4 year old travelling to school by taxi,with escort-1st day?

[stumblingthroughwonderland]

Hi,I have just registered but have been reading this section of Mumsnet for 3 years and have learnt alot.My son is 4,diagnosed with ASD in April this year,he has a statement and will be attending a special ASD unit approximately 6 miles away.Since finishing nursery he has come on so much,he has gone from having approximately 2 words to a vocabulary of over 150 words,more spontaneous speech,more appropriate etc....,he is also recently fully potty trained,so has made amazing progress in a matter of 6 weeks.He is due to start reception on Monday,and is saying,"no thanks,I had enough of school"! Bless him,it took 6 months for him to settle in nursery and that was helped by the provision of a 1/1.My question is do we send him with the escort from day 1? This has been advised by his teacher,it's just the thought of him screaming his head off in the taxi,then a long day at school that's making us panic? We have explained to him about what will happen,and that he will be brought home by taxi etc...but he really struggles with new routines etc....?How long do we leave him in terms of weeks/months if he really does not want to get in the taxi?Sorry for the long post,any advice/reassurance welcomed?

I think children with ASD are better kept to the same routine, no point in taking him for a few days / weeks and then having to get used to a new routine. My son has ASD and goes to special school but I live less than a mile away so take him myself, first two weeks he screamed as I left then one day he just said "bye" and I was dismissed. My friends little boy started school there at 4 and went in a taxi from day 1.

I was taking /collecting DS from school this week and watching some of the new children arrive and leave by taxi, some were under 4! They all seemed very happy.

Do you have to provide the escort?

I would send him with the escort from Day 1. If you accompany him/drive him, he may want that all the time. Then you have to go through the grief of changing the process.

I've had to carry DS2 onto the school bus kicking and screaming when term starts again, but he soon settles. The bus driver and escort tell me he stops being upset about 2 or 3 minutes into the journey.

It's very hard to see your DC upset, but a new routine often becomes a liked routine in this house anyway. Consistency has been our key.

Good luck. x