After all, even kids
who aren't on the spectrum are daunted by the formidable transition between
childhood and adulthood, and it's even trickier for those who are autistic.
Autistic teens are befuddled by physical and hormonal changes in their
bodies, by developing social circles and by increasing contact with the world at
large. They're also wrestling with complicated emotions.
Adolescence is
when, according to the American National Institute of Mental Health, they “may become
painfully aware that they are different from their peers,” a realization they
may not be fully prepared to face. As a result, they may appear to regress,
acting out and exhibiting behaviors, such as hitting or rocking, they may have
conquered long ago.
Check the TSA (our Special Program for Adolescents).
Your child may lean on you more as he navigates the years
ahead so prepare for the rollercoaster of emotions on which he may soon embark.
Let him know that you're there to guide him through any situation he may find
uncomfortable. Ask the opinions of his teachers, who will help him master new
skills so he'll be better equipped to interact with his peers and take on bigger
responsibilities.
Teen mentoring programs such as the one run by the
University of Washington Autism Center can teach him or her how to be more
comfortable in social situations so he or she will know how to move in
environments that may not be as familiar as home or school. You may also want to
consider sending your child to a summer program especially designed for autistic
teens, such as the Talisman Camp or the Stone Mountain School, both in North
Carolina, where he can meet other teens on the spectrum.
With ample
support and encouragement, your child stands a good chance of overcoming the
initial pressures and in time, he'll learn how to adjust to his shifting
landscape.
Once your child is an adult, his options will depend on
how high functioning he is. When he has “aged out” of public school, a
vocational training program may be the next best step.
Depending on his
capabilities, he may excel at jobs that require enormous amounts of
concentration but limited intense interaction with others, such as computer
programming or graphic design. Or, he may prefer to do something more
repetitive, such as filing. If he's academically rigorous, college may be the
answer. (Temple Grandin, an autism activist who's on the spectrum herself, is a
renowned professor of animal science.)
In short, he or she is only truly
limited by his or her own abilities and interests, which holds true whether one
is autistic or not.
