Boardmaker? Maybe a pic of him and the bus, then a pic of your house? He can then move a stop sign to the pic of him on the bus, indicating that its time to go to your house? You could get really detailed with the whole thing and add familiar sites along the way. When I worked with kids on the spectrum picture schedules were a HUGE hit.

[Blackcat31]

I'd be giving this issue back to the parents.

I know they might not be available at the times that the bus comes for pick up and/or drop off but you shouldn't be the one trying to figure this out.

You are GROUP care, not individualized care.

The parents need to work out a plan for an aide on the bus or be there themselves.

[Jack Sprat]

board maker or pecs chart for those days. Laminated and velcroed with his scheduled. At Miss. Gonzalez's home, breakfast, bus, picture of preschool. Then a reverse for preschool back to daycare. I am assuming his verbal abilities are limited. Most kids on the spectrum have difficulty with transitions. Is there something he can play with, hold, do on the bus? Is the staff the same each time?

Great minds! I didn't see your post till after I posted mine!

[hgonzalez]

I thought about the board, but I honestly don't think the bus driver/aide etc are going to be willing or able to keep a board or cards on the bus. We live in a big school district and the bus that he currently rides on is not even one of our district buses. Plus he takes a different bus to and from.

I am going to suggest to the parents that they purchase or make the board and pictures. I agree that it is not my problem, and don't think they are taking the initiative to solve this problem as much as I would like.

I can't afford to lose any more daycare kids though, as my numbers are down and don't want to risk losing them. However, they need to do something to help me with this issue, as I cannot continue to go outside to get him off the bus.

I can pretty much handle him when he is here. But transitions are soooo hard for him.

[Jack Sprat]

If he has an IEP and it is written in the IEP then the bus drivers and aids will have to use it.

I agree with BC this should be passed on the parents and the school! All of this can be written in a behavior plan. The schedule should be made his teacher/aid if you were able to use one.

[Angelsj]

I thought about the board, but I honestly don't think the bus driver/aide etc are going to be willing or able to keep a board or cards on the bus. We live in a big school district and the bus that he currently rides on is not even one of our district buses. Plus he takes a different bus to and from.

I am going to suggest to the parents that they purchase or make the board and pictures. I agree that it is not my problem, and don't think they are taking the initiative to solve this problem as much as I would like.

I can't afford to lose any more daycare kids though, as my numbers are down and don't want to risk losing them. However, they need to do something to help me with this issue, as I cannot continue to go outside to get him off the bus.

I can pretty much handle him when he is here. But transitions are soooo hard for him.

A 3.5 yo with AS (and honestly even without AS) needs to be walked from bus to house. If you cannot do that, then the school, the parents, or an assistant needs to do so.
However, as to the transition, is there an obsession object he might respond to? My 14 yo LOVES sharks. When he was younger, we could use a rubber shark as a transition object.
"In five minutes, we are going to get our coats on and go to the bus. Once our coat is on and we are at the bus, we can have the shark to hold until we get to school. At school, the teacher will hold the shark until it is time to come home."
The school could do the same, and then do the same for coming home.
I have one that will do these things for a pretzel (little one) at each transition time. If you can find a currency, you will have better luck.
These kids don't get time, but they can follow rules.
I do think the boards are great as well, just need a bit of heads up to get to the next move.