Helping Eric
The Transition from Autistic
Child to Adult
By
Hope A. Page
ENG 101, College Composition
May 4, 2012
John Goldfine
Table of Contents
Summary………………………………………………………………..iii
Introduction……………………………………………………………...1
Why I Am
Writing……………………………………………………….4
What I
Know…………………………………………………………….5
The
Search……………………………………………………………...7
What I
Learned………………………………………………………….8
Occupations…………………………………………………………….10
School…………………………………………………………………...13
The
Future………………………………………………………………14
Bibliography……………………………………………………………..17
ii
Summary
When I first learned that I
would be assigned to do an iSearch paper on something that was important to me,
I immediately thought of my grandson, Eric.
Eric is 9 years old, and was given a firm diagnosis of autism when he
was three. Eric has exceeded the
expectations of some medical experts.
One doctor told my daughter he would never talk, yet Eric has good
verbal skills. Yet, there are areas
where his autism is evident. He fixates
on certain subjects; his vocal pitch is monotone and he has trouble making eye
contact with those he is not familiar with.
As Eric gets older, I wanted to know what kinds of jobs he could expect
to hold. As I found through my research,
there are quite a few jobs he could excel at independently. He may even chose to go to college. I found that the possibilities are
considerable. Through my research, I
found that Eric will have many options
available to him. I am pleased that
there is a bright future for Eric.
iii
INTRODUCTION
One winter evening, I was
sitting in my recliner, watching my 8 month old grandson, Eric, playing with a
puzzle. He sat on the floor, took the
puzzle pieces out of the wooden frame and methodically lined the pieces up, end
to end. My daughter remarked how smart
he was. I thought so, too, but the
behavior seemed very precise and systematic for an 8 month old. As the mother of 5 children, I know that
typical behavior for an 8 month old is to empty the frame and immediately try
to shove all the pieces that will fit into their mouths. Other behaviors Eric exhibited concerned me
as well. When I spoke to him, he didn’t
always look at me and he resisted when I picked him up. In the back of my mind, I thought of several
articles I read on autism in children.
Children who don’t like to be hugged, who avoid eye contact and sit for
hours fixated on certain objects. Could
Eric be autistic? I thrust the thought
from my mind; he was only 8 months old, for Pete’s sake. Most autistic children are diagnosed at about
2 years of age; what was my problem looking at Eric in this way?
I had only come in contact
with two individuals who were autistic.
One child was about 5 years old.
An older woman in my church gave me some
1
and-me-down dresses to my 3
year old daughter that her granddaughter
had outgrown. The woman explained to me that her
granddaughter was
autistic.
When I went to the lady’s home I found out what she meant. The little girl thrashed around; kicking and
screaming. The child’s grandmother told
me that her daughter was unable or unwilling to care for the child, so the
grandmother stepped in. She told me how
hard it was to manage the little girl and that the dresses she gave me was made
especially for her granddaughter, but she hardly ever wore them because her
behavior was so bad, she couldn’t be taken anywhere.
The next person I met was a
young man about 20 years old. He came into the Department of Health and
Human Services to apply for food stamps.
His mother explained that he lost his job due to his “condition”. The young man told me he had, what I
understood him to say, “ass-burgers”. I
thought he must have Tourette’s Syndrome and he just blurted out whatever came
to mind. That would get him fired,
right? Later, I read the Time
issue and discovered what he really said was “Asperger’s”. He was quite different from the little girl I
met years ago.
2
Now I sat, watching Eric so
carefully line up those puzzle pieces, and I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling
that Eric might be autistic, too. I
delicately mentioned it to my daughter, who told me someone else had broached
the subject with her. My daughter seemed
unsure of how to proceed. I had little experience with autistic individuals,
but Time magazine had recently featured autism in a special issue. I suggested she read the Time
issue.
Several years later, my
hunch turned to reality when Eric was officially diagnosed with “pervasive
developmental disorder” which is on the autism spectrum. Later he was diagnosed as autistic. Eric is 9 years old now and is a very sweet,
loving boy. But as he gets older, I know
he will face difficulties with his peers, who may not understand why he is
different. My daughter told me of one
instance where a friend of Eric’s brought another boy over to Eric’s house to
play. The boy played in Eric’s house,
but told Eric’s friend he didn’t want to play with Eric because Eric was
“weird”.
