How does autism affect adults




















In the diagnostic criteria for autism and Asperger syndrome changed. What was previously diagnosed as Asperger syndrome is now diagnosed as autism spectrum disorder ASD. More males than females are diagnosed with autism although there is mounting evidence to suggest that girls and women are underdiagnosed. Every autistic person is different but some of the more common characteristics include:. A psychologist or psychiatrist with experience in the assessment and diagnosis of autism will ask you about your childhood, and experiences at school and as an adult.

They may also do some psychological or psychiatric testing. A speech pathologist also known as a speech therapist may also be consulted to assess your social communication skills. If you are diagnosed with autism, you may feel relieved to know why you feel or behave the way you do. A diagnosis may also help you and your family to understand and cope with the challenges you face. An autistic person may find it hard to understand the emotions of other people.

Emotions are interpreted by subtle messages sent by facial expression, eye contact and body language. These are often missed or misinterpreted by an autistic person. Because of this, autistic people might be mistakenly perceived as being rude or unfeeling. Autistic people may find it difficult to understand how others perceive their behaviour. Some autistic people will successfully maintain relationships.

However, like most relationships, there are challenges. Counselling, or joining a support group where they can talk with other people who face the same challenges, can be helpful.

An autistic partner, like any partner, will have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to relationships. A non-autistic partner may find that there are communication breakdowns, such as misunderstandings or finding that your partner is not able to predict your feelings. An autistic partner may need routine, order and time to pursue their hobbies. Relationship counselling with a counsellor or psychologist experienced at working with autistic people can assist couples to develop strategies and to communicate more effectively with each other.

Those children become adults who are unable to live in the real world. And even many of the ones who got good support along the way end up thinking they have an immutable death sentence and give up trying.

But you can have expectations and push yourself to get as much out of your mind and body as possible in these brief lives we get. You can do and be almost anything you want. Your genes are the recipe but you are the cook.

I humbly suggest that you stop getting angry with well-meaning people and get cooking! Sure it can, more or less. People can more or less compensate on all kinds of problems and over time that can make a real change. I discovered my diagnosis accidentally, in my 40s, while taking a psychology class!

Suddenly my whole life made sense. I knew I had issues but did not understand why I was different. I thought I had mild learning disabilities executive functioning issues and learned to compensate by reading things 2 or 3 times, and studying three times as hard. I often took too much time to accomplish things at work because I was so detailed oriented, and often ended up staying late or coming in early or working through lunch to accomplish things.

So yes, we can compensate, but I will tell you, it has not gotten easier for me. I have just started to think about a new career path in an area that would more closely fit my strengths and not highlight my weaknesses with executive functioning so much.

Autism is neurological. You can learn many compensatory behaviors that make life run smoother and the spectrum behaviors less noticeable. However, the autism remains. So that would mean that the average person with autism is less intelligent than average.

Why not just say that? Or is that not what you meant? That is so confusing. You must be logged in to post a comment. It appears JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Please enable JavaScript and refresh the page in order to complete this form. Signs of autism occur in three main areas: Social interactions Verbal and nonverbal communication Repetitive or ritualistic behaviors Some autistic adults may exhibit symptoms that resemble attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD ; others may have symptoms like impaired spoken language.

You often invent your own words and expressions to describe things. You are always bumping into things and tripping over your own feet. In your leisure time, you prefer to play individual games and sports, like golf, where everyone works for themselves instead of working toward a common goal on a team.

Your co-workers say that you speak like a robot. You are really good at math, or software coding, but struggle to succeed in other areas. You talk to your co-workers the same way you talk with your family and friends. But once you're an adult, you're expected to put away your emotional challenges, tuck in your shirt, and act like a grown-up. Grown-ups in modern-day America are expected to independently manage time and money, run a home, find and hold a job, manage social interactions at work and in the community, find friends and romance, save for a rainy day, cook an omelet, and raise kids.

Then there's the problem of handling the constant onslaught of sound, information, interaction, and visual stimulation that's part and parcel of being alive today. People with autism find many of these expectations impossible to fulfill.

Autism entails deficits in speech and nonverbal communication, executive functioning , and social interaction. It also entails hyper- or hyposensitivity to sound, light, smells, tastes, and touch. It may make it harder to find and keep friends or romantic partners. It may make it almost impossible to land and keep a job that requires a high level of social or planning skills. It may also mean that living independently while managing all the demands of daily life is simply too challenging. Very few adults with autism are partnered, live independently, and work full time in fulfilling jobs, comparing poorly to adults with other disabilities.

Additionally, those who do attain these measures of success may do so more than a decade after their peers in the general population. According to the Autism Society: "In June , only Of those, The relative lack of information for and about adults on the spectrum means that a lot of parents suddenly find themselves scrambling when their child—now a young adult—reaches the magical age of That's because, on their 22nd birthday, people with autism suddenly lose their entitlement to services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA and enter the much chancier world of adult services.

While the IDEA actually requires schools to offer "free and appropriate education" to all children, there is no such requirement for adults. As a result, funding and programming for adults may or may not be available at any given time. Adults with autism are entitled to nothing but are likely to receive at least some level of support.

If you live in some states, you'll have little trouble accessing services and funding for adults with autism. If you live in other states, you're out of luck. Among the more generous states are:.

Of course, the definition of "services and funding" varies depending upon need. For example, Medicaid doesn't provide vocational training or support—services that would be particularly useful to higher functioning adults. Medicaid may or may not be a source of funding for housing, day programs, and other services. One excellent, updated source of information about state-by-state offerings is Easter Seals. While they do focus quite a bit on children, they also include a wide range of detailed information about resources and services for all ages.

Americans assume that grown children will leave their parents' home and go to live in their own apartment or house. Of course, as the economy and other factors have changed, many more typically developing young adults are moving in with mom and dad.

Not surprisingly, a very large number of autistic adults also live with their parents. Whether high functioning or severely autistic, adults with autism work harder than their typical peers to enjoy a fulfilling life. To succeed, they—like everyone else—need friendship, support, and opportunities to work and play in an accepting social setting. As funding ebbs and flows, they can't always rely on tax-funded programs. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis, management, and health services development. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. Age at first identification of autism spectrum disorder: An analysis of two US surveys. Assessing autism in adults: An evaluation of the developmental, dimensional and diagnostic interview-adult version 3Di-adult.

J Autism Dev Disord. Where is the evidence? A narrative literature review of the treatment modalities for autism spectrum disorders. Primary care for adults on the autism spectrum. Med Clin North Am.



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