Understanding a Child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by a Caregiver and Supporting of a Child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder to Learn Their Routine Tasks of Eating and Going to the Bathroom in a Mainstream Classroom

摘要

This study examined how supporting a child with autistic spectrum disorder to learn the routine tasks of eating and going to the bathroom would be influenced by a caregiver's understanding of a child with autistic spectrum disorder. The caregiver observes the child carefully, and as the caregiver's concern of meta-level progresses, the caregiver's understanding of the child is also greatly improved. Consequently, the caregiver's support changes to respect self-direction of the child. In connection with the change in the caregiver's support the caregiver's support of eating and going to the bathroom has improved as if the child might have been the caregiver's support. Finally, the caregiver respects the self-direction of the child and offers a flexible support system. It was discussed that the importance of fundamental life-skills such as eating and going to the bathroom should be supported through good communication between the child and a mainstreamed classroom caregiver is very important