Teens and Adults
As your child enters his adolescent years, expect him to find this time period challenging, if not downright difficult. After all, even kids who aren't on the spectrum are daunted by the formidable transition between childhood and adulthood, and it's even trickier for those who are autistic.Autistic teens are befuddled by physical and hormonal changes in their bodies, by developing social circles and by increasing contact with the world at large. They're also wrestling with complicated emotions.
Adolescence is when, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, they “may become painfully aware that they are different from their peers,” a realization they may not be fully prepared to face. As a result, they may appear to regress, acting out and exhibiting behaviors, such as hitting or rocking, they may have conquered long ago.
Riding an Emotional Rollercoaster
Your child may lean on you more as he navigates the years ahead so prepare for the rollercoaster of emotions on which he may soon embark. Let him know that you're there to guide him through any situation he may find uncomfortable. Ask the opinions of his teachers, who will help him master new skills so he'll be better equipped to interact with his peers and take on bigger responsibilities.
Teen mentoring programs such as the one run by the University of Washington Autism Center can teach him or her how to be more comfortable in social situations so he or she will know how to move in environments that may not be as familiar as home or school. You may also want to consider sending your child to a summer program especially designed for autistic teens, such as the Talisman Camp or the Stone Mountain School, both in North Carolina, where he can meet other teens on the spectrum.
With ample support and encouragement, your child stands a good chance of overcoming the initial pressures and in time, he'll learn how to adjust to his shifting landscape.
Stepping into Adulthood
Once your child is an adult, his options will depend on how high functioning he is. When he has “aged out” of public school, a vocational training program may be the next best step.
Depending on his capabilities, he may excel at jobs that require enormous amounts of concentration but limited intense interaction with others, such as computer programming or graphic design. Or, he may prefer to do something more repetitive, such as filing. If he's academically rigorous, college may be the answer. (Temple Grandin, an autism activist who's on the spectrum herself, is a renowned professor of animal science.)
In short, he or she is only truly limited by his or her own abilities and interests, which holds true whether one is autistic or not
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