– Uno, dos, tres, cuatro … In steady Spanish, English and Norwegian, “Liam” counts his way through the numbers in the ladder game in the schoolyard, before jumping a few squares forward. – He is very hung up on numbers. It affects the whole day from the time we get up to the time we go to bed, says Carolina Arancibia. “Liam” likes to count in several languages. Photo: Ingvild Edvardsen / news She meets news in the schoolyard of a school in Oslo, where her son is a second-year student. “Liam” is an active and curious boy with a diagnosis of childhood autism. news has chosen to anonymize him. More people with autism The proportion of children under the age of six who are diagnosed with autism has quadrupled within a few years. It is felt in the school, according to figures collected by news. In Oslo, around 160 children with autism, including Liam, had their application for a place in a special group or special school rejected this school year. This is an increase of 60 per cent in two years. In Bergen and Trondheim there is the same trend, the municipalities state. More and more people are being turned down for such places. Liam’s mother has applied for a place in a special group elsewhere in the city twice, but was refused. She explains that her son struggles with social codes and that he does not understand dangers. He therefore needs an adult close to him throughout the day. His behavior is characterized by rigidity. – He envisions a fixed route. If you deviate from that square, it cuts. Then he is dependent on an adult who can keep him safe. If not, he may get agitated and hit. In the first refusal, the Norwegian Education Agency wrote: They believed that the local school could provide the first class with an equal and reasonable offer. – Jumps into the road The mother describes a difficult start to school for her son, who thrives best with predictability. – There was no framework around him, no daily plan, no one had pedagogical responsibility for him. He was often taken out to a group room and played Wild Cat. The school was not prepared as they should have been. She believes that several of the employees do not have enough expertise in autism and that they are unable to see his needs. She is also afraid for her son’s safety. – He has jumped into the road several times. Once there was a student who had to pick him up because the assistants were not fast enough. I sit with a lump in my stomach every single day. While news is present, Liam throws himself from the top platform of the climbing frame. The mother fears he may one day be seriously injured. Photo: Ingvild Edvardsen news has been in contact with the school, which does not want to comment on Liam’s case. Unable to meet the increase – No one has good explanations for this “wave”. What we register is that it is real, and that it is difficult for the entire system to accept this. This is what Jogeir Sognnæs, director of special educational services in Bergen, says about the increase in the number of autism diagnoses. Jogeir Sognnæs, director, Agency for special educational services in Bergen Photo: Private – We strive to expand the offer of reinforced schools, and we struggle with the fact that many of our ordinary schools have very many students with this diagnosis. It often requires a lot. Director of the Education Agency in Oslo, Marte Gerhardsen, says they have not been able to develop enough special places in line with the increase in autism among children. – It is a huge challenge for the families involved, and we do what we can to make good offers for all the pupils at our local schools. Our principals work well to find good solutions, and we also have a separate autism team that assists the schools. Director of the Education Agency in Oslo, Marte Gerhardsen. Photo: Siw Pessar The Norwegian Education Agency does not want to comment on Liam’s case either, but Gerhardsen says they are working to create more special places for next school year. She emphasizes that Norwegian schools must be inclusive with room for everyone. – Then we see that some children, who have major difficulties within the autism spectrum, can get a better offer in special groups and at special schools. I feel that there has now been a greater understanding of developing places for these students. Autism Autism is a developmental disorder that lasts a lifetime. People with autism struggle with social interaction and communication, often have repetitive and rigid behavior and limited areas of interest. There are large individual differences in people with autism. That is why the term “autism spectrum” is used today. The term “childhood autism” is used when the symptom picture is extensive. Development before the age of three deviates from normal. “Asperger’s syndrome” differs from childhood autism in that linguistic and cognitive development is not delayed. Research has shown that genes play an important role in the development of autism. There is currently limited knowledge about environmental factors as the cause. Advanced age of the parents, certain medications and infections that affect the fetus during pregnancy can be important. Sources: Helsenorge, Autismeforeningen, Statped, ICD-10 Jogeir Sognnæs says that the schools in Bergen this spring were facing an overspend of approximately NOK 100 million, which is largely linked to pupils with very extensive needs. – We do not know how many of these have autism, but there are many indications that they make up a large part of these students. – How do you think it will be for Norwegian municipalities to meet this need in the coming years? – We have to face this with strengthened competence and a critical look at how we organize the offer. Then we cannot avoid a thorough discussion about what this will require in terms of financial framework. – Don’t know what kind of life he wants Carolina says his son has become more isolated by going to the local school. – I have been called by other parents who have wondered why Liam is not in a special group. Their children fear him because of his behavior, says Carolina. She believes the school has failed to help her son with social interaction with other pupils. – Then there are misunderstandings that have spilled over into his friendships, says the mother. Her impression is that employees in special groups have better training in this regard. Now she fears that time is working against her and her son. – They talk a lot about early intervention, but if they don’t make an early intervention here, I don’t know what kind of life he will have. Who will he be in five, six years? Carolina fears that time will work against her and her son, if the son does not get a special place. Photo: Ingvild Edvardsen / news Hi! Do you have input on other issues I should write about autism among children? Please send me an email. Published 03.10.2024, at 15.46 Updated 03.10.2024, at 16.38
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Increase in autism diagnoses leads to fight for special places – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
