Our 12 year-old daughter got a diagnosis of autism on her 4th birthday. She’s completely non-verbal. She gets speech therapy and ABA therapy in her specialized IEP. She has an aide with her when she joins the classroom with her typically developing peers and she is mainstreamed for art, music, computer and p.e.
We’ve been learning ASL as a means of communication with her, and her tantrums have lessened because of her ability to communicate with us and with the world at large.
She loves to swim and writing or drawing are also her preferred activities.
I am a little fearful right now as she’s going to start middle school soon. She did achieve a goal I’d hoped she would before starting, one of being able to say “no” independently.
My son is 19, and was diagnosed with ADHD in kindergarten. I found out about Aspberger’s Syndrome when he was 14, and when I read the symptoms, they might as well as had his picture next to the articles. His psychiatrist tested him and said he is on the Aspberger’s spectrum; he has all the symptoms of AS, except that he shows emotion freely, so he doesn’t fit completely.
He has struggled all through grade school and high school to fit in, and it is an understatement to say that it was a daily struggle. He’s now about to start his second year of college, he wants to be an engineer; he has a part-time job where his bosses understand his limitations; and he has his first girlfriend. We’re making progress.
I am 29 was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome last year. I had thought I may have had it ever since I read the description, but there were a few things that didn’t fit in for me. I was rather athletic through school, and didn’t have any extraordinary trouble communicating or making friends.
My main problem is a lack of ability to correctly read social situations. My therapist has basically said that most people intuitively understand society, developing those skills as a child, whereas I have to try to understand things rationally - and people are often far from rational. I work best with a regimented schedule where I know what I’m supposed to do - I suffered a bit in Montessori schools where I could sorta do whatever I wanted, but at least I had assignments. I did very well in middle school and high school where I played multiple sports and had all of my activity planned for me. I started suffering when I went to college and didn’t know what to do with all the free time I suddenly had. I really suffered when I graduated from college with no clear plan of what to do. I went to grad school locally while living with my widowed mother, but she had a boyfriend that I believe influenced her to make me move out. I did absolutely terrible living on my own, ending up being hospitalized twice with depression.
Depression is the other major theme of my life, although I am greatly improving now that I’ve been on Adderall the past two months. I was hospitalized once before I moved out my second term of grad school when I tried teaching. It didn’t work.
I have an MA in mathematics, and no useful job skills or idea how the hell I’m supposed to get a paying job. I did one term as a PhD student and ended up in the hospital - I’m not sure if I have the ability to go any further than I already have. I currently “work” has a homemaker for my mother, who works full time and gets to enjoy her life instead of cooking, cleaning, and shopping and running other errands. I have no idea what I’d do without her, since I have no clue how the world really works - she takes care of nearly everything for me.
I (or rather, my mother did on my behalf) applied for SS benefits, working with an attorney. I was denied because they didn’t see any reason why I couldn’t work. And certainly I could - if I could ever convince someone (especially myself!) that I could do something someone will pay me for. That’s the real problem.