noelle

Did any of you attend the Autism Conference in Anaheim CA about a month or so ago?

My parents went.. my dad didn't like Jenny McCarthy... He has a big problem with Celebrities getting attention when their kids have issues but when the general public has special needs children we're brushed aside. I dunno, I think Celebrity status gives an individual a voice and a way to bring education on the subject.

They didn't think there was enough for parents of older autistic children or adults....

And in some sense I wonder if they are right.

What were your thoughts?

Carey2

The lack of services for adults on the spectrum is also a big problem here in the UK, and is the subject of a national campaign by the National Autistic Socety.

The Think Differently Campaign is trying to change perceptions and create change in the services provided ,why should services,help, support be withdrawn when a child becomes an adult?

Do there needs evaporate overnight?

__________________
Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,trouble or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

noelle

this is something we're dealing with right now.

What happens to the teenager once he turns 18 and is legally an adult. The social behavior seeming as odd can easily be misinterpreted and become inapproproiate. We've heard horror stories about adults with these impairments being placed into jail due to mishaps... Right now, becuase of the internet, this is a real problem. We personally worry about Nick's social interaction online cause all it takes is Nick talking to someone online and the conversation becoming inappropriate... and come to find out it's some undercover cop. Either that or him slipping up and giving out personal information placing himself in danger....

And being an adult, he feels he is entitled to do what he wants... he doesn't understand that there are consequences should he do something inappropriate.

Unfortunately, right now I don't think there are enough options out there. Putting him or any young adult in a home is the only one given... and even that isn't a good idea. Although, it's taxing on my parents to continue to care for him, we can't just throw away our relatives like that- but some families are forced into that as all services tend to stop once the individual reaches maturity, as if by the time they're 18 mysteriously they are no longer disabled. And sure there is SSI... money... but money isn't exactly a necessity, merely a substitution for the lack of employment.... but that doesn't take into consideration behavior modification therapies and independent living skills... or education. We're still living under the rules of a society who once believed that all disabled individuals cannot learn past a certain point... when we now understand that is entirely untrue.

This is something we've had to deal with in regards to autism... trying to defend the fact that Nick is not retarded like some would like to think.. he continues to learn... he just needed special tools to kick start him. Once he had those tools, his learning took off like a wild fire. (sometimes too fast). So where we are now is a guy who knows a lot of stuff... some of it can be applied in the proper areas... but socially stuck in certain childhood development areas. A trainwreck.... They need to provide programs for these individuals well beyond public schooling.

rainbows

oh gosh-does the worry never end? I have a few years to go yet til my son reaches adulthood-i hope things get better for us all.