So this is why I decided to
look into autism and what Eric may face as he reaches adulthood. What sorts of jobs await him? Will he be able to manage independently?
3
WHY I AM WRITING
As I previously stated, I am
researching the subject of adults with autism and how they navigate in society
because my grandson is autistic. At 9
years old, he has about 10 years before he enters society as an adult. Already in his young life, he has faced some
challenges in interacting with other children.
While his sister likes to have friends over for birthdays and play
dates, Eric prefers to keep these occasions as family only. He seems to like the security of his family
as opposed to the uncertainty of people on the outside. Eric goes to public school and does quite
well in math. English and reading is
more of a challenge, but he has success there, too. As he gets older, he will have more
interactions outside his family. I am
concerned with how he will support himself.
What obstacles will he face as he becomes self-sufficient? Will he hold an independent job? If he chooses, can Eric expect go to
college? And most importantly, how will
he interact with society at large. I am
concerned that anytime someone displays conduct that is outside the norm, that
they are misunderstood and inappropriately labeled as a result. So my purpose in writing this paper is to
find out how adults with autism have handled these situations and thrived in
society.
4
By finding out some of the
answers to my questions, I hope to better assist Eric as he gets older.
WHAT I KNOW
As I began my research, one
in every 110 children in the United States are diagnosed with autism. This week, I read an on-line article that
states a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
estimates that 1 in 88 American children have some form of autism. This is an increase of 78% compared to a
decade ago.1
In researching this subject, I decided to
focus on high functioning autism (HFA) and Asperger’s, since there is such a
wide spectrum of behaviors under the umbrella of autism. I found there are some things I do know about
autism. Autistic individuals develop
interests that often become passions; that can be a strength in the work
place.
In the case of my grandson,
Eric, he developed an interest in butterflies.
He explained to me about the
pupa and the chrysalis. I was amazed at
his
1http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Counting/Autism
5
knowledge of the life cycle
of the butterfly. Because of his
interest, I bought
him a butterfly farm. This seemed to give him focus and encourage
his
interest. Eric may not go on to work in the butterfly
field, but it may fuel his interest in the sciences. I know that by inspiring an interest, it can
help Eric as he gets older and begins to look at different occupations.
Individuals with autism
often have trouble with interpersonal relationships. They have a hard time understanding body
language and subtleties of behavior that most of us take for granted. I have read that many autistic individuals
are able to focus on their vocations and are quite successful because of this
ability to concentrate.
I know that some perceived weaknesses in
personal interaction can be a strength in the job market. I also know that attention to detail, which
is another HFA trait could help Eric in the job market by emphasizing he
quality of work he may engage in. I hope
by doing the research for this paper, I will be able to help Eric navigate the
confusing, perplexing jumble that he will face in the adult world.
6
THE SEARCH
In determining which
direction to go in for my research, I first checked out the library. There is next to nothing on high-functioning
autistic (HFA) children transitioning into adulthood. Most of the books I found deal with raising
an autistic child. One book focused on
adult living situations, such as supported living in group homes and
institutionalized settings.
Since I feel that Eric will
most likely be able to function independently, I am not interested in how he
will manage in a group setting.
According to his teachers and evaluators, Eric is two points over the
normal/spectrum scale. It gives me hope
that with the proper intervention and training, he will live and function
independently. Eric is a smart boy, he
is at grade level in math and on the lower end of the reading scale, but he is
working on that.
I did find one book; aquamarine
blue 5, which is a compilation of essays written by autistic college
students. I also called the local
elementary school and spoke with the special education secretary. I explained that I am doing a research paper
on HFA and wanted to find out what resources are available to help children
transition into adulthood and function
7
independently in
society. She told me that the special
education teacher was on vacation (school break). She took my number and told me that she would
have the teacher contact me after break.
She put me in contact with the autism specialist at Penquis. I played “phone tag” with her for several
days and then she gave me her email address.
