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Transitioning To Adulthood

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Whenever an individual is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the individual and the family members often wonder what the future holds for them, and the diagnosed individual. Although there is no statistical evidence on the life expectancy for the community of people with ASD, most premature deaths that do occur are related to the lack of care in an institution, infection, and/or poor medical supervision (Van Hecke, 2010). Premature deaths can also be linked to suicide by individuals in the ASD community, often those with a less severe version of the disorder. Suicide can most commonly occur when the individual develops a mental illnesses, often as the cause of a disconnect from society. Common mental illnesses associated with ASD …show more content…

Transitioning to adulthood can be an extremely hard time for individuals diagnosed with ASD. Adulthood brings about new responsibilities and many lifestyle changes that can not be made smoothly unless the individual has been pushed to develop and grow properly, and given the opportunity to thrive. Families often succumb to the stress of trying to raise a child with a disability, which can lead to abuse, neglect, and overall lack of care of the individual. There tends to be a higher divorce rate among families with ASD. In fact, the divorce rate is five times higher than those families with “normal” childhood development (Van Hecke, 2010). This can be due to the added stress ASD can cause on the family. Added stress can come from confusing, often contradicting interventions that doctors often recommend to the family. On average, children with ASD are put through seven different intervention programs at one time, which clearly puts financial strain on most families (Magro, 2016). Sibling relationships also tend to deteriorate over time as they get older and are not able to keep bonds …show more content…

Those with the IQ of 70-75 tend to do well in adulthood, however even those who have an IQ above this may struggle with financial issues. The transition to adulthood is especially hard for children with ASD because adults with ASD are “socially disadvantaged and tend to be unrecognized” (Henninger & Taylor, 2014). Fortunately, Dr. Paul from Autism Speaks organization recognizes that there is research for people with ASD that shows that with the right amount of training and support, individuals with ASD can work a variety of jobs in their own communities. Ted Talks speaker (Kerry Magro from TED Talks Seminar) was diagnosed with ASD at the age of three, but says he overcame all odds with intensive therapy, support groups, and speech therapy. It is very important that an individual with ASD has the proper support group in order to be successful in the transition to adulthood, and organizations like these can be useful in that. In a recent survey called “Family Perspectives on a Successful Transition to Adulthood for Individuals with Disabilities” it explains that the most important factor for transitioning to adulthood in the ASD community is to have a job or role in the community (Henninger, 2014). Just like all people, it is important to make sure that a person with ASD has the opportunity to do what they love in life. This can be facilitated by parents helping to keep

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