Transitioning Aspergers Teens to Adulthood

Question

My son is an adolescent with Aspergers. How do I transition him into adulthood?

Answer

No doubt that this is an exciting time in your home. Your youngster with Aspergers (high-functioning autism) has reached the age of college and career. Your hard work has paid off after years of special education, therapy and family support. Congratulations on a job well done!

Now you get to move on to the next phase in life. You’ve given your youngster a good strong foundation and you want to continue to help. If you haven’t yet, researching adult Aspergers is a good place to begin this transition.

As more kids are growing up under the Aspergers diagnosis than ever before, the need for family and community resources are increasing. If you search the Internet, you will find articles, books, videos, and support groups all geared directly to the Aspergers adult.

The video “Asperger: Transition to College and Work” by Coulter Video is a good starting point. This video delivers just what the title suggests practical help for the transition into adulthood.

Once you’ve researched and read up on the basics, find local resources for support and information applicable to your community. Job skills classes, adolescent and/or adult Aspergers support meetings, career counseling, and independent living options can all be found on the local level. Tap into these sources to receive much needed planning assistance and support for both of you.

Encourage your youngster to pursue his dreams. If college seems too overwhelming, suggest a local community college. Your adolescent can live at home, fully supported by family, while obtaining a college degree. Plus, the community college will have disability support services that can be used for additional assistance.

A vocational training school is another option to think about. Close to home, these programs are geared towards adults looking for a career certificate. Computer technology classes, welding, auto repair, and air-conditioning technology are common vocational school possibilities. In less than two years, your adolescent could be certified in an area of interest that also pays well.

The opportunity to live at home and continue the education process will give your adolescent time to make choices and decisions regarding life skills. All the research you do now can be utilized over the years while your adolescent achieves his post-high school goals, giving you both a better transition into the adult years.

LAUNCHING ADULT CHILDREN WITH ASPERGERS: HOW TO PROMOTE SELF-RELIANCE

He was diagnosed at 6 years old with a non-verbal learning disorder...

I have a 9 year old son with ASD. He was diagnosed at 6 years old with a non verbal learning disorder, and attends a school for children with ADHD and/or autism. As his parent, I feel overwhelmed, scared, frustrated, and completely alone. I am hoping to find other parents who understand the issues we face daily, and who can share thoughts and ideas. I'm really hoping this site might be the life ring that keeps me from drowning!

 

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How can I teach empathy to my child with Aspergers?

One of the most common areas of weakness mentioned to me by moms and dads is empathy. Aspergers causes an individual to lack empathy. Showing emotions and acknowledging another person's feelings are very important skills. Without empathy, a person is seen as cold and unfeeling, therefore making it difficult to develop personal relationships with others.

If you were to complete an Internet search on empathy and Aspergers, you would find a topic that is very well covered. This weakness is quite well-known. The problem lies within the inability to determine another individual's feelings, more so than an actual inability to feel. Once your child becomes aware of another person's feelings, he is likely quite capable in showing empathy of a variety of emotions. The key to teaching empathy is helping him learn to understand and recognize other people's true feelings and emotions.

As a parent, you should definitely teach empathy. Aspergers doesn't eliminate the desire to learn, even though it can make it a bit difficult. Here are some ideas you can use to help your child develop a healthier emotional outlook.

• Social stories can be used to teach a variety of skills. You can purchase books of social stories or create your own personal versions. Feel free to make some of them silly and fun, while others are more sad and serious.

• Occupational and Speech/language therapy practice at home is important to your child's development. Make sure you are meeting with his therapists regularly and working on the goals that help with empathy: sensory issues, social cues and language, and pretend-play, to name a few.

• Social skills groups/classes can be found through your child's school, doctor's office, or your local Autism support group. Good social skills will automatically enhance your child's empathy. If you cannot find a social skills group for your child, speak with the special education department at his school for tips you can use at home. Better yet, convince them of the need to start a social skills group at school, complete with peer buddies. (Peer buddies are neuro-typical classmates who have a desire to help with the challenges some of the special needs students face at school.)

• Video, peer, and self-modeling are all good ways to teach empathy. Using videos, your child can learn to connect feelings by watching facial expressions while listening to the conversations that take place. Once a video has been implemented, bringing in a peer to help re-create the video will bring about a new dimension. Likewise, have your child use a mirror to see different facial expressions while talking about their meanings. Seeing, hearing, and doing will help your child make important connections that will stick with him.

While planning to assist a youngster by teaching empathy, Aspergers specialists and moms and dads must also balance the need for good communication skills. Social cues and gestures are an important part of emotional connection. A good speech/language therapist can help your child learn better social skills and empathy by improving his verbal and nonverbal language skills.

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