I emailed several questions and have not heard back.
Due to the constraints on my
time, i.e., working full time, managing a home, etc., I have decided to confine
my research to books, periodicals and the internet. This way, I can have access to materials when
it is convenient to me. Much of what I
found on the internet discusses the types of jobs best suited for HFA and the
kinds of difficult situations they may encounter in the “real” world as
adults.
WHAT I LEARNED
In researching how adults
with autism function in society, the most important question is “What is it
like to be an adult with autism? I found
this question posed on the website; “Answers.com” with some responses such as:
8
“Being an adult with Aspergers
is like being from a foreign country. However, because I look the same and
don't have a foreign accent people assume I'm a native (neurotypical) and
expect me to be just like them. They don't allow for misunderstandings or me
saying things in not "quite the right" way. If the Aspies made up the
majority of the population, then the neurotypical people would feel odd, out of
place, misunderstood, and experience the world in a way that is different from
the way the majority do.”2
In many of the articles I
read, HFA are misunderstood primarily because they react differently in social
situations than the majority of the population.
This creates a barrier in
connecting with others. For example,
many people with autism have a hard time making friends. For many people with autism, their interests
can be extreme and they have a difficult time engaging in
other subjects that do not
appeal to them. For instance, someone
who is
HFA may have an obsessive
interest in trains. They may study the
train schedule for every train in the United States. But such a fixation may seem weird to someone
who is without an interest in trains.
Autistic people may also
have problems toning down their voices.
Eric
2 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_life_like_for
_an_adult_with_autism_or_Aspergers%27s_Syndrome
9
speaks in a particularly loud
voice that can sometimes take people aback if they do not know him. Therapists work with Eric to help him
recognize appropriate tone of voice and he is in a regular classroom that helps
him interact with other children his age.
Being involved with other children can help him understand how to
communicate appropriately with others.
With additional supports such as speech and occupational therapy, Eric
can learn how to associate with people in the workforce and society at
large.
OCCUPATIONS
I was surprised to learn
that there are many occupations suitable for HFA people. Temple Grandin, a famous person with autism
is a specialist in humane euthanasia of farm animals. She was diagnosed with autism at age 3 and
her mother was advised to put her in an institution. Her mother eschewed the advice and enrolled
her in private schools. My point in
injecting this information into my research is Temple Grandin is autistic, has
a PhD and is a noted scientist and lecturer.
When my grandson Eric was
first diagnosed, the doctor told my daughter
10
that Eric would never
talk. Eric is 9 years old and is very
verbal in his
communications. Although not all autistic children may rise
to this level of competence, it is important to give them a chance.
There are some occupations
that are particularly suited to those with autism. The following quote was found online in the
“Disability Resource Directory”:
“In
terms of employment
, autistic adults
usually are best suited to jobs that address their particular strengths.
According to research, autistic adults generally have limited short-term
memory, but excellent long-term memory compared to most people. In addition,
there are support groups
and services that help autistic adults take care of themselves.”3
In
looking for occupations that are suitable for autistic personalities, I found
there is quite a variety.
“Many
of the very same traits that can make fitting into society a challenge have
become the foundation of successful
careers for people with autism.
3 http://www.disabilty –resource.com/Autism/index.html
11
“Traits
common to the autistic mind, such as the need for structure and intense focus
on interests, can be an assets in the work force. Office politics and gossip,
often the cause of workplace strife, tend to be of little interest to employees
with autism, and complex systems that baffle many of us are often easily
understood by individuals with autism.”4
As previously stated, being
successful in employment first hinges on interests. Temple Grandin’s extreme interest in animals led her to her
field of expertise in the humane treatment of farm animals. Fields where human interaction or emotional communications
are limited may be good areas of employment.
For example, an autistic individual may not make the best
psychotherapist because of their lack of empathy or understanding of human
emotions. They may, however, find a job
as, for example, a computer programmer rewarding, and be successful at it because it
deals with inanimate objects that do not require deciphering unpredictable
situations.
The web site, “lovetoknow.com” lists several
areas where autistic individuals can find success in employment. Most of these fields have several things in
common. Some of these things include,
adherence to
12
routine, the ability to work
autonomously and structure, all of which are essential to persons with autism.
SCHOOL
In doing my research, I was
also concerned if Eric might be able to attend college or vocational studies,
if he so chooses. I read parts of a book
called, aquamarine blue 5, which is a group of essays written by college
students with autism. Many of the
students talk about the difficulties they had relating with other students and
instructors. Many of the students were
diagnosed late in life, unlike many children today who may be diagnosed before
they enter school. For many, the
diagnosis of autism was a relief in explaining the idiosyncrasies that
permeated their personalities. One such
person in the book, known as “Gary” described his feelings in this way:
“…I was so relieved to realize that I was not
the only one with this
condition
and that a great burden had been lifted from my shoulders.”5
Many of the students that
wrote for this book expressed the same feelings.
5 Prince-Hughes, Dawn, Aquamarineblue5. Swallow Press/Ohio University Press, Athens,
Ohio, 2002
13
However in describing their
school experience, many did well in actual classes because there are many
different types of individuals in college
and HFA individuals don’t
stand out so much in a crowd. Because
they are in a setting where disparities are not as noticeable, as say, high
school, they were able to assimilate more easily and achieve more success. Not to say that they were not distinct in
their mannerisms, but they were not as obvious being in a group where others
were also different. Because college is
more specialized, they were able to study subjects that were of interest to
them and have more success.
THE FUTURE
No one can predict the
future, but this research has given me great hope for Eric. Some of his interests may develop into
strengths as he transitions into adulthood and the workforce. His ability to study and focus on a subject will
help him absorb the tasks and jobs that he may show an aptitude for. He may choose to attend college and with the
right supports, such as understanding teachers and peers, he can expect to
excel at anything he puts his mind to.
14
One thing I learned that is important for
everyone to know, just in the short time of starting my research, the incidence
of autism increased from one in 110 diagnosed to one in 88. The diagnosis of autism isn’t going away
anytime soon and society at large will have a population of children becoming
adults.
There needs to be more
programs available to help them achieve independence. And more than anything, there needs to be
more understanding. Not all people come
out of a cookie cutter mold and autistic persons want to have success like
everyone else.
I want to end with a quote
that was in a movie I watched this winter called, “A Smile as Big as the
Moon”. This movie was based on a book
written by a special education teacher and chronicled his efforts to help his
class realize a goal to attend Space Camp, a program for gifted children.
“I’ve worked with special
needs kids for far too long to romanticize their accomplishments. There are no
simple solutions for any of them. These are basically good kids who’ve been
dealt a bad hand. They live their lives on the margins. Their classroom is a
metaphor for their existence. It’s out of the way at the far end of the
15
basement. It’s like a cell
block with bad air, bad light, no
windows to the outside world. And outside the classroom, not much is asked of
them nor is much expected. Can they try your patience? Yes, they can. And do
they sometimes break your heart? Yes sir, they certainly do. But there are
times – remarkable moments…when more is asked of them and more is expected of
them. And they rise to the occasion, gratefully, gladly, just to remind you of
the remarkable power of the human spirit.”6
6 Rossi, Tony.
A Smile as Big as the Moon. 26
January 2012, http://www.pathos.com
16
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Careers_for_People_with_Autism
Website discusses career strengths
for people with autism, including why these careers are good choices and traits
that make a person a good fit
Statistics regarding the
increase in autism, also discusses incidences of autism in relation to sex,
ethnicity
Clearinghouse for
information regarding autism and resources available to families. Also discusses traits and various
interventions available to individuals desiring to enter the workforce
Review of made-for-
television movie by the same name. Movie
features the struggles of a special education high school teacher who attempts
to get his class accepted into Space Camp, a science camp specifically
17
designed for gifted
students. Quote was the highlight of the
movie, as the
teacher tries to get
administration to understand life through the children’s eyes
Prince-Hughes, Dawn. Aquamarineblue5. Swallow Press/Ohio University Press, Athens,
Ohio, 2002
Essays by several college
students with autism spectrum disorder.
Details their triumphs and struggles with autism in college as well as
society at large.
No comments:
Post a Comment