disorder in a 13 yr old special ed student

I will be getting a student in my class who has been diagnosed with Situational Anxiety Disorder. He's 13, can speak in sentences and can do academics between kindergarten and second grade levels. He has recently really gone into a "shut Down" mode his dad said. He would not participate in his former class, covered his head alot, wouldn't look at or talk to anyone.

Any words of advice. I have a lot of students with autism and have been trained wonderfully to assist children with autism (which he also now has tendencies of they say) but not quite sure what the best approach is for a child like this.

Thanx,
Michelle

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

there is a forum here on child behavior that could answer this question much better than I can because I don't have the direct experience with children.  But in general, it seems that you would need the same skills...try to get to understand his frustrations, be patient, and do what you can to bring out the best in him.