Stories to Inspire
Austin Yong
Journey from special school to mainstream school
Austin Yong is an 8-year-old boy with Asperger's Syndrome enrolled at Pathlight School, which is specially catered to children with autism spectrum disorder. He started receiving therapy services at SPD's Rehabilitation Centre in February 2007. In January 2009, he was successfully transferred to a mainstream school. SPD speech therapist Elizabeth Teh and occupational therapist Khau Lip Ting describe the journey he took in this article featured in the April 2009 issue of ExtraPage.
Austin doesn't like to talk
At that time, Austin's mother thought that he was simply shy and 'well-behaved'. She began feeling that something was amiss when he was hardly talking even at three years old. Later, when he started pre-school, Austin's teachers noticed that he was different from his peers. For example, he could not engage in make-believe games.
Austin was diagnosed in 2005 by KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) as having Asperger's Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder. People with this disorder typically lack social skills and the ability to determine proper body space. However, they typically have normal IQ and many individuals even have exceptional skills in a specific area. As features of this disorder are largely the same as that of Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is commonly considered a form of 'high-functioning autism'.
Austin's special education and therapy commence
Austin was transferred from his mainstream pre-school to Pathlight School for special education. He benefited from the small class sizes and gradually learned to read and write. He began to talk more and interact with a few classmates. His main difficulties were with social behaviours. There were times when Austin would throw temper tantrums or quarrel with fellow students if things did not go his way.
Austin was also enrolled in occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy (ST) services at KKH which served children up to six years old. When he passed the age limit in early 2007, he began receiving the same services at SPD. While undergoing OT sessions, the focus was mainly on handwriting, sensory processing and motor planning skills. ST sessions focused on speech clarity, organisation of thoughts, narrative construction and social pragmatic skills. Austin's mother was actively involved in his therapy programme. She would follow up on therapy targets with him at home, and provided his therapists with detailed feedback about his progress in school.
Austin makes progress
Austin has a good working memory and generally grasps new concepts quickly. His language and social skills developed steadily. Gradually, he learned to speak fluently and participate actively in conversations with his peers and adults. He also learned to read well and express his thoughts in writing. With time, he was able to form close friendships with a few of his peers.
Austin's handwriting skills also improved. He learned to write consistently with appropriate spacing between letters, words and paragraphs. His teacher at Pathlight School even commended his neat handwriting on several occasions.
Austin goes to a mainstream school
Given his steady improvement and clear potential for learning, his mother was encouraged to consider transferring Austin to a mainstream school. She was initially hesitant as he had settled in well at Pathlight School and was also concerned that should he be unable to cope in a mainstream classroom, he would have to wait for re-enrolment in Pathlight School.
With support from the professional team managing Austin's development, she later decided to apply for a place in mainstream school for him. Therapists from SPD provided the Ministry of Education (MOE) with written reports of his abilities, helped to prepare him for interviews by potential schools, and held several telephone discussions with MOE staff and Allied Educators (AED) from two primary schools.
In January 2009, Austin was accepted into Bukit Timah Primary School. To help him adjust to his new classroom environment, SPD's therapists provided his new teachers with suggested strategies.
Austin looks forward to school
Today, Austin says that he enjoys his new school very much and looks forward to going everyday. His teachers have reported that he is generally well-behaved and coping well academically. His school teachers are supportive and there is an AED to assist him when he needs extra help.
SPD's therapists continue to support Austin's development through fortnightly therapy services and regular discussions with his mother and teachers. Although he still has room to improve in areas like planning and problem-solving, these skills will develop as he grows older, as with all other children.
Meanwhile, Austin's mother is very happy that he has been given the opportunity to study in a mainstream school. She is hopeful that he will continue to blossom and have the same kind of education as other children.