I remember sitting in my fifth-grade classroom on the first day of school and seeing a very unfamiliar face sitting next to me. I grew up in a small town in New Jersey, and having only sixty other students in my grade, I knew everyone, especially after being in school with them since preschool. When there was someone we did not recognize in a classroom, it was very obvious that they were the new kid in town. This student was Nicky. Nicky was constantly pulled out of class by other teachers, and one day Nicky had a meltdown in the middle of our class. Later that day, the principal of my school decided to visit my class when Nicky was not in the classroom. During his visit, the principal read us a short book about children with autism and explained …show more content…
Savko's book was one that I read the summer before the tenth grade. In Savko's book, Nathan Pavel, a three-year-old boy is diagnosed with autism and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while his younger sister, Eileen, is diagnosed with various developmental delays years later. Their parents, Andrew and Erica, both struggle with the children's diagnoses. Erica is in denial about Nathan's diagnoses and leaves Andrew to deal with their son's numerous interventions and doctor appointments by himself. Andrew and Erica eventually go through a divorce and the reader can see the difference in the children's behaviors due to the increased stress and sudden change in their living situation. Children with autism need structure in their daily lives. Many children have a fear of visiting an unknown place, and not following the routine that is established, could result in meltdowns or severe anxiety, thus causing Nathan's erratic behaviors.While Slip was based more on the home environment and the process of getting a diagnosis, Autism Goes to School by Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell was another book I read that placed more emphasize on the school environment. Mitchell's book was about a young five-year-old boy, Kyle. Kyle met his teacher, Mrs. Nicols, prior to his diagnosis of autism. Mrs. Nicols works with Kyle to help him become a great student by controlling his various meltdown