Number of Students With Autism On The Rise

The number of Putnam County students with autism spectrum disorder has increased over the past ten years.

School system officials said approximately 168-students have autism spectrum disorder, representing 1.5 percent of the student population. 2008 statistics listed 68 students living with the condition, or less than 1-percent of the student population.

Tonia Wheeler serves as an autism consultant for Putnam County schools. She said multiple factors are involved in the increase.

“The definition has changed from years ago to now, it’s become a little bit broader definition than way back when,” Wheeler said. “I do think that we are doing a better job at identifying those characteristics of autism and trying to get early intervention to parents and families.”

Wheeler said doctors are also being trained to start asking better questions about child development that might help them see if there’s kids at risk.

The State Education Department said the increase is occurring statewide as 10,432 students have diagnosed autism spectrum disorder, a 10-percent increase from the 2008-2009 school year.

Wheeler said as the numbers increase, the school system works to make sure teachers and staff members are trained in a variety of instructional and behavioral strategies to help students be successful.

“We are lucky in Putnam County to have a wide variety of support to help meet the needs of students,” Wheeler said. “We have full continuum services and unique classes that can provide home base for students. We start that in pre school and have those classes all the way through high school.”

There’s a wide spectrum of needs for students with autism spectrum disorder and each person is very unique, wheeler said.

“There is no cookie cutter approach. We have to create something that’s designed for that specific child,” Wheeler said. “That takes some creativity on our behalf and seeing what the students like and what they don’t like.”

Wheeler said many students are in general classes, working on earning diplomas. For those students, the school system provides a three week grant funded summer camp that focuses on social and executive functioning skills.

“We try to be creative and make sure we get training to students and teachers so everybody can be in a positive atmosphere,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said there’s a continuing need to always have access to training and individuals who can help to develop plans.

“Especially for students that have more behavioral difficulties that are really causing them to have difficulties to develop relationships and feel safe within their environments, either at schools or at home,” Wheeler said.

The CDC now has autism listed as the fastest growing developmental disability, affecting more than 3.5 million Americans.

Putnam County Schools service students with disabilities between the ages of 3-22. If a parent suspects their child has a disability that is interfering with their school performance please contact Putnam County Department of Special Education at 931-526-9777 or email Tonia Wheeler, wheelert3@pcsstn.com.