Going back to school after the easter break

Self esteem is a crucial issue, and low self esteem can be lifelong issues in AS contexts. Anything you can do to understand the causes and if possible alleviate would be invaluable.

Is anyone telling him he is worthless and why should anyone talk to him? This might be due to reinforced negative thoughts building up his own self-assessment. But with autistic spectrum this message is likely to come from other children, other children's parents and teachers.

An important aspect is that kids repeat the "wisdom" of their parents. Other parents may have concerns about an autistic spectrum kid in the class, and express these concerns to their kids....the kids then repeat it. So even if teachers have explained autism to classsmates, this is a contrary image coming from another authority they respect.

This seems to be a little known phenomenon, probably because it is mis-information picked up by peers from other sources, and doesn't get gauged or reported as an issue for children on the spectrum.

Bullying is an ever present issue for children on the spectrum. It isn't just through being socially naive and not able to identify teasing or ribbing for what it is, other children will pick on the child that is different.

This is not like a few indiividuals stealing sweets and pocket money from weaker kids - this kind of bullying involves most classmates joining in at winding up the different kid. It is very isolating and demoralising. Teachers probably wont see what is going on, and assume it is just normal banter if they notice at all. Children suffering this often don't report it directly to their parents (sometimes for fear parental intervention could make things worse, or just under pressure to conform and put up with it, and because teasing and banter is after all, as so often said "part of growing up", "toughening up" etc., except it isn't if your social communication skills aren't up to the mark on fending it off).

Teachers may well join in, thinking it makes them look "with it" with the other kids in a class. Also teachers may simply aggravate the situation by appearing to condone or approve of what's going on, or taking issue with an AS child's difficulties in front of the class.

If a young schoolchild has very low self esteem, external agents may well be a factor. It takes time for self-inflicted low self esteem to evolve. A 12 year old with low self esteem and these kind of messages in his head is probably getting this from external reinforcement.

Self esteem is a crucial issue, and low self esteem can be lifelong issues in AS contexts. Anything you can do to understand the causes and if possible alleviate would be invaluable.

Is anyone telling him he is worthless and why should anyone talk to him? This might be due to reinforced negative thoughts building up his own self-assessment. But with autistic spectrum this message is likely to come from other children, other children's parents and teachers.

An important aspect is that kids repeat the "wisdom" of their parents. Other parents may have concerns about an autistic spectrum kid in the class, and express these concerns to their kids....the kids then repeat it. So even if teachers have explained autism to classsmates, this is a contrary image coming from another authority they respect.

This seems to be a little known phenomenon, probably because it is mis-information picked up by peers from other sources, and doesn't get gauged or reported as an issue for children on the spectrum.

Bullying is an ever present issue for children on the spectrum. It isn't just through being socially naive and not able to identify teasing or ribbing for what it is, other children will pick on the child that is different.

This is not like a few indiividuals stealing sweets and pocket money from weaker kids - this kind of bullying involves most classmates joining in at winding up the different kid. It is very isolating and demoralising. Teachers probably wont see what is going on, and assume it is just normal banter if they notice at all. Children suffering this often don't report it directly to their parents (sometimes for fear parental intervention could make things worse, or just under pressure to conform and put up with it, and because teasing and banter is after all, as so often said "part of growing up", "toughening up" etc., except it isn't if your social communication skills aren't up to the mark on fending it off).

Teachers may well join in, thinking it makes them look "with it" with the other kids in a class. Also teachers may simply aggravate the situation by appearing to condone or approve of what's going on, or taking issue with an AS child's difficulties in front of the class.

If a young schoolchild has very low self esteem, external agents may well be a factor. It takes time for self-inflicted low self esteem to evolve. A 12 year old with low self esteem and these kind of messages in his head is probably getting this from external reinforcement.