The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated in 2009 that one in 110 children meet the diagnostic criteria for autism, a disorder that negatively affects communication, behavior and relationships throughout the lifetime. Programs for early intervention are becoming well-known through features in parenting magazines, but programs also exist for adults on the autism spectrum. Most of these are aimed at promoting independent living, enriching relationships and decreasing anxiety and depression.
"Get a Life" at Emory
At Emory University's Autism Resource Center, volunteers and adults from 18 to 45 are matched by age, interests and gender to engage in social activities out in the community. While this may seem like a artificial way to meet a friend, participants liken it to meeting people online based on their profiles.
The volunteers are carefully screened and then educated in the unique needs of people challenged with autism, such as the common need for periods of solitude that will arise during an outing and the preference of most people with autism to speak about things that are concrete and happening right at that moment, instead of chatting about feelings, ideas or past and future occurrences.
This program provides an emotionally safe setting for social connections, and in that environment, the person with autism can practice social skills and refine behaviors so that future interactions have a greater chance for success.
College Support Program
For students with autism who are capable of finishing general, college-preparatory high school classes, college, at any age, can be a place where they will find a high level of support. Not only do the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) protect each citizen's right to reasonable and necessary accommodations in the workplace and at any college, but many universities and community colleges have developed programs of coaching and academic tutoring designed to make dorm life, classes and social activities manageable for people on the more functional end of the autism spectrum, according to an investigative article by Melissa Kossler Dutton in a July 8, 2008, Associated Press article.
Going to a school that offers a high degree of structure and predictability, along with small classes and a student body likely to have a high degree of altruism, will benefit the student with autism. Older adults with autism must be careful not to overschedule or rush the degree attainment process, and both groups of students should explore scholarships targeted for autistic students.
Independent Living Support
Adults with autism who want to achieve independence will find centers for independent living in many cities. Independent living is often a gradual period of transition for the adult with autism, one that takes longer than it does for others. But that doesn't mean waiting longer for launch into adult life; it means starting much younger. Beginning in the early teen years, wise parents of an autistic person will begin to delegate household tasks such as doing laundry, making meals, grocery shopping and making bank deposits to their son or daughter, so that by the time of high school graduation, a great deal of independence has been attained. Engaging a life coach specializing in facilitating this transition provides the teen and adult with a non-family source of guidance, one less vested in the outcome